Ligue 1 Tips: Back PSG with handicap to claim easy weekend win

Betting.Betfair.com

·19 September 2024

Ligue 1 Tips: Back PSG with handicap to claim easy weekend win

French Ligue 1

Randal Kolo Muani is likely to start for PSG this weekend

OneFootball Videos

French football expert James Eastham reveals the smartest bets in Ligue 1 across Saturday's and Sunday's matches...

Rennes vs Lens - Sat, 18:00

One of Ligue 1's strongest home sides, Rennes are a good bet to at least pick up a point this weekend.

Rennes ran out 3-0 home winners over an admittedly weak Montpellier last weekend and the winning margin could have been even bigger. Rennes' squad was drastically overhauled during the summer and after a few teething problems there are signs of a settled and effective starting line-up starting to emerge under manager Julian Stephan.

The positive impact that playing at home has on Rennes cannot be underesimated: this season they have a 100 per cent record from two home games, having beaten Lyon and Montpellier both by 3-0 scorelines. This merely builds on what we've seen in other recent campaigns: Rennes had a 65 per cent home win rate from season 2021-22 to 2023-24 inclusive.

Lens should pose more of a challenge than Montpelier did last weekend but it would be a surprise to see the visitors claim victory. Lens were second-best in their 0-0 home draw against Lyon last weekend, and there's no reason to suspect they will be strong enough to collect all three points away to such strong home opposition.

Rennes are 2.48 to win. While that price has some appeal, we prefer the safety net offered by the Draw No Bet option. With our selection, you'll get your stakes back if the game ends in a draw, and make a profit if Rennes record a third straight home win this season.

Reims vs PSG - Sat, 20:00

Even if they rotate as we expect, PSG should still be strong enough to beat a moderate Reims side this weekend.

Now that the Champions League group phase has kicked-off, PSG manager Luis Enrique is bound to rotate more frequently, and we may see some of that on Saturday. PSG were not at their best in winning 1-0 at home to Spanish side Girona on Wednesday night and Luis Enrique may decide to freshen up his team.

The main reason that PSG would still be worth supporting even if they're voluntarily below-strength is because their 'reserves' have already impressed in 2023-24. Milan Skriniar, Kang-in Lee, and Randal Kolo Muani are not first-choice players at PSG, but all have done well when drafted into the team this season.

If some or all of the players named above - and potentially others as well - start for PSG this weekend, they'll be keen to take their opportunity to show the manager what they can do. Good motivation levels, coupled with the fact that PSG's second-string players are better than most Ligue 1 sides' first-choice players, makes us confident of backing the visitors.

Reims won 2-1 at Nantes last weekend but, on the balance of play, were lucky to do so. Under manager Luka Elsner, they'll work hard to frustrate PSG, but their chances of doing so over the 90 minutes are slim.

As is the case almost every weekend, PSG are short odds to win. If the 1.5 on Paris collecting all three points is too short for you, back them on the Asian Handicap. With our pick, you'll get your stakes back if PSG win by a single goal, and make a profit if the Ligue 1 champions go on to win by two or more goals.