Paris SG vs Lorient prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-08-11 19:00.
It has been a typically turbulent close season for PSG who enter their 50th consecutive campaign in the French top flight with another new coach at the helm. Luis Enrique has taken over from Christophe Galtier, who took the Parisians to their ninth title in the last 11 seasons but was unable to deliver Champions League success. The former Barcelona and Spain manager already knew that Lionel Messi would leave the club this summer, but he has also had to deal with constant speculation over the futures of Kylian Mbappé and Neymar.
The forward trio contributed 58 goals (and 33 assists) to PSG’s 89 in the league last year, and recent press reports suggest that neither Mbappé or Neymar will be in Saturday evening’s squad. However, even without those players, and after losing four of their last six home league games in 2022/23, the hosts are firm favourites to win.
Although Lorient returned from the Parc des Princes with a 3-1 league victory at the end of April last season, it was a rare away triumph which saw them win only twice on their travels in the league after the turn of the year. Régis Le Bris’ side fell away after a flying start and they will be looking to replicate that early season form that had them in second place in mid-October.
Le Bris will look to the new permanent arrivals, Benjamin Mendy and Formose Mendy, as well as returning season-long loanee, Romain Faivre, to improve on last season’s tenth place finish, their highest since returning to Ligue 1 in 2020/21. Across those three previous campaigns, Lorient were unbeaten in their opening game, but their win in Paris last season was their first at the home of PSG since 2011 and their fans will make the 1000km round trip more in hope than in expectation.
Players to watch: New signing Marco Asensio contributed to 15 league goals (G9, A6) for Real Madrid last season and the right-winger has been playing in a forward role during pre-season games. Faivre signed on loan for Lorient at the end of January and ended the season in fine form with four goals and two assists from the final six games.
Hot stat: There were at least four goals in each of PSG’s last four home league matches in 2022/23.