Strasbourg vs Lyon prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-08-12 18:45.
Strasbourg endured a gruelling 2022/23 season by staving off the expanded four-team Ligue 1 relegation zone by just five points. The off-season has brought optimism back to the Stade de la Meinau, with Patrick Vieira installed as manager while the club was taken over by BlueCo – the same consortium that owns Chelsea.
Promising signs have also more recently been cultivated during the pre-season, resulting in just one loss from seven matches (W3, D3). Le Racing will now look to be quick out of the starters’ blocks, but that’s not something they’re used to having won their season opener just once in six campaigns since promotion to the top-flight (D1, L4). Whatever happens on the opening day, Strasbourg will certainly be desperate to avoid replicating the start they endured last term when they won just one of their first 18 league games (D9, L8)!
Visiting Lyon boast a French FIFA World Cup winner in their dugout too, although Laurent Blanc is reportedly under pressure before the season even starts after an underwhelming 22/23 campaign. Les Gones missed out on European football for the third time in four campaigns, and the new season looks just as tricky given that several important players have departed for new pastures alongside restrictions on spending imposed upon the club by the DNCG.
That could make goalscoring more difficult, which they relied upon heavily at the back end of last season having conceded goals in eight of their last nine league games despite winning six of them (L3). They have since endured a disastrous pre-season, losing four consecutive friendlies, while the only team they were victorious against was Dutch amateur side De Treffers, and even that didn’t come with a clean sheet (2-1)! Starting the season at Strasbourg could be a good omen, though, as Lyon have tasted defeat just once from their last 11 away league H2Hs (W8, D2).
Players to watch: Thanks to their Chelsea link-up, Strasbourg have secured the services of Brazilian starlet Ângelo on loan from the Blues. Four of his five career club goals have come after half-time. Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette was a goal machine in Ligue 1 last term, with his 27 strikes only bettered by Kylian Mbappé (29).
Hot stat: Eight of the last nine league H2Hs saw both teams score on the day.