PSG’s game against Rennes on Friday night is one of three fixtures worthy of your attention this weekend, writes James Eastham…
“Nice have been the better of these two sides this season. They are five places and eight points above Lyon in the standings, and have the division’s best away record (W8-D1-L2).”
Focus on corners markets
PSG vs Rennes (1st vs 5th)
Live on BT Sport 2 and Betfair Live Video
Fri, 20:00 GMT
This should be an absorbing Friday night contest but value on the betting markets isn’t obvious.
PSG ran out 5-1 winners at Lille last weekend so they go into this game with renewed confidence.
Yet Rennes will be difficult opponents. They were 2-0 home winners vs Brest last weekend and will name a strong side here.
Rennes won’t be as intimidated as other sides might facing Paris as they beat PSG 2-0 when the sides first met in the league this season last October.
PSG are 1.68/13 to win this time, with Rennes 4.67/2 and The Draw 6.05/1. Those prices look about right.
The odds on the goals – with Under/ Over 2.5 & 3.0 on the Goal Lines market close to evens – look about right, too.
Yet there’s a selection on the Sportsbook that has caught our attention.
In the #OddsOnThat – Up to 9/1 market, Each Team to get 4+ Corners is available at 1.855/6. This looks worth backing.
Rennes have won four or more corners in five of their last six matches, with an average corners-per-game count across those six matches of 6.33.
Eighteen of PSG’s 23 (78%) Ligue 1 matches – and 10 of their 11 home fixtures – have featured four or more corners.
Underrated Nice the smart selection
Lyon vs Nice (8th vs 3rd)
Live on BT Sport 2 and Betfair Live Video
Sat, 20:00 GMT
Lyon’s odds-on price to collect all three points makes little sense ahead of their fixture against Nice this weekend.
Lyon are 2.001/1 to win, with Nice 4.03/1 and The Draw 3.8514/5. Those odds present a good opportunity to oppose the hosts.
Christophe Galtier’s visitors have been the better of the two sides this season. Nice are five places and eight points above Lyon in the standings.
Nice have the division’s best away record (W8-D1-L2), while Lyon have won only half of their home league games (W6-D5-L1). Combine those two sets of figures, and Nice’s chances of avoiding defeat appear underrated.
At the odds available, we’re happy to lay Lyon. With this selection, you’ll make a profit if Nice win or the game ends in a draw.
Resurgent St Etienne deserve support
Clermont vs St Etienne (15th vs 20th)
Live on Betfair Live Video
Sun, 14:00 GMT
The first signs that St Etienne may pull off a great escape from relegation emerged last weekend.
Drawing 1-1 at home to Montpellier with only seconds of normal time remaining, Ligue 1’s bottom club took a 2-1 lead through winger Arnaud Nordin and then added a third goal in injury time.
The way the players celebrated in unison at the final whistle and scenes on the touchline – where St Etienne coach Pascal Dupraz embraced his staff – suggest a sense of belief that they can escape the drop is starting to take hold.
If they can carry momentum from that dramatic late win into this weekend’s fixture – and we believe they can – St Etienne should be able to avoid defeat.
St Etienne signed seven new players during the January transfer window and their team should improve as their new faces settle in.
Clermont have won their last two matches but a third consecutive victory may be beyond them. Pascal Gastien’s home side have failed to put together a good run of form since the start of the season.
Against visitors with renewed confidence, the odds of 2.3611/8 on a Clermont win look too short. We’re happy to either lay the hosts at 2.47/5 or support St Etienne on the Asian Handicap. For a full Asian Handicap betting guide, click here.
Source: BetFair French
