The Matchday 1 clash in Ligue 1 between Nantes and PSG will take place on August 17 at the Beaujoire Stadium. Nantes vs. PSG: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Nantes
The Bretons finished 13th last season after securing 14th place in the 2023/24 campaign, battling for survival both times. In the previous championship, Nantes managed only 8 wins (12 draws, 14 losses), with only Montpellier, who finished last, winning fewer games (4). Notably, Nantes played much more cautiously at home last season, conceding 18 goals compared to 34 away. Their home matches were the lowest-scoring in the tournament, averaging 2.2 goals per game. Additionally, the Bretons had a poor pre-season, losing 4 out of 5 friendly matches (1 win).
The team enters the new season with a new head coach, Portuguese Luis Castro, replacing Antoine Kombouaré. Notable incoming transfers include defenders Uroš Radaković, Chidozie Awaziem, Korean midfielders Hong Hyun-seok, Kwon Hee-kyu, and forwards Youssef El Arabi, Michael Lado, and Amadou Camara. However, several key players have left the club: goalkeeper Alban Lafont, defenders Jean-Charles Castelletto, Nicolas Pallois, midfielders Douglas Augusto, Florent Mollet, Pedro Chirivella, and forward Moses Simon.
- Nantes has won with a handicap (+1.5) in 10 consecutive league matches.
- The team has scored in 7 of their last 9 Ligue 1 games.
- At least one opponent failed to score in 5 of Nantes' last 6 home matches in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Nantes (4-3-3)
Anthony Lopes – Taillel Tati, Chidozie Awaziem, Kelvin Amian, Nicolas Cozza – Kwon Hee-kyu, Johann Lepenant, Louis Leroux – Yassine Benhattab, Baheriba Girassi, Mostafa Mohamed.
Head coach Luis Castro will not be on the bench due to a suspension. Forward Michael Lado and defender Mathieu Akapandje are injured.
PSG
The Parisians had an outstanding last season, the most successful in the club's history. PSG won the Champions League for the first time, claimed the French Cup and Super Cup, and secured their fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title. Last Wednesday, the team added another trophy, defeating Tottenham in a penalty shootout 4-3 (2-2 regular time) in the UEFA Super Cup. PSG dominated the last French championship, finishing 19 points ahead of their closest rival. They were the best home and away team in the tournament, scoring the most goals (92) and having the best defensive record (35 goals conceded). PSG did not play any friendlies in the off-season as they participated in the Club World Cup, reaching the final and losing to Chelsea 0-3.
The team retained their winning squad from last season, with only goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma not included in Luis Enrique's plans. The goalkeeper has already agreed to a move to Manchester City. There were few acquisitions, notably goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille and defender Illya Zabarnyi.
- Both teams scored in PSG's last 6 elite French division matches.
- At least 3 goals were scored in 10 of the club's last 12 Ligue 1 games.
- PSG won 8 of their last 10 away league matches (1 draw, 1 loss).
Predicted lineup for PSG (4-3-3)
Lucas Chevalier – Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi – Désiré Doué, Vitinha, Warren Zaïre-Emery – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola.
Midfielder João Neves will continue to serve a 2-match suspension. Midfielder Sanny Meülü and defender Presnel Kimpembe are out due to injuries. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is not included in the squad for the match.
Referee
Benoît Bastien (France)
Matches – 17 (Ligue 1, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 72;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.2;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 24;
Penalties – 41%.
Match Prediction: Nantes vs. PSG
The hosts have significantly reshuffled their squad in the off-season, which will affect their cohesion. Additionally, Nantes has a new head coach, Luis Castro, who led Dunkerque to a 4th place finish in Ligue 2 last season. Meanwhile, PSG has retained almost all key players who performed brilliantly last season. The Parisians have a cohesive squad and a strong bench capable of turning the tide of a challenging match. This was demonstrated earlier this week in the UEFA Super Cup match, which PSG turned around in the final minutes, trailing by 2 goals with 5 minutes left in regular time.
Even though Luis Enrique is not satisfied with his players' form, PSG is far superior to the "raw" Nantes. The Parisians perform excellently away in the league, breaking Milan's record for an unbeaten away run in the top 5 leagues' history, remaining undefeated in 39 consecutive matches (30 wins, 9 draws). PSG also has a dominant record in recent head-to-head encounters in the league at Nantes' ground, winning 10 of the last 12 meetings (1 draw, 2 losses), with 7 of those wins by at least a 2-goal margin.
I expect the reigning champions to start with a confident victory, my prediction – PSG with a handicap (-1)
* The starting lineup for each team is based on their previous match.
