The French Ligue 1 goes on this weekend with Round 16 matches, and in this preview, we’ll take a closer look at two thrilling games set for Sunday, December 3rd, 2017, when Saint Etienne welcomes Nantes at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, while Caen hosts Lyon at Stade Michel d’Ornano.
Down below you will find some interesting picks for these two matches along with our betting predictions, so don’t waste your time and join the action here on GetMoreSports.
SAINT ETIENNE vs. NANTES
3-Way: 1: Saint Etienne +143; X: +215 Draw; 2: Nantes +284 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -0.5: Saint Etienne +137; Nantes -143
Total +2: Over +106; Under -110
SAINT ETIENNE
The ten-time French champions are in crisis, as they are winless for seven matches in a row, including a defeat on penalties against Strasbourg in the French Coupe de la Ligue Round of 32. In the last six Ligue 1 games The Saints were beaten four times, earning a draw on two occasions against Toulouse on the road, 0:0, and Strasbourg at home, 2:2. In the previous round of the French Ligue 1 Saint Etienne lost to Bordeaux, 3:0, recording their second consecutive defeat on the road.
The Saints are sitting at the 11th spot of the Ligue 1 table with 19 points, a 16:23 goal difference, and a 5-4-6 record, four points above the danger zone. At home, they have recorded three wins, three draws, and two losses with a 12:12 goal difference, while on the road they’ve earned just seven points with a 2-1-4 record and a 4:11 goal difference. The Saints are having huge problems at the back recently, conceding 13 goals in the previous four Ligue 1 matches.
The 21-year old winger Jonathan Bamba is the team’s leading scorer with five goals in 13 appearances, while midfielders Hernani and Bryan Dabo scored a couple of goals thus far. There is no player in Saint Etienne’s squad with at least two dishes on the account, as eight different players made one assist each this season. The 24-year old striker Lois Diony, who joined the club from Dijon this summer, is a huge disappointment so far, as he is still goalless in 11 appearances, adding one assist to his name.
The manager Julien Sable is still without the winger Romain Hamouma (wound), while all other players are ready for the next match.
NANTES
After two consecutive defeats against Rennes, 2:1, and Paris SG, 4:1, The Canaries have beaten Monaco at home, 1:0, in the previous round of the French Ligue 1. They were a better team throughout a game, deservedly grabbing a win in the dying moments of the second half with Lucas Lima’s beautiful shot from the edge of the box. It was their second victory in the last five matches, and certainly a huge boost before they visit Saint Etienne this Sunday.
The Canaries are sitting at the fifth spot of the Ligue 1 table after the first 15 rounds with 26 points, a 14:15 goal difference, and an 8-2-5 record, just three points behind Lyon in the third spot which leads to the UEFA Champions League next season. They were excellent at home recording five wins, one draw, and one defeat with a 7:3 goal difference, while on the road they’ve earned 10 points with a 3-1-4 record and a 7:12 goal difference, losing three consecutive games away from home.
The 27-year old striker Emiliano Sala is topping the team’s scoring chart with four goals in 14 appearances, also adding one assist to his name, while the midfielder Adrien Thomasson and the striker Prejuce Nakoulma bagged two goals each thus far. The 23-year old right-back Leo Dubois is the team’s best assist-maker with three dishes in 13 matches this season.
The manager Claudio Ranieri is still missing the winger Kayembe due to a cruciate ligament rupture, while all other players are ready to go.
SAINT ETIENNE vs. NANTES – Match Prediction
The Saints desperately need three points to restore their self-confidence, but Nantes will be a tough opponent, so I expect a tight match. If Saint Etienne plays a solid defense, I believe there will be no more than two goals in total.
MY PICK: Under 2 Goals (-110)
CAEN vs. LYON
3-Way: 1: Caen +371; X: +282 Draw; 2: Lyon -111 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread +0.5: Caen +112; Lyon -115
Total +2.5: Over -112; Under +110
CAEN
In the previous round of the French Ligue 1, Caen played a nil-nil draw with Strasbourg on the road, missing a couple of massive opportunities to find the net, and they failed to win three points even they were a far better team throughout the game. It was their second draw of the season, and second in the previous three Ligue 1 matches along with a 1:0 victory over Bordeaux at home in the 14th round.
After the first 15 rounds of the French Ligue 1 Caen is in the sixth spot of the table with 23 points, a 10:14 goal difference, and a 7-2-6 record, just six points behind Monaco in the fourth spot. At home, they have recorded five wins, one draw, and two losses with a 7:5 goal difference, while on the road they have recorded two victories, one draw, and four losses with a 3:9 goal difference. Besides a heavy 5:0 defeat at Marseille, Caen’s defense was pretty reliable this season, while they have serious problems with finishing which cost them some points.
The striker Ivan Santini is the team’s leading scorer with four goals in 14 appearances, while the winger Ronny Rodelin bagged three goals in 15 matches this season. Rodelin is also the team’s best assist-maker with two dishes thus far. These two guys are Caen’s key players, along with the experienced midfielder Julien Feret who played in all 15 Ligue 1 matches this season.
The manager Patrice Garande is still without a winger Jeff Louis, while all other players are ready for the next match with Lyon.
LYON
The Kids disappointed their fans in the previous round of the French Ligue 1, losing to Lille on the home soil, 2:1, even they took 21 shots toward Lille’s goal, while they had a ball on their feet for 58% of the time. It was their second defeat of the season in all competitions, while they managed to keep the clean sheet for seven matches in a row before they met Lille last Wednesday.
Lyon is in the third spot of the French Ligue 1 table after the first 15 rounds with 29 points, a 38:17 goal difference, and an 8-5-2 record, two points behind Marseille in the second spot, and twelve points behind the leader Paris SG. The Kids have earned 15 points on the home soil with a 4-3-1 record and an 18:11 goal difference, while on the road they’ve earned 14 points with a 4-2-1 record and a 20:6 goal difference, winning three games in a row away from home.
The attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir and a striker Mariano Diaz are the team’s leading scorers with 11 goals each, while Fekir missed the penalty kick against Lille in the previous round. The winger Memphis Depay scored eight goals in 14 matches this season, also adding three assists to his name. The right-back Kenny Tete is the team’s best assist-maker with four dishes in 11 appearances.
The manager Bruno Genesio will miss the winger Bertrand Traore (twisted knee) for the next game against Caen, while all other players are healthy and ready to go.
CAEN vs. LYON – Match Prediction
Caen is in a solid form since the start of the season, and they are particularly dangerous on the home soil, but I think Lyon is a far better team, so I expect to see visitors getting three points here.
MY PICK: Lyon to Win (-111)
