The French Ligue 1 continues this weekend with the Round 13 matches, and on Saturday, November 18th, 2017, we’ll have a chance to see a derby clash between Paris SG and Nantes at Parc des Princes.
In this preview, we would like to take a closer look at these two teams, so don’t waste your time and check out our betting tips and predictions, like always here on GetMoreSports.
PARIS SG vs. NANTES
3-Way: 1: Paris SG -526; X: +1150 Draw; 2: Nantes +3300 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -2.5: Paris SG -110; Nantes +112
Total +3.5: Over -125; Under +120
PARIS SG
The Parisians are looking unstoppable and it seems like their attack is too much for other sides in French Ligue 1. After a 2:2 draw against Marseille in the 10th round, Paris SG won two games in a row, beating Nice at home, 3:0, and Angers on the road, 5:0, to keep a four-point lead ahead of the second-placed Monaco. The Parisians are topping the French Ligue 1 table after the first twelve games with 32 points, a 39:8 goal difference and a 10-2-0 record. At home, they won all six matches with a 22:4 goal difference, while on the road they earned 14 points with a 17:4 goal difference and a 4-2-0 record.
In the previous round of the French Ligue 1, Paris SG has easily beaten Angers on the road, 5:0. The Parisians have dominated for 90 minutes, showing some powerful moves to their fans. They took the lead in the fifth minute of the match when Kylian Mbappe found the net with a beautiful volley after Dani Alves early cross. The Brazilian defender deserves the credit for the second goal with a great through ball for Julian Draxler. It was the 14th minute when the German forward cheaped the goalkeeper to double the lead. In the 30th minute, it was a game over for the home side when Edinson Cavani scored his first goal of the match to make it 3:0.
In the second half, it was more of the same. The Parisians continued with dangerous attacks, and in the 60th minute, Edinson Cavani scored the brace, his fourth of the Ligue 1 campaign, with a storming right-foot strike. Six minutes before the end, Kylian Mbappe also got a brace after he dribbled past the goalkeeper. On the other side, Paris SG’s defense looked pretty solid, and they didn’t allow Angers to create a proper scoring opportunity for 90 minutes. The home team tried a couple of times with long distance shots, but Paris SG’s keeper Alphonse Areola was determined to keep his net intact. The visitors played without Neymar who was injured, but it didn’t affect their play at all.
Edinson Cavani is playing in the magnificent form from the start of the season, and the 30-year old Uruguayan striker is a Ligue 1 leading scorer with 13 goals in 11 appearances, along with Monaco’s star Radamel Falcao. Cavani’s finishing is pretty impressive, and he’s a true leader on the pitch since Zlatan Ibrahimovic left the club. The Brazilian star Neymar bagged seven goals in eight apps, also adding six dishes to his name, while Kylian Mbappe added four goals and three assists to his account in eight games thus far. Julian Draxler is slowly hitting the form, while the Brazilian forward Lucas made his first assist of the season against Angers. The Parisians have so many weapons in the arsenal, and we’ll see how far they can go, especially in the UEFA Champions League.
The manager Unai Emery is surely satisfied with his team’s form in the last couple of weeks. He knows they need to continue with hard work, while he can mix players in order to keep them fit. For the next game against Nantes, he will miss the 35-year old midfielder Thiago Motta (wound), while Neymar(wound, too) is still doubtful.
NANTES
The Canaries are playing surprisingly well from the start of the season with the experienced Claudio Ranieri at the helm, and after the first twelve rounds they are laying at the fifth spot of the French Ligue 1 table with 23 points, an 11:9 goal difference and a form of WLWDW. At home, The Canaries earned 13 points with a 6:3 goal difference and a 4-1-1 record, while on the road they recorded 10 points with a 5:6 goal difference and a 3-1-2 record.
In the previous round of the French Ligue 1, Nantes earned three points with a 2:1 victory over Toulouse after a tough battle in the midfield for 90 minutes. We didn’t see a lot of chances in this game, as the home team created nine scoring opportunities, while the guests created only five. The home side took the lead in the 16th minute when the 23-year old midfielder Adrien Thomasson utilized the confusion in the Toulouse’s defensive line to get his second goal of the season. In the 60th minute Alexis Blin leveled the match with a beautiful header, but just seven minutes later the striker Emiliano Sala made it 2:1 after another terrible reaction by Toulouse’s defenders. Nantes kept the lead until the end of the game, and they deservedly won three points in front of the home fans.
The Canaries approach is quite patient and defensive, and they recorded 43 defensive actions per game so far, winning 46% of aerial duels, and 38% of tackles. On the other end, they created 95 scoring chances, along with just 74% of an average pass accuracy. Emiliano Sala is the team’s top scorer with three goals in 11 appearances, while Adrien Thomasson bagged two goals in 12 matches this season. The 23-year old right-back Leo Dubois is the best assistant with two dishes in ten apps. The 23-year old defensive midfielder Abdoulaye Toure is another key player who spent 1064 minutes on the pitch in 12 appearances.
The manager Claudio Ranieri can be satisfied with the team’s displays so far, while he’s still missing Kolbeinn Sigthorsson due to a meniscus tear. Mariusz Stepinski (contusion) is another forward who’s doubtful for the next game.
PARIS SG vs. NANTES – Match Prediction
If Nantes get something from this clash, it’s going to be a huge upset. The Parisians are in great form, and I expect to see another convincing win. The Canaries conceded just nine goals thus far, their defensive job was excellent in previous games, but the game against Paris SG is a different story.
MY PICK: Paris SG AH -2.5 (-110)
