This photograph shows the Ligue 1 (L) and Mcdonald's logo during the French L1 football match between Stade Brestois 29 (Brest) and Olympique Marseille (OM) at the Stade Francis-Le Ble in Brest, western France on August 17, 2024. (Photo by FRED TANNEAU / AFP) (Photo by FRED TANNEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
Ligue 1 Predictions, Round 1
predictions competition. It’s three points for a correct score, two points for a correct score difference, and one point for a correct result. Who will come out on top at the end of the season?
SCORES
Raphaël: 0
Luke: 0
Bastien: 0
Game of the week: Stade Rennais v Olympique de Marseille, Friday 19:45 (UK)
The new Ligue 1 season gets underway when Rennes face Marseille on Friday. Last season, despite the former investing significantly in both the summer and winter transfer windows, there was a gulf in class separating these two sides. The gap could – and definitely should – be a lot smaller this time around. That is not least because Rennes have nicked a couple of Marseille’s players over the summer. The best pick is certainly Valentin Rongier. Roberto De Zerbi was a big fan of the player and appreciated his intelligence and versatility. However, he was sold to SRFC due to a contract standoff. He raises the ceiling of Rennes’ midfield, whilst, with a full pre-season behind him, Seko Fofana should now be up to speed. The Breton club’s midfield, therefore, should not be overrun, as it was last season. Quentin Merlin, another signing from OM, should also bring attacking impetus from the left side of the defence. The likes of Jérémy Jacquet, Djaoui Cissé, and Mohamed Kader Meïté, academy products who showed promise last season, also look ready to take the next step, following a good summer with the France youth sides. Overall, and despite doubts about the manager, this Rennes team looks in a much better place to compete with those higher up the table.
However, this opening game, despite that progress, is a daunting prospect. That is because Marseille have strengthened, too. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who left OM last summer after a prolific debut campaign, returns. Igor Paixão is the biggest investment in Ligue 1, bar PSG’s two signings, and put up great numbers in the Netherlands, whilst the arrivals of Angel Gomes, Facundo Medina, and Timothy Weah take this side to another level, all while providing De Zerbi with more options if he wants to switch things up. Aubameyang, in OM’s final pre-season game before travelling to Rennes, netted a brace against Aston Villa. Mason Greenwood also netted in a 3-1 victory against the Premier League side. Their strikers, therefore, look in hot form and should have too much for Rennes, regardless of the clear improvements made over the summer.
Raphaël’s full predictions
Rennes 1-2 Marseille
Lens 2-2 Lyon
Monaco 3-1 Le Havre
Nice 1-0 Toulouse
Brest 2-2 Lille
Auxerre 2-0 Lorient
Angers 1-1 Paris FC
Metz 1-2 Strasbourg
Nantes 1-4 PSG
Luke’s full predictions
Rennes 1-3 Marseille
Metz 0-2 Strasbourg
Nantes 1-2 PSG
Lens 1-1 Lyon
Monaco 3-1 Le Havre
Nice 1-0 Toulouse
Brest 1-2 Lille
Auxerre 0-0 Lorient
Angers 0-1 Paris FC
Bastien’s full predictions
Rennes 0-2 Marseille
Lens 1-1 Lyon
Monaco 2-0 Le Havre
Nice 1-0 Toulouse
Brest 1-1 Lille
Auxerre 2-0 Lorient
Angers 1-0 Paris FC
Metz 1-3 Strasbourg
Nantes 1-2 PSG