Ligue 1: Goliath vs David at the Parc des Princes

Paris Saint-Germain vs Strasbourg

Ligue 1 football is back on the agenda folks and PSG vs Strasbourg is one of the big matches of the Round of 16 as domestic football returns to the capital city.

You could hardly have two more contrasting sides in the French league; it’s top versus 19^th with only the hapless Angers below Strasbourg in the table. The pre-match Ligue 1 2022 betting odds back the hosts at a price of 1.22 and all their big stars will be back in action as the champions aim to extend their five-point lead at the top of the table. 

Strasbourg do have some quality in their side, although their Ligue 1 2022 results have not been good. They have lost just six of their opening 15 games, but with eight draws and a solitary win, they are in trouble at the moment. A win would do wonders for the underdogs, as they sit just three points behind 13^th-placed Troyes and have a better goal difference than any of the other bottom-five clubs.

Talking Points

World Cup stars return

PSG boss Christophe Gaultier has seen the World Cup stars in his team play some scintillating football over the past five weeks and now he hopes to resettle them back into the domestic fold. Lionel Messi is on the crest of a wave of course, after La Albiceleste won their first World Cup in 36 years. But it wasn’t a great outcome for the club’s French and Brazilian stars, and keeping his outrageously talented team happy and together is always Gaultier’s biggest task.      

Kylian Mbappe is the league’s top scorer with 12 goals and he will be smarting from France’s World Cup final defeat, while Brazilian Neymar has 11 goals and Messi has made the most assist with ten. Defender Achraf Hakimi had an outstanding tournament with semi-finalists Morocco while his defensive colleague Marquinhos suffered, as he deflected in a late Croatia equaliser and then missed his penalty in the shootout as the Selecao bowed out at the quarter-final stage.

PSG’s Portuguese and Spanish contingent make up a star-studded line-up, which is ready to dazzle at the Parc des Princes once more. With no major injury concerns Gaultier has a full hand to play.       

Mr Strasbourg is a class act 

PSG won’t take this game as a done deal as Strasbourg have a couple of dangerous strikers to keep an eye out for. Habib Diallo scored his sixth goal of the campaign in his club’s last league game, a 1-1 draw with Lorient. And his strike partner Kevin Gameiro, popped up with a 93^rd-minute leveller to earn a recently impressive 2-2 draw with Olympique Marseille. That made it five for the campaign for the 35-year-old France international, and the 16^th since he returned to the club in 2021.

Gameiro started his career with Le Racing back in 2005, impressing with his clinical finishing skills and strength, despite his light frame. He went on to play for PSG before moving to Spain where he enjoyed successful spells at Sevilla, where he won three Europa League title medals, and Atletico Madrid. He then had a spell at Valencia before returning to France, and to Alsace, to end his career where he began.   

Strasbourg head coach Julien Stephan took the job in 2021 and one of his first moves was to bring Gameiro back, a decision he certainly won’t regret.  

History

The head-to-head results between the two clubs tell a predictable story of Paris dominance with 25 of the last 37 meetings won by the Parisiens. In fact Strasbourg have not won at the Parc des Princes on their last 19 visits. When the teams met in Strasbourg last April, they played out a 3-3 draw as Antony Caci scored a late equaliser for the hosts while Mbappe bagged a brace.

And in terms of recent form it’s all pointing to a home win, with the hosts on a run of six successive wins while the visitors have drawn three and lost three of their last six games.     

Betting Tip

Strasbourg to win, at SBOTOP odds of 9.64 is a long shot, though the draw at 5.80 might tempt some of the away fans as they have managed to gain a point on eight of their opening 15 outings.    

2-0 is the most likely scoreline at a price of 6.18, though I wouldn’t rule out a Strasbourg goal from one of their two in-form strikers. But, on balance, I believe PSG will carry on where they left off.    

 

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