Nice extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1 on Friday night, but their charge to the summit was slowed by Montpellier in a 0-0 draw.
As far as goalless stalemates go, it was an entertaining affair as the hosts’ striker Akor Adams twice hit the post, and Nice had plenty of opportunity to take the points, having 60 percent possession and winning the shot counts by 15 to nine and four to one on target.
And it was a seventh consecutive clean sheet for Francesco Farioli’s team, who are chasing a fifth top flight title, but if the Ligue 1 2023 results go against the Eagles this weekend, they could find themselves in third place.
As my SBOTOP colleague recently wrote, PSG are streets ahead in Ligue 1, in terms of results, resources and silverware. But that means the pressure is always on the Parisiens and they have a huge match on Saturday when they travel to fourth placed Reims. And PSG come into the game on the back of a 2-1 defeat to AC Milan.
The Ligue 1 champions went ahead against the Italians through former Inter star Milan Skriniar, but a spectacular response from Rafael Leao and then a powerful header from Les Bleus top scorer Olivier Giroud doomed PSG to a second defeat in the competition.
The result blew Group F wide open with Luis Enrique’s side in second place, and only three points separate leaders Borussia Dortmund from Newcastle United in fourth.
The head coach has moved to settle any nerves in the run up to PSG’s clash with Reims, saying: “It’s a completely different competition. I hope that we’ll be able to bounce back as we have already shown we can. We have to have the right attitude to turn things round as of Saturday. It’s clear that we’re still not leaders in the league nor the Champions League. So we still have to improve.”
The Ligue 1 2023 betting odds are right behind Enrique and his team but PSG have dropped points in four away games already this season and Reims is not an easy place to go; “We’re a team that doesn’t speculate, whether that be home or away” says Enrique. “We play each game in an attacking manner. We have to be able to play every game with that same philosophy.”
If Reims can frustrate the Parisiens, then AS Monaco could take the top spot if they win away to seventh-place Le Havre on Saturday night.
Buoyant Toulouse focus on league business
One team that is hoping to take their European form into their domestic campaign is 14th-placed Toulouse, who head to fifth-placed Lille on Sunday. Toulouse picked up the result of the week when they beat Europa League favourites Liverpool on Thursday.
Goals from Aron Donnum and Thijs Dallinga handed Toulouse a two-goal lead before a Cristian Casseres own goal gave the Reds hope late in the game. Frank Magri restored the French side’s two-goal lead before Diogo Jota replied again, and there was late drama when Jarell Quansah’s 97th-minute strike was cancelled by VAR, which picked up a handball by Alexis MacAllister in the build-up to the goal.
It was Liverpool’s second loss of the campaign after they suffered at the hands of VAR in a 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in September, but Toulouse won’t care one bit as they prepare for their trip to Lille with a huge boost.
Marseilles vs Lyon is back on
After shameful scenes in Marseilles halted OM’s clash with Lyon, the Ligue de Football Professional has confirmed the match will be played on December 6th.
The match was postponed on October 29th after Lyon’s team bus was attacked prior to kick-off at the Stage Velodrome and OL manager Fabio Grosso was injured. It was an ugly night all around as some Lyon fans allegedly made racist chants in the away end, and Grosso was treated for cuts, needing 13 stitches, after the coach windows shattered.
Very recently one of France football’s powerhouses, Olympique Lyonnais are in a desperate position, stranded at the bottom of the table; and the 600 fans who made the trip south will be ready to travel again in December.
But the club is appealing the ruling to replay the game at the Stade Velodrome, asking for a neutral venue to be picked. Officials at OL have said they want to play at a stadium where there are no risks, so the French football authorities will make their response soon.
Lyon doesn’t need any more problems. When they do get the game, on Grosso’s side will be desperate for a result, having picked up just four points from ten games, but Marseilles aren’t pulling up any trees, sitting in ninth with three defeats from the last five games.
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