Bastia vs PSG Predictions & Betting Tips, Match Previews

Bastia enjoyed a relatively uneventful season last term as they stuck it out in the comfort of mid-table. That section of the table was very tight, with just 11 points between them in 10th and the relegation zone and just eight between them and Europa League qualification but it never looked in doubt that they would end up in the middle portion of the table.

Following on from an uneventful Ligue 1 season, they have had a quiet summer in the transfer market. There have been no significant departures in their squad, with the only notable arrivals being right back Maxime Josse and right winger Dominique Pandor. These players are unlikely to turn them into contenders for Europe but they should be enough to secure another comfortable finish in the table and quietly go about strengthening their squad little by little.

Bastia’s pre-season hasn’t gone particularly well though. They have lost three of their five friendlies, with Ajaccio, Eintracht Braunschweig and Genoa all beating them. However, you can’t read too much into friendly matches and they’re likely to pick up the pace once the competitive season starts.

The hosts couldn’t have dreamt of a more difficult opener to the season though. PSG absolutely trounced Ligue 1 last season as they finished a huge 31 points ahead of their nearest rivals, scoring 102 goals and conceding just 19. They only lost twice all season and remained undefeated until the end of February.

The summer hasn’t been particularly kind to them, with top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic opting to move on and promising full back Lucas Digne going to Barcelona. However, the arrival of Grzegorz Krychowiak in the centre of the park will be a boost and Thomas Meunier will provide cover at full back alongside the talented Serge Aurier and Layvin Kurzawa.

One of last season’s standout performers has come into the team as well and, judging by PSG’s setup in the France Super Cup last weekend, Hatem Ben Arfa will be employed as a striker this season. They hammered Lyon 4-1 to claim their first trophy of the season, with Javier Pastore, Lucas Moura, and Ben Arfa all getting on the score sheet before half-time, with Kurzawa adding another ten minutes after the break and Lyon grabbing a consolation three minutes before time.

Kuzawa’s goal continues an interesting story for PSG. In pre-season their main threat going forward has been from the full back position, with Serge Aurier scoring two, Kurzawa scoring two, and Thomas Meunier netting twice to make it six of their 14 goals in the last four matches coming from full backs.

PSG’s win over Lyon made it seven wins on the bounce for PSG and 13 games unbeaten, with Leicester, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and West Brom all falling to defeat to the French champions this summer.

They have scored a huge 16 goals in their last five matches and ten of their last 11 matches have seen at least three goals find their way in. Bastia have conceded 11 goals in their four pre-season matches as well and nine of their last 12 matches have had more than two goals scored in them.

With PSG’s attacking prowess and Bastia struggling at the back I think this could be a high scoring game and odds of 5/4 for a PSG win and Over 2.5 Goals look very good value to me. I’m going for a 4-1 correct score prediction at huge odds of 22/1 as well.