Lyon vs Lorient Betting Tips

Lyon were not able to keep pace with the deep and powerful squad possessed by PSG last season. They didn’t look much better equipped to compete losing 2-0 and in convincing fashion in the Trophee des Champions. PSG’s preseason has put a marker down for title rivals, most notably Lyon, to step up to.

On the positive side, they have recruited well bringing in Rafael from Man Utd, Claudio Beauvue, Jeremy Morel and probably Valbuena. They were also able to hold onto most of their rising young stars including Fekir, Lacazette, Tolisso and Lopes. The exciting side that scored 73 goals in 2014/15 should return.

Have Lyon done enough to take the next step and regain the Ligue 1 title? The answer to that isn’t likely to become clear for a couple of months. A clearer indication will be provided this weekend of how this team is likely to play. Last season’s campaign was at least partly led by the simultaneous maturation of a crop of promising young players, immediate replication of that success isn’t always easy to achieve and even a team like Lorient may pose a challenge there.

Lorient is once again playing Ligue 1 football. That’s almost all that there is to say about a club that didn’t have the finance to do much manoeuvring this summer one year after finishing 16th, just six points clear of relegation. They had a relatively comfortable finish to the season, but it isn’t easy to see how this squad moves forward in 2015/16.

Sylvain Ripoll will have one eye on his side’s defensive record, while hoping that a few of the club’s younger players develop enough to have an impact. Starting away from home is strangely not such a disadvantage for Lorient. They won the same number of games at home and away last season.

There’s only one way for Lorient to approach this game and that’s to try and stifle Lyon on what is always a slightly tense and nervy weekend in the football season. It might work, but we actually like the chances for Lyon to break this game open early at the Stade de Gerland. If they do that, then you can expect plenty of goals in Sunday’s clash.