Orleans vs PSG Predictions

The champions have generally been in scintillating form this season, but this game could come at a good time for Orleans as the Parisians have faltered in recent weeks.

They have drawn each of their last two Ligue 1 games in what have been a couple of pretty lacklustre performances. Bordeaux became the first team this season to take points off Paris in a 2-2 draw and they did so by playing a positive style of play that really pushed PSG to the brink of losing. Most teams have been overawed by the occasion of playing the champions, but Francois Kamano and Co. managed to take the game to Paris; and PSG hated that. They spent large periods out of the game as the Girondins got double the number of shots on target that PSG did.

Strasbourg continued that in their last league match as they got a 1-1 draw at the Stade de la Meinau. This was a different approach from Strasbourg though as they were much more negative in their efforts to keep the scores level but a Kenny Lala penalty just before half time sent terror through PSG’s changing room and even though they managed to get back level in the second half, this 1-1 draw just showed how lackadaisical Paris have become in France.

They got back on track against Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League with a 4-1 win, but they have looked pretty lazy in their league games as of late as they could only beat relegation battlers Toulouse 1-0 before these two draws. Orleans may just fancy their chances.

The Ligue 2 outfit have been plodding along this season in pretty substandard fashion as they sit 11th in the league. They haven’t won any of their last six league matches as they have been closely beaten by the likes of promotion chasers Grenoble and Troyes but the defeat against Nancy a few weeks ago will have really hurt.

They came into this match in high spirits after a 2-0 cup win over Caennaise and with them facing relegation favourites Nancy, they probably backed themselves to get three crucial points to push them up the table, but this wasn’t the case. Nancy won 2-1 but really dominated much of the match as Orleans could only get a consolation goal in the 88th minute. This slightly epitomised Orleans’ last few seasons in France as they finished 12th last year and look on course for another disappointing campaign with them mid-table and winless in two months. In the five rounds Orleans have played in so far, they have progressed past three of them with penalty shootout wins so we don’t have much confidence in them blowing away the champions here.

PSG haven’t been great recently, but they simply have too much strength in depth to lose this match, as a probable second-string side could dominate this game. PSG haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last four matches and with Orleans scoring in each of their last four games, we’re going to back them to get on the score-sheet at home, where they have scored in seven of their last nine matches there. PSG did absolutely blow Red Star away in their last game though and with them still to lose in France this season, we’re going to back them to win 4-1, just as they did in Serbia.