Clermont – PSG match preview & prediction
Last year, Clermont ended in 17th position overall in Ligue 1 and narrowly avoided being relegated by four points. Last week, the home team defeated Toulouse 1-0, and they’ll try to repeat that performance this time around.
Unsurprisingly, Clermont dropped to the lower echelons of the division after accruing eight points from their first four games of the season while remaining unbeaten. Despite this, they were still able to record memorable victories over Lille, Rennes, Marseille, and Nice.
In preseason friendlies, Clermont has already defeated Montpellier HSC, Rodez, and Toulouse, and Les Lanciers have held clean sheets in each of those matches.
Given that his team has given up at least one goal in each of their last 10 Ligue 1 home games and that PSG has already established their dominance in the French game under Christophe Galtier, strengthening the defense has undoubtedly been Gastien’s focus this summer.
Galtier did not require the early stain of Trophee des Champions defeat on his notepad as he sought to placate the trigger-happy Parisiens board, but the former Lille and Nice manager managed a convincing triumph over Coupe de France champion Nantes during the Super Cup match.
Les Parisiens scored through Neymar (2goals), Lionel Messi, and Sergio Ramos’ backheel – the experienced Spaniard obviously taking inspiration from Lionesses hero Alessia Russo – even as the suspended Kylian Mbappe watched on helplessly.
Winning the Trophee des Champions certainly does not guarantee one’s future in the PSG hotseat, but Galtier and football advisor Luis Campos have made some astute young acquisitions this summer, as the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title winner tries to prove that he is here for the long haul.
PSG thrashed Clermont 6-1 at the Stade Gabriel-Montpeid last term and previously ran out 4-0 winners over Les Lanciers at the Parc des Princes, so the hosts’ pre-season defensive resilience may count for nought on the opening day.
Value Bet: PSG to score over 1.5 goals
Possible correct score:
Clermont 0 – 3 Paris Saint-Germain