Our prediction for this Ligue 1 match:
Metz
Match Time & Date:
08/08/2021
11:00 AM
Prediction: 0-2
Lille
Lille start their Ligue 1 title defence at Stade Municipal Saint-Symphorien as they take on Metz in the opening match of the season. Les Dogues did well to put an end to PSG’s dominance in the French top flight, but it’s much easier to win the title than to defend one. Veteran attacker Burak Yilmaz, who scored 16 goals in the Ligue 1 last season, will be the man to watch in the away team.
Since Lille chiefs did well to keep hold of key players in the summer transfer window, away win should be considered. Les Grenats, on the other hand, were playing above expectations in the 2020/21 Ligue 1 campaign, with the team securing the survival without any difficulties. Anyhow, Metz will have a mountain to climb in the opening match of the new Ligue 1 season.
Highlighted Player (Opa Nguette):
After spending his youth career at Mantes and Valenciennes, Opa Nguette made his senior debut for Mantes in 2011. In 2012 he returned to his boyhood club Valenciennes and it has to be noted that the attacker scored 8 goals in 60 appearances for the club from 2012 to 2016.
Opa Nguette is currently playing for Metz in Ligue 1 and his contract with the club expires on June 30, 2019. The pacey footballer who is capable of playing as both left and right winger has three caps for France U20 team, but he made his senior debut with Senegal. Opa Nguette played 65 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Nigeria on his debut for the Senegal national team.
The Caen attacker, who was born in Mantes-la-Jolie on July 8, 1994, scored four goals for Metz in the 2016/2017 Ligue 1 campaign. He made three assists for his teammates as well during the season and you should bear in mind that he played 33 games in the league for les Grenats.
Highlighted Team (Lille):
Lille have been playing an important role in French football ever since they were founded in 1944. Les Dogues won their first domestic trophy in the 1945/1946 season.
Lille did well to win their second Ligue 1 title in 1954 and 57 years later they lifted their last domestic title. Les Douges finished the 2010/2011 season in top position in the standings, eight points clear of second-placed Olympique Marseille and it has to be noted that Lille attacker Moussa Sow won the Golden Boot (25 goals).
Lille are one of the two teams that managed to win three consecutive Coupe de France trophies (1946, 1947, 1948), but they have yet to clinch the Coupe de la Ligue title. Les Dogues faced PSG in the 2015/2016 Coupe de la Ligue trophy, but les Parisiens proved to be a big catch for Frederic Antonetti’s team in the title game.
Lille play their home matches at Stade Pierre-Mauroy and the capacity of the stadium is 50.186. The venue was opened in August, 2017 and the construction cost €282 million.
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