The Matchday 1 clash in Ligue 1 between Angers and Paris will take place on August 17 at the Raymond Kopa Stadium. Angers vs. Paris: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Angers
Angers finished 14th in Ligue 1 in their first season after promotion. Notably, the club has played in the top division in 9 out of the last 10 tournaments and only once during this period did they finish in the top ten, placing 9th in the 2015/16 season. In the last championship, Angers failed to win in 24 out of 34 matches (6 draws, 18 losses). Moreover, they had a poor offensive record, scoring only 32 goals, with only Montpellier scoring fewer (23). Additionally, the club earned fewer points at home than away in the previous French championship (17 vs. 19). Over the summer, the team played six friendly matches, remaining unbeaten in five of them (4 wins, 1 draw). In all six matches, no more than two goals were scored.
Angers have been modest in incoming transfers, signing only goalkeeper Herve Koffi and midfielder Louis Mouton. However, several players have left the team, including key figures like defender Khalid Shabanovic, midfielder Jean-Eudes Aholou, and forwards Farid El Melali, Zinedine Ferhat.
- The club's uncompromising streak in Ligue 1 includes 11 matches (3 wins, 8 losses).
- Angers have not scored more than once in 9 of their last 11 matches in this tournament.
- One opponent failed to score in 6 of Angers' last 7 home league matches.
Predicted lineup for Angers (5-3-2)
Herve Koffi – Carlen Arcus, Jordan Lefort, Ousmane Camara, Florent Hanin, Lilian Rao-Lisoa – Yassine Belkhdim, Haris Belkebla, Louis Mouton – Esteban Le Pole, Sidiki Cherif.
Midfielder Himad Abdelli will not play due to injury.
Paris
The capital club returned to the elite French division after 46 years, finishing 2nd in last season's Ligue 2. The last time Paris played in Ligue 1 was in the 1978/79 season, finishing 19th in the standings. In the previous season of the second-tier French championship, Paris remained unbeaten in 27 out of 34 matches, securing 21 wins, second only to the champions Lorient (22). They also ranked second among the best away teams in the league, collecting just one point less than Metz. Moreover, Paris conceded the fewest goals in away matches – 17. Like Angers, Paris played six friendly matches in the offseason, remaining unbeaten in five of them (3 wins, 2 draws).
The club has largely retained last year's squad, with only forward Noah Diko leaving among the key players. Paris has made several quality additions, signing Nantes' forward Moses Simon and Porto's Brazilian defender Otavio.
- The team has not lost in its last 7 Ligue 2 matches (5 wins, 2 draws).
- Paris has scored in its last 7 matches in this tournament.
- The club has conceded in its last 6 away matches in the second-tier French championship.
Predicted lineup for Paris (5-3-2)
Obe Nkambadio – Mustapha Mbou, Noah Sanjui, Samir Chergui, Timothee Kolodziejczak, Julien Lopez – Loann Doucet, Ilan Kebbal, Moses Simon – Jean-Philippe Krasso, Pierre-Yves Hamel.
Defender Thibaut de Smet is unavailable due to suspension.
Referee
Francois Letexier (France)
Matches – 14 (Ligue 1, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 44;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.1;
Red cards shown – 6;
Average fouls per match – 20;
Penalties – 21%.
Match Prediction: Angers vs. Paris
The hosts narrowly retained their place in Ligue 1 last season, finishing just three points above the relegation playoff zone. Angers has not strengthened its squad in the current transfer window due to financial difficulties; on the contrary, many long-time players have left the club. Meanwhile, Paris has retained its core squad and made targeted reinforcements by signing high-quality players by Ligue 1 standards. The capital club already showed great stability in the previous championship, remaining unbeaten in 27 out of 34 matches. It's also worth noting that Paris was the most reliable defensive team on the road in last season's Ligue 2.
I believe the hosts will struggle to break down such a solid and well-coordinated defense. Angers is not known for its attacking prowess; in fact, this is their weak point. In the previous Ligue 1 campaign, only one team scored fewer goals than Angers. The club has not scored more than once in 13 of its last 16 French championship matches, and in summer friendlies, they did not score more than one goal in 5 out of 6 games.
Therefore, I consider the optimal betting choice for the upcoming match to be Angers individual total under 1.5 goals.