French Soccer League Predictions and Discussion Thread (Ligue 1)

[Jostern]

I agree that we are talking about Lens being a great team this season so far, but they are only one point ahead of PSG and feeling like PSG will not let the season end this way. Sure Lens could be second place and that would be good for them, even second place in this league is a huge success for Lens and that is why they should be happy about it. That is a lot of money, for both the position they end at the end of the season and also UCL entry, all of which will be great money but expecting them to win is too much.

their success this season is truly remarkable, especially considering they are competing against a giant club like PSG. Their one point lead is truly commendable. Recently Lens won 2 - 0 to reclaim their top spot in Ligue 1 and after 16 rounds they are one point ahead of the defending champions PSG which is truly extraordinary for a smaller club. However  I think it might be premature to say that Lens will ultimately win the competition. PSG has a wealth of experience, squad depth  and historical achievements that are within their reach

The hallmark of Lens season has been their consistency and team chemistry, which has helped them secure crucial victories, it is not just a matter of luck. Therefore  finishing second and exceeding expectations would be a significant and meaningful achievement for Lens  especially in terms of UCL qualification and other aspects. However  whether they can keep PSG behind for the entire season seems doubtful. PSG did not become champions for no reason  and although this season is very competitive they are still considered the overall favorites

What they are doing is really impressive. But once you sink into the inside of how they are top, it gets interesting. They have only scored significantly less than PSG (26 vs. 35) and their goal difference is eight greater, yet they lead. That tells you one thing: Lens are pushing every last drop out of tight matches whilst PSG sometimes even sleepwalk through games they should have murdered.

The real hero right now? Robin Risser. That man is saving shots that he is not supposed to save. By the numbers, Lens should have conceded almost 22 goals, but they have managed to concede 13. It is a goalkeeper playing out of his head. And the thing with goalkeeper shape... it does not last forever.

Then there is the injury of Gradit. Broken leg, out until April. Loss of defensive anchor is colossal in a back-three system. Sage will be forced to patch that up with Sarr and anybody he can get.

PSG aren't invincible. And they literally allowed 18th-placed Metz to score twice last weekend as they won 3-2. And yet they are creating opportunities in a manner that would say we will score more than we miss in the future. Lens can't afford that luxury.

Bollaert, Jan 18, is the trial test. Where Lens are in a position to take points there, this is a proper race. Otherwise, they will be worn out by spring due to PSG profundity.

You have made a very good point, and I must say that I’m very pleased and impressed with the performance of Lens, it’s very hard to believe what the club is doing right now because no one expected them to be this prolific and standard, I think the coach and the players have one goals and that is to win football games, score goals and defend the goal, just like you have said they have a goalkeeper who is doing a fantastic job, now is never obvious if they will continue this way or they will go very far in the race for the League one Tittle, because Paris-Saint-German are a more experienced team when it comes to this Championship and how to win trophies.

However if Lens can keep their most important player fit and healthy from getting injured I think they will have a good season, and also they should go into the market in January and bringing some fresh legs and new players would definitely help them to achieve winning the League One Tittle, Well I’m obviously supporting Lens to win the League One Title because the dominance of Paris-Saint-German is totally unhealthy for the League One(French League)

[Velvet78]

Lens are still doing pretty good in the league. That win against Nice was their 6th win in a row! And they have lost points only once for 10 weeks in the league... They are really acting like they are PSG now. 

PSG's team value is like 10 times Lens'. But here we are. Sometimes this kind of teams really surprise us. But until when? This is the actual question. Will they be in the title race until the end of the season?

I don't feel positive about them when it comes to the answer. Simply because of the quality gap...

[pewboy]

It is actually not too late to make up for the supposed mistake he is been blamed for by you, he has the January transfer window to still get that done and also to possibly get his tactics fixed too, since he will be having other games asides the Ligue 1, but I still trust him to be in charge ans will have everything under control, PSG may still win the title this season.

yes paris san german is definitely at a good level and i think that even though he is suffering a little he is still perfectly in line with what he has to do, now he wants to win the championship and try to get as far as possible in the champions league, i like him

[programmer3666]

Lens are still doing pretty good in the league. That win against Nice was their 6th win in a row! And they have lost points only once for 10 weeks in the league... They are really acting like they are PSG now. 

PSG's team value is like 10 times Lens'. But here we are. Sometimes this kind of teams really surprise us. But until when? This is the actual question. Will they be in the title race until the end of the season?

I don't feel positive about them when it comes to the answer. Simply because of the quality gap...

Lens really deserves praises for their level of consistency this season, to keep up with 6 straight wins in a row is no joke in a league like that, although the gap between them and PSG is pretty obvious but as usual when it comes to footballll, it is not all about the kind of squad a team have at their disposal but about the discipline, the togetherness mentality, the confidence they have in each other on the pitch and above all they stay consitent, when a team have all that then they will go far than expected. I am sure if they can maintain this form! then they will mount a lot of pressure on PSG so the league will be interesting at least it won't lok like a walk over.

[boltz]

Lens are still doing pretty good in the league. That win against Nice was their 6th win in a row! And they have lost points only once for 10 weeks in the league... They are really acting like they are PSG now. 

PSG's team value is like 10 times Lens'. But here we are. Sometimes this kind of teams really surprise us. But until when? This is the actual question. Will they be in the title race until the end of the season?

I don't feel positive about them when it comes to the answer. Simply because of the quality gap...

Lens really deserves praises for their level of consistency this season, to keep up with 6 straight wins in a row is no joke in a league like that, although the gap between them and PSG is pretty obvious but as usual when it comes to footballll, it is not all about the kind of squad a team have at their disposal but about the discipline, the togetherness mentality, the confidence they have in each other on the pitch and above all they stay consitent, when a team have all that then they will go far than expected. I am sure if they can maintain this form! then they will mount a lot of pressure on PSG so the league will be interesting at least it won't lok like a walk over.

So true. Lens are having an upwards trajectory for a couple of years and being 1st in Ligue 1 in the year where PSG are UCL champions is really a big big achievement no matter what. On top of this , you mentioned their 6 straight up victories which could turn into 7 with next game being vs Toulouse , a team who can scores goals but also concedes goals almost every game so main objective of Lens is either win or take 1 point.

[jostorres]

Basically, as long as the points gap between the top 3 teams remains very tight, it’s impossible to predict who will win the title. For now, Lens have been a bit fortunate with weaker opponents while also being in great form. As long as all 3 teams stay consistent in the upcoming matches, I think the title race will only be decided at the end of the season.

That said, for the moment I still believe PSG’s dominance will continue.

PSG is always live with many advantages in this league, few teams always give their best and have good performance in this season, surprisingly Monaco, Nice and Brest are out of touch, this led good chance to Lens for leading with their consistency and performance.

Now league is on three weeks winter break, second half is going to start on 3rd January 2026. This could be always important, because in second half, many changes will be happening, and few teams will try their best for having good results. Even right now, difference of points is big, but few teams will fightback hardly, this will bring good soccer to watch and few good changes at the top of league table but two teams will stay without any problem.

[sokani]

Lens are still doing pretty good in the league. That win against Nice was their 6th win in a row! And they have lost points only once for 10 weeks in the league... They are really acting like they are PSG now. 

PSG's team value is like 10 times Lens'. But here we are. Sometimes this kind of teams really surprise us. But until when? This is the actual question. Will they be in the title race until the end of the season?

I don't feel positive about them when it comes to the answer. Simply because of the quality gap...

I've said it before that I don't see Lens winning the league, and I'm reiterating it again that PSG will win the French Ligue 1 title. Yes, they're playing catch-up, but they are not doing badly. If they are dropping points frequently, then their title challenge might be in doubt, but they are not. Since their defeat to Monaco, they've bounced back with two wins in a row. There are still many matches to be played and I think they will reclaim the top spot very soon.

[Luzin]

I've said it before that I don't see Lens winning the league, and I'm reiterating it again that PSG will win the French Ligue 1 title. Yes, they're playing catch-up, but they are not doing badly. If they are dropping points frequently, then their title challenge might be in doubt, but they are not. Since their defeat to Monaco, they've bounced back with two wins in a row. There are still many matches to be played and I think they will reclaim the top spot very soon.

A small mistake caused PSG to lose points, and I actually see the league becoming more interesting. Even though it's only a 1-point difference, Lens has at least managed to prevent the Ligue 1 competition from being monopolized by PSG. Another thing that surprised me is Greenwood. He has put up good statistics. He became the top scorer by playing 15 times, scoring 11 goals and providing 4 assists. Maybe his first season was also good since he managed to score 21 goals with Marseille last year. It seems he has found a good home and is able to perform well.

[Humblevirus]

I've said it before that I don't see Lens winning the league, and I'm reiterating it again that PSG will win the French Ligue 1 title. Yes, they're playing catch-up, but they are not doing badly. If they are dropping points frequently, then their title challenge might be in doubt, but they are not. Since their defeat to Monaco, they've bounced back with two wins in a row. There are still many matches to be played and I think they will reclaim the top spot very soon.

I don’t think anyone will easily say that Lens will win the league over PSG with only a one point difference. If the points gap were wider, like over 10 points, it might look better and people might think that Lens could win the league. But as far as the points gap is concerned, it is just one point. I still have confidence in PSG that they will be the team to win the league.

It is clear that PSG do not have any real competitor in the French league for now, so they will be the team to continue dominating Ligue 1. What is happening currently happens often; PSG may not lead the table for some periods, but with time, before the league ends, they usually claim the top spot. The teams at the top cannot be consistent with their performances because they do not have strong squads to maintain great form.but let’s see how this season goes. Maybe Lens will prove many people wrong and surprise everyone by winning the league.

[Adbitco]

What they are doing is really impressive. But once you sink into the inside of how they are top, it gets interesting. They have only scored significantly less than PSG (26 vs. 35) and their goal difference is eight greater, yet they lead. That tells you one thing: Lens are pushing every last drop out of tight matches whilst PSG sometimes even sleepwalk through games they should have murdered.

The real hero right now? Robin Risser. That man is saving shots that he is not supposed to save. By the numbers, Lens should have conceded almost 22 goals, but they have managed to concede 13. It is a goalkeeper playing out of his head. And the thing with goalkeeper shape... it does not last forever.

Then there is the injury of Gradit. Broken leg, out until April. Loss of defensive anchor is colossal in a back-three system. Sage will be forced to patch that up with Sarr and anybody he can get.

PSG aren't invincible. And they literally allowed 18th-placed Metz to score twice last weekend as they won 3-2. And yet they are creating opportunities in a manner that would say we will score more than we miss in the future. Lens can't afford that luxury.

Bollaert, Jan 18, is the trial test. Where Lens are in a position to take points there, this is a proper race. Otherwise, they will be worn out by spring due to PSG profundity.

It's very good and impressive at what they are doing now but the reality of this league is that, it's still going to end were it's going to end. For now, they are second but soon everything will change. There's still a lot of time left this season for PSG to go crazy in the league again, probably in the second half of the season or just few weeks after but I'm very sure that at the end, PSG will still emerge champions because there's basically no competition for them in this league.

[jakdanyel]

The work Lens have been doing is simply impressive... You can say that PSG aren't having a very good season that's why. Yes that's one of the factors helping Lens really. But not only that. In the end the others also have a chance but none of them is as good as them.

Although they don't have a qualified squad teamwork is at a really good level. This is the only way you stand a chance for a good result in this situation. I still don't expect Lens to win the title of course. But I just wish someone except PSG gets it...

[Stablexcoin]

It is actually not too late to make up for the supposed mistake he is been blamed for by you, he has the January transfer window to still get that done and also to possibly get his tactics fixed too, since he will be having other games asides the Ligue 1, but I still trust him to be in charge ans will have everything under control, PSG may still win the title this season.

yes paris san german is definitely at a good level and i think that even though he is suffering a little he is still perfectly in line with what he has to do, now he wants to win the championship and try to get as far as possible in the champions league, i like him

If we are in discussion concerning tough situations for Luis Enrique, shouldn't include winning Ligue 1 as a major problem for him, the focus here is doing well in the Champions League or defending the title as Champions League, there is no bigger issue on his table than this. Lens occupying the first spot is temporal, with many games still to play, they will surely drop points for PSG to retain their spot.

[Adbitco]

In other news, that case of PSG Vs Mbappe on unpaid salaries and bonuses seems to have finally been resolved. Since July of 2023, PSG and Mbappe had some issues concerning them not paying the French international and I think it was maybe as a result of him not renewing his contract and they withheld it as a way of making him to sign. I still remember that Mbappe lylft PSG to Real Madrid as a free agent. The case has been in court and earlier today, a French court has ordered PSG to Mbappe €60 million in an unpaid salaries and bonuses.

[el kaka22]

Because Lille once beat PSG and got the league, everyone is expecting the same for years now, but I do not think Lens is the team to do that. Marseille has the budget for it, Monaco too, and neither of them look good right now.

However, because those two have the budget for it, then there is a possibility that one day they could use those budgets smart and make some profit and get better players that could potentially maybe beat PSG one day. I am not saying that will be this season, obviously neither will win it this year, but maybe in the future. Lens is not as good as Lille was that year, and we have only a small difference and I highly doubt that we are going to see them keep this up and eventually will lose.

[redhack]

PSG lost the case in court and is now obligated to pay Mbappe 61 million Euros. Mbappe had demanded 263 million Euros. PSG, in response, filed a counterclaim seeking 440 million Euros in damages.
Mbappe transferred from PSG to Real Madrid without a transfer fee. PSG suffered a significant loss here. I don't understand how this case ended up this way. Mbappe caused significant financial damage to PSG. On top of that, he will receive a hefty compensation payment. This may not affect a wealthy club like PSG, but the outcome of this case doesn't make any sense to me.

[$weetne$$]

If we are in discussion concerning tough situations for Luis Enrique, shouldn't include winning Ligue 1 as a major problem for him, the focus here is doing well in the Champions League or defending the title as Champions League, there is no bigger issue on his table than this. Lens occupying the first spot is temporal, with many games still to play, they will surely drop points for PSG to retain their spot.

Paris has the Ligue 1 as the least of their challenge this season, rhe much they can achieve this season is even beyond just the Ligue 1 and Enrique has mastered that league so well that he bothers less about it because he knows how he can still find his way around the league and still secure a chance to win the title or even finish at the second position in worse case which I do not see even happening.

[MarjorieZimmermanGinger]

I've said it before that I don't see Lens winning the league, and I'm reiterating it again that PSG will win the French Ligue 1 title. Yes, they're playing catch-up, but they are not doing badly. If they are dropping points frequently, then their title challenge might be in doubt, but they are not. Since their defeat to Monaco, they've bounced back with two wins in a row. There are still many matches to be played and I think they will reclaim the top spot very soon.

In terms of ability, PSG certainly have a much better chance of winning the title because they possess far greater quality, but a few mistakes could diminish that chance. Lens currently sit in first place despite being so close to PSG in points. While I'm confident PSG can close the gap, we hope Lens can put a little more pressure on PSG to make Ligue 1 more competitive this season. We also hope that other teams can also put pressure on PSG to make the competition much more exciting.

[TelolettOm]

Lens are still doing pretty good in the league. That win against Nice was their 6th win in a row! And they have lost points only once for 10 weeks in the league... They are really acting like they are PSG now. 

PSG's team value is like 10 times Lens'. But here we are. Sometimes this kind of teams really surprise us. But until when? This is the actual question. Will they be in the title race until the end of the season?

Indeed, I initially thought Marseille would be the toughest competitor in Ligue 1. But it turns out it's Lens. At least so far, Lens still holds first place in the standings, with only a one-point gap over PSG. Lens has been able to maintain their performance, especially in these current matches.

PSG's form has indeed dropped even more, even the top scorer isn't from PSG, but Marseille. Yes, Mason Greenwood is the top scorer with 11 goals in Ligue 1.


Source: 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 - Ligue 1’s 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗿

[snipie]

Indeed, I initially thought Marseille would be the toughest competitor in Ligue 1. But it turns out it's Lens. At least so far, Lens still holds first place in the standings, with only a one-point gap over PSG. Lens has been able to maintain their performance, especially in these current matches.

PSG's form has indeed dropped even more, even the top scorer isn't from PSG, but Marseille. Yes, Mason Greenwood is the top scorer with 11 goals in Ligue 1.

We expected that Marseille would be the main rival of Paris Saint-Germain but it was Lens that took that position. We didn't expect Lens because they weren't excellent in the past seasons comparing to now. We can admit too that PSG is not in its best form either.
The best stats are hold by PSG only for the number of assists, otherwise there isn't a single goal scorer that is leading the top there or even among the top.

[Egii Nna]

Lens are still doing pretty good in the league. That win against Nice was their 6th win in a row! And they have lost points only once for 10 weeks in the league... They are really acting like they are PSG now. 

PSG's team value is like 10 times Lens'. But here we are. Sometimes this kind of teams really surprise us. But until when? This is the actual question. Will they be in the title race until the end of the season?

I don't feel positive about them when it comes to the answer. Simply because of the quality gap...

Lens still need to be consistent, as they have helped in bringing what we all have been wanting to see in Ligue 1. The league was boring when PSG were the only team dominating it, but now, even if Lens do not end up winning the title this season, which I know will be a bit hard as the season is already underway, they still deserve credit. Lens must remain consistent, especially as PSG are now showing weak team vibes, since they are no longer able to keep their clean sheet record this season.