International teams play in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers this week, which is why it’s a good time to catch up on what’s going on in the various UEFA European Leagues. In this blog, we take a look at how things are going at Paris Saint-Germain after they scored one of the biggest gets in soccer history, signing Lionel Messi. Check out that and other news in our French Ligue 1 Betting update.
2021 Ligue 1 Betting News and Rumors | Sep. 2nd Edition
2021-2022 French Ligue 1 Season
- When: Aug. 6, 2021 – May 21, 2022
PSG turns down 200 million euros to keep Kylian Mbappe
Paris Saint-Germain had Real Madrid right where they wanted them. Real, because they’re Real, decided to wait until the final days to push Paris for Kylian Mbappe.
Nobody knows the real details, but it appears as if Real wanted to low-ball Paris for their young superstar. Knowing this, PSG stood tough.
But Paris decided to not only play around until Real Madrid bumped the price up to an amazing 200 million euros, but to also turn down Real’s transfer bid. Why?
That’s a question many will ask. By not sending Mbappe to Madrid for 200 million, Paris put itself in a tough position. Mbappe may decide to go anywhere he wants next summer when his contract with PSG is over.
Playing games during the transfer window can cost you. Real missed out on a player they coveted as soon as the window opened while Paris Saint-Germain may have missed out on getting something in return for a player who might end up leaving anyhow.
Mbappe, Messi, and Neymar play in the same match for the first time
On Aug. 29, PSG’s top three strikers played on the pitch for the first time. Mbappe, Messi, and Neymar all stepped onto the grass in Paris’ impressive 2-0 victory over Stade Reims.
But although everyone paid attention to the three striking superstars, the real heroes in the match, like in most of Paris Saint-Germain’s games, were the midfielders and backers. Georginio Wijnaldum might be the best transfer PSG pulled off this summer.
The former Liverpool star is a fantastic player. In addition to Wijnaldum and Messi, Paris also signed Achraf Hakimi away from Inter Milan. Inter must set their finances for the future, which is why they parted with Hakimi and Lukaku.
So far, Hakimi has 1 goal and 2 assists in 4 matches. He, along with Wijanldum, could mean more to Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League hopes than Messi.
Clermont Foot showing they deserve their Ligue 1 status
Last season, Clermont played in Ligue 2. This season, they’re showing why they deserve their spot in Ligue 1.
On Aug. 22, down a couple of goals versus Lyon, Elbasan Rashani scored twice to force a 3-3 draw. Clermont followed up the draw with another, this time 2-2 versus Metz.
Don’t expect Clermont to keep this up. Eventually, the team will fall below .500. But that doesn’t mean they end up out of Ligue 1 after this season. Clermont Foot has shown they deserve to play in France’s premier division.
Also, right now at least, six teams have yet to win a match: Metz, Saint-Etienne, Stade de Reims, Brest, Bordeaux, and Troyes. Clermont Foot should finish ahead of at least 3 of those squads.
Paris Saint-Germain the only undefeated team in French Ligue 1
PSG is the lone undefeated squad in Ligue 1. Paris is 4-0 while the closest rival to the juggernaut team is 3 wins and a draw Angers.
Traditional league competitors Lille and Lyon are struggling. Both Lyon and Lille have a win, 2 draws, and a loss.
A couple of teams, Nice and Marseille, are playing well. The two teams have a couple of wins and a draw in 3 matches. Neither will challenge PSG, but nobody expects them to.
Paris Saint-Germain is on another level. Most eyes will be on how PSG performs once Champions League play starts. After 4 Ligue 1 matches, it’s obvious that Paris wins the French title unless they suffer multiple season-ending injuries.
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