PSG restart Ligue 1 action in a tough situation on Sunday as they visit Lyon without a number of key players.
Despite the selection issues, PSG remains the clear favorite for the contest with bookmaker 10Bet having the odds at 2.00 for an away win. The odds are 3.25 for Lyon to triumph and at 3.75 for the two teams to split the points with a draw.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: January 8th, 10:00 A.M. (EST)
The Parisians have lost Achraf Hakimi, Idrissa Gueye and Abdou Diallo to the African Cup of Nations, six players – including Lionel Messi – are unavailable because of COVID-19 and Neymar continues to nurse an ankle sprain.
PSG have lost just one of the last six Ligue 1 meetings with Lyon but avoiding defeat could end up being very difficult this time around with a weakened squad, although Les Gones also have some players missing because of the African Cup of Nations. Tino Kadewere, Islam Slimani and Karl Toko Ekambi are all unavailable.
The Lyon squad isn’t too badly hit by the tournament, but Toko Ekambi is among the team’s leading scorers and manager Peter Bosz is forced to mix things up in attack.
Bosz has had a pretty rough debut campaign at Groupama Stadium and Lyon start the new year sitting 13th in the Ligue 1 table. The team is missing a bit of quality, although you could also say that bad luck had played a massive part in their disappointing season.
Lyon have conceded an incredible six injury-time goals and it’s happened just once in a winning effort. One of those came against PSG in September when Mauro Icardi scored a 2-1 game-winner.
Icardi has been a backup all season for PSG, but it looks like it’s his time to shine now with PSG missing Neymar, Messi and Angel Di Maria.
The Argentine will try to score in a third consecutive game after finishing off 2021 with a goal in the French Cup against Feignies Aulnoye and bagging another dramatic equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Lorient.
Meanwhile, Lyon will hope to get some more magic from Lucas Paqueta. The 24-year-old Brazilian scored the opening goal at Parc des Princes earlier in the campaign, and he’s been leading the charge this season with six league goals and three assists.
