July 31 kicks off the football season in France. The country’s Super Cup will be played by the champion PSG and the Cup winner Nantes. The meeting starts at 21:00 Moscow time. For the Parisians, this will be the first official match with the new mentor – Christophe Galtier. Can a talented specialist curb a scattering of stars and make them work for the team?
Bookmakers consider PSG to be the clear favorite of the match. You can bet on the victory of the capital club in regular time with a coefficient of 1.38, and on the final success of the Parisians they give a quote of 1.23. The chances of Nantes winning in regular time were estimated at 7.30, and the probability of winning, taking into account overtime and a penalty shoot-out, was estimated at 4.15. For a draw following the results of 90 minutes of the game, they give a coefficient of 5.20.
Experts are confident that the match will be productive. On TB 2.5 goals give a coefficient of 1.42, and the reverse outcome goes for 2.90. You can bet on the fact that both teams will be able to score for 1.68, and that at least one team will not be able to hit the opponent’s goal, they offer odds of 2.20.
Will Galtier cope with the stars?
There have been big changes in PSG management this summer. Left the club sports director Leonardo. He succeeded in attracting stars, but he could not find a balance in the team’s game. In his place, the creator of the championship “Lille” Luis Campos came to the team. And it is not surprising that he invited Christophe Galtier to coach, the man with whom Lille sensationally won Ligue 1 in the 2020/2021 season. After that, a big sale awaited the Great Danes, with which Galtier did not put up with and left for Nice. And now PSG.
There is a lot of skepticism in this appointment. First of all, Galtier is famous for his ability to build a defense: both Lille and Nice conceded the least. But PSG with Mbappe, Messi and Neymar does not fit in with defensive football at all. There is no specialist and experience with the stars. At the same time, no one disputes the strength of Galtier as a coach, and he has the support of the sports director.
There are no high-profile transfers in the composition of the Parisians yet, except perhaps midfielder Vitinha from Porto. But Angel Di Maria has already left for the exit. Moreover, they say that more than a dozen footballers led by Neymar can leave Paris. The club wants to see more French players. So while the contours of the composition “according to Galtier” are unclear. His task is essentially the same as that of his predecessors: to build a model in which all the stars will demonstrate their best qualities, without pulling the blanket over themselves and helping the defense. Can we do it? Let’s see.
Nantes ready for a sensation?
As for Nantes, this is the middle peasant of the French championship, which last year suddenly managed to win the French Cup. The Canaries did not make any special reinforcements, except that Moussa Sissoko from Watford fits into this category. The strength of this team is in teamwork, the ability to catch an opponent on a counterattack. Well, in the goalkeeping genius of Alban Lafont. The team captain has been knocking on the door of the French team for a long time.
By the way, Nantes won the last face-to-face meeting. Then the “canaries” simply stunned the Parisians, scoring three goals in the first half. In the second game segment, PSG won back one goal, then Neymar did not score a penalty, but the Parisians did not have enough for more. In the last six head-to-head meetings between the teams, four wins have been won by the capital club and two by Nantes. True, the coefficient on the fact that there will be no draw is small – only 1.16.
Of course, under Galtier, Nantes will be much more difficult: this specialist dances “from the stove”, focusing on defense. Yes, of course, it will be difficult to completely fine-tune the game scheme in a short off-season, but the fact that PSG will act stricter in defense is unequivocal. Well, ahead at first, the individual skill of Messi, Mbappe and Neymar may suffice. So it seems like a good option to bet that both teams cannot score. The coefficient is quite high – 2.20.
You can take a chance and check the victory of the Parisians with a handicap (-1.5). If PSG wins towards the end of the match, then Nantes, whether you like it or not, will have to reveal what the capital’s stars will definitely take advantage of. Well, the victory of the Parisians in regular time goes for 1.38.
It is difficult to say what the modest Nantes can oppose to the rich from PSG. Only crazy returns and a little bit of luck. After all, it would have been difficult to win the French Cup without him. But on paper, PSG looks like the clear favorite. However, this is football, there are no sensations here. Good luck bidding!
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