Weekend Ligue 1 Predictions: PSG to end OM’s proud record

The weekend Ligue 1 predictions column is back after the final international break of the 2023/24 season, and there are a couple of cracking fixtures to feast our eyes upon in the 27th round of France's top division.

As ever, the highlight game arrives on Sunday night as Olympique Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain meet in 'Le Classique', a contest which could be make-or-break in the former's quest for Champions League qualification.

Stade Brestois (A) to beat FC Lorient @ EVS (Sunday, March 31 - KO, 12:00)

Brest's pursuit of a top-two finish has suffered a couple of setbacks recently, with Les Pirates following up a 1-0 defeat at RC Lens with a 1-1 draw at home to Lille OSC.

However, Eric Roy's side are still in the driving seat for Champions League qualification and can continue their push with a win at Ligue 1 strugglers Lorient on Sunday.

The home side are in 15th, just a point above the relegation zone, and have only won three of their 13 games at the Stade du Moustoir.

Brest, meanwhile, have won six out of 13 on the road, with only PSG (31) and AS Monaco (25) picking up more points away from home than them (21).

21 points separate these sides and the gap in quality was clear for all to see in December as Brest demolished their opponents 4-0 thanks to four first-half strikes from Kamory Doumbia.

It may not be as easy as that this weekend, but Brest should be confident of claiming victory again.

Draw or Stade Rennais and both teams to score in RC Strasbourg vs Stade Rennais @ 5/4 (Sunday, March 31 - KO, 16:05)

Strasbourg and Rennes both feature at the top of the BTTS table in Ligue 1, with both teams scoring in 17 of their 26 games so far this term, including the reverse fixture between them at Roazhon Park in October, where they played out a 1-1 draw.

Backing both to fire at the Stade de la Meinau on Sunday doesn't offer particularly appealing odds, but we can get it up past evens and to 5/4 by backing the double chance result on Rennes, who have lost just once in Ligue 1 since December 9.

Lorient are the only side who have managed to get the better of them in 11 games since and that was at Roazhon Park - Rennes haven't lost away from home in the league since December 3 when they lost 3-0 at Marseille, the only side yet to be beaten at home this season.

The prospects of them remaining unbeaten on the road are enhanced by the struggles of Strasbourg on their own patch. Patrick Vieira's side have lost all four Ligue 1 games at the Stade de la Meinau in 2024, conceding nine times and scoring just twice.

A 3-1 win at FC Nantes was a much-needed confidence boost last time out, but Rennes represent much stiffer competition and Les Rouge et Noirs will back themselves to at least avoid defeat here.

Paris Saint-Germain (A) to beat Olympique Marseille and both teams to score @ 5/2 (Sunday, March 31 - KO, 19:45)

As already mentioned in this piece, Marseille are yet to taste defeat at the Stade Velodrome in the 2023/24 campaign, winning eight and drawing five of their 13 Ligue 1 games there, but records are made to be broken.

Les Olympiens won their first five matches under new boss Jean-Louis Gasset following the sacking of Gennaro Gattuso in February, but the former Ivory Coast head coach has now lost his last two in charge.

OM were beaten 3-1 in the Europa League by Villarreal, a result which didn't really matter in the end given their first-leg advantage, before going down 2-0 at Rennes.

Gasset will be hopeful that his side can get their mojo back in front of their own fans, but that's easier said than done against the reigning champions who are easing to another league title.

PSG have had their rocky moments this season but have lost just once in 26 Ligue 1 games under Luis Enrique, winning nine and drawing four of their 13 away from home.

They've won seven of their last eight on the road in all competitions and will be desperate to wrap up the title as soon as possible in order to switch full focus onto their Champions League campaign.

It's unlikely to be a stroll in the park for them on Sunday night but they certainly have the quality to inflict a first home defeat of the season on Marseille, who haven't beaten the Parisians in the league since September 2020.

PSG have won five of the six Ligue 1 meetings between the pair since and haven't lost at the Stade Velodrome in the competition since November 2011.

Odds of 11/10 for them to win away again are decent, but they can be considerably enhanced by backing both sides to score, which looks a realistic prospect given OM have only failed to find the net on two occasions at home this season, and PSG have only been kept out twice on the road in Ligue 1.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.