Weekend Ligue 1 Predictions: Best bets from R25 in France

The weekend Ligue 1 predictions column hat-trick looks to be drawing ever closer after last week's surpassed the previous effort to go two-for-three. The BTTS and double chance shout on Montpellier proved astute as they drew 2-2 with RC Strasbourg, while Stade Brest were correctly tipped to go in front at half-time and hold on for the win v Le Havre.

Unfortunately, Will Still let us down as his Stade Reims side failed to beat Lille OSC, going down 1-0 at home, but we appear to be getting closer and closer to a full house ahead of round 25 of the 2023/24 Ligue 1 campaign...

Draw or Stade Brest and both teams to score in RC Lens v Stade Brest @ 15/8 (Saturday, March 9 - KO, 20:00)

A difficult one to call this, as the match at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis pits an RC Lens side on the back of a 3-0 win at in-form Olympique Lyonnais, against a Stade Brest outfit who have won their last three without conceding.

However, despite Lens holding home advantage, I'm backing Brest to show why they are second and seven points clear of Les Sang et Or.

Brest haven't lost any of their last seven Ligue 1 away games and are currently on a 13-game unbeaten run in the competition. It will have to come to an end at some stage, but I don't think it will be this Saturday against a side that has lost two of their last three on their own patch, against clubs sandwiched either side of their next opponents.

Lens will still back themselves to score though, having only blanked in two of their 11 league games at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Brest have kept a clean sheet in three straight matches but conceded twice in a 3-2 win over Lens in August, and both teams have scored in each of their last four meetings between the pair.

No draw and both teams to score in Metz v Clermont Foot @ 2/1 (Sunday, March 10 - KO, 14:00)

This is arguably the biggest fixture of the Ligue 1 weekend. Clermont Foot are bottom on 17 points after a six-game winless run while Metz are only one place and three points better off, though the hosts should have a spring in their step after snapping out of an even lengthier winless league streak of 10 matches.

The result of this game won't confirm relegation for either, but with just nine games remaining after Sunday, there is an onus on both to take all three points. Metz have the expectancy of winning as they are at home against the bottom club, while Clermont can't afford to draw one game and then lose the next, as they have done since late January.

That should lend itself to an exciting encounter at the Stade Saint-Symphorien where Metz have scored, but lost, in each of their last two there.

First team to score - Nantes in Olympique Marseille v Nantes @ 11/5 (Sunday, March 10 - KO, 19:45)

Olympique Marseille are the only team unbeaten at home in Ligue 1 this season, but they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last five games at the Stade Velodrome.

What's more, there could be a pattern starting to emerge. Marseille have played two European ties this calendar year, home and away against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League play-offs. After the first leg, they went to Brest and lost 1-0, failing to land a shot on target in the first half.

Their next game after a European tie was at home to Montpellier where, once again, Les Olympiens conceded the first goal. Could the demands of continental competition be having an impact on the side, particularly at the start of matches?

OM play again in Europe on Thursday against Villarreal and must subsequently take a trip to Spain next week for the return leg. Head coach Jean-Louis Gasset could opt to make a few changes for Sunday against a side that is hurting after a 2-0 home defeat to Ligue 1 strugglers Metz.

Nantes have been impressive on the road though, winning their last two and scoring the first goal of the game in both. Marseille should have enough to win the contest, but the visitors could be the ones to strike first.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.