Lyon — Metz : Match Preview and Prediction for August 23,2025

Lyon has certainly endured a tumultuous summer. Many had written them off, but the club successfully managed to settle most of their financial obligations, not only securing their place in Ligue 1 but also earning a spot in the Europa League.

However, this came at a significant cost, as they had to offload most of their key players to stabilize their financial situation. Despite these efforts, a substantial debt of 40 million euros still remains, indicating that further player departures might be necessary. Malick Fofana, valued at 30 million euros on Transfermarkt, could be the next to depart.

Despite these serious challenges, Paulo Fonseca’s squad had a strong preseason campaign, playing six matches. Notable were their dominant victories over Hamburg (4-0) and Mallorca (4-0), as well as a respectable 1-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in Germany.

Their Ligue 1 season opener was also promising, featuring a 1-0 away victory against a resilient Lens side. The defense, which remained largely intact during this transfer window, has played a crucial role in their early success.

The Portuguese coach also enjoys a relatively healthy squad, with only Nuamah and Mangala currently sidelined.

Metz continues its yo-yo existence between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, having been promoted and relegated for three consecutive years. They have once again managed to climb back into the top flight.

However, their preseason preparation was far from ideal. While they recorded four wins against two losses, a 1-2 defeat to Lens is somewhat understandable. Still, the crushing 0-8 defeat to Hoffenheim raises significant alarms, and they even conceded three goals against Thionville (5-3), a team from France’s fifth division.

The club’s management provided no significant reinforcements for Stéphane Le Mignan this summer. This is despite the sales of Arthur Atta (to Udinese) and Fali Candé (to Venezia). Consequently, it’s no surprise that Metz is widely tipped as one of the primary candidates for relegation.

The visitors underscored their struggles in the first round of Ligue 1, deservedly falling 0-1 at home to Strasbourg. The home side’s lack of offensive threat coupled with the visitors’ near-total dominance only darkens the outlook for Metz.

Stéphane Le Mignan did not include Mbaye and Mangondo in the squad, as they are still recovering from injuries.