Match Overview and Preview

The Ligue 1 Round 2 fixture between Lyon and Metz is scheduled for August 23 at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium. This preview offers a detailed prediction, key statistics, and insights into the upcoming encounter between Lyon and Metz.

Lyon

Team Form and Recent Performance

Lyon began their French championship campaign with a 1-0 away victory over Lens, extending their unbeaten run in the tournament to 16 matches (10 wins, 6 losses). Notably, the club has kept a clean sheet in two consecutive Ligue 1 matches, a feat they hadn’t achieved since October 2024. In the previous season, Lyon performed admirably at home, remaining undefeated in 13 out of 17 matches, scoring 37 goals while conceding 21. Furthermore, Lyon has scored in their last 8 Ligue 1 home games.  

Key Statistics for Lyon

• No more than 3 goals were scored in 5 of Lyon’s last 6 Ligue 1 matches.
• At home, the club has won 5 of their last 6 Ligue 1 encounters (1 loss).
• The team has scored at least twice in 7 of their last 8 home matches in this competition.

Lyon’s Predicted Starting Lineup (4-5-1)*

Rémy Descamps – Saël Kumbedi, Clinton Mata, Moussa Niakhaté, Abner – Tyler Morton, Tanner Tessmann, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Corentin Tolisso, Malick Fofana – Georges Mikautadze.

Metz

Team Form and Recent Performance

Metz suffered a defeat in their first match since returning to Ligue 1, losing 0-1 at home to Strasbourg at the start of the tournament. Prior to this, Metz had been unbeaten in 4 consecutive official matches in Ligue 2 and the playoff ties (2 wins, 2 draws). The game against Strasbourg also ended their 13-match scoring streak in the aforementioned competitions. It’s worth noting that Metz was the best away team in the previous Ligue 2 season, remaining undefeated in 13 of 17 matches (8 wins, 5 draws). Additionally, the last two head-to-head matches at Lyon’s home ground in Ligue 1 ended in a 1-1 draw on both occasions.  

Key Statistics for Metz

• The team won with a +1.5 handicap in 29 previous matches across Ligue 1, Ligue 2, and playoff ties.
• Both teams scored in 7 of Metz’s last 7 away matches in Ligue 2 and playoff ties.
• Away from home, the club remained undefeated in 12 of 13 games in France’s second-tier league and playoff matches for a spot in Ligue 1 (6 wins, 6 draws).

Metz’s Predicted Starting Lineup (5-3-2)*

Jonathan Fischer – Boubacar Traoré, Yuri-Michel M’Bula, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Sadibou Sane, Koffi Kouao – Giorgi Tsitaishvili, Jessy Deminguet, Benjamin Stambouli – Cheikh Sabaly, Bryan Mbeumo.  

Team News and Injuries

For Metz, forwards Malick Mbaye and Joseph Mendong are currently injured.

The Referee

Referee Profile: Eric Wattellier

Eric Wattellier (France)

Matches officiated – 17 (Ligue 1, 2024/25);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 75;

Average yellow cards per match – 3.3;

Red cards shown – 3;

Average fouls per match – 22;

Penalties awarded – 18%.

Match Prediction: Lyon vs Metz

Lyon’s Strong Start and Home Advantage

Paulo Fonseca’s squad has already demonstrated their readiness to contend for European qualification spots, securing a crucial 3 points from Lens in Round 1 – a venue where victories are notoriously hard-won. The positive news of Lyon’s reinstatement as participants in both Ligue 1 and the Europa League has undoubtedly boosted team morale before the season began. While Lyon saw some key players depart during the offseason, the team possesses sufficient squad depth to absorb the loss of players like Alexandre Lacazette and Rayan Cherki without a significant drop in quality.  

Metz’s Challenges and Away Form

The visiting side, Metz, has entirely different objectives for the season, with their primary goal being to retain their place in France’s top flight. The team shares 14th place with Auxerre in terms of budget size this Ligue 1 season. It is highly unlikely that Metz, who lost to Strasbourg at home in Round 1, will be able to take points from a Lyon side that performs exceptionally well on home turf. Lyon has won 6 of their last 7 home matches in the championship, scoring at least twice in every victorious encounter. Metz, on the other hand, has lost 7 of their last 10 away matches in Ligue 1, conceding at least 2 goals in 6 of those games.  

Our Betting Tip

Therefore, our unique prediction is – “Lyon to win and Team 1 Total Goals Over 1.5” with a coefficient of 1.60   * The starting lineup listed for each team is from their previous match in this tournament.