Troyes V Monaco - Kicks off at 1200 - Live on BT Sport 1
Newly promoted Troyes got their first point of the season last week at Strasbourg. They started well, forcing the Strasbourg Keeper in to some good saves before taking the lead through Yoann Touzghar. Touzghar, Troye's leading scorer last season took his goal well on 19 minutes. Laurent Batlles' side are creating chances they just need to be a little more clinical in front of goal. They should gain confidence from last week's performance and result. This week saw the signing of free agent but former World Cup winner Adil Rami.
The 35 year old has never been blessed with pace but his experience could be crucial to Troyes bid for survival. He is unlikely to play this weekend but it's another sign Troyes are heading in the right direction.
Monaco have had a disastrous start to the season. Like today's opponents Troyes they have only one point from three games. This week they went out of the Champions League to Shaktar Donetsk over two legs. Les Monegasques actually played very well over the two legs but lost it to a goal in extra time. Had the away goals rule not been scrapped this year, Monaco would have gone through at the end of the 90 minutes. As it is they will now be playing in the Europa League instead. Perhaps losing the pressure of qualifying for the Champions League group stage will help Monaco's league form. They have to improve on last week's home defeat to Lens. Perhaps we will see the return of the midfield partnership of Aurélien Tchouaméni and Youssouf Fofana (pictured).
That pairing worked very well last season and indeed in the midweek European game. Last week though Niko Kovač dropped Fofana in favour of new signing Jean Lucas. Monaco will be without Russian midfielder Aleksandr Golovin after his sending off last week in the defeat to Lens. Troyes will be stubborn and Monaco may be a little burnt out after their extra time defeat on Wednesday. Monaco will turn it at some stage but this weekend may have come too early. Frenchfooty prediction: Troyes 1 V Monaco 1
Angers V Rennes - Kicks off at 1400 - Live on BT Sport ESPN/ BT Sport Extra 5
Angers’ good start to the season continued last weekend with a 1 - 1 draw at Bordeaux. They have scored six goals in three games, with five different goal scorers (one own goal) and only conceded one. Surprisingly it was defender Romain Thomas who scored the equaliser for Angers last weekend. If the team from the Loire can get their forwards scoring regularly they could be in for a good season. Angelo Fulgini was Le SCO's top scorer last season with 10 goals in all competitions. If he can improve on that his side should improve on the 13th placed finish they last season.
Angers are comfortable on the ball and attack quickly with confidence. So far so good for Gérald Baticle since he took over as Manager at the end of last season. Baticle has no new injury worries so we should see the same team that faced Bordeaux last week, with the same 3-4-1-2 formation. If it isn't broken why fix it?
Rennes have had a good week with their first home win of the season last Sunday against Nantes then winning 3 - 1 at Rosenberg in midweek. The win in Norway was for the Europa Conference League qualifying play off 2nd leg. Les Rennais eased through to the group stages winning 5 - 1 on aggregate. New signing Baptiste Santamaria played both games and set up Martin Terrier to score the only goal of the game against Nantes. A good start from the former Angers midfielder who faces his old club today.
Rennes Manager Bruno Génésio must be wondering if young midfielder Eduardo Camavinga will still be at the club at the end of transfer window window (midnight 31 August). There is constant speculation concerning the 18 year old. Manchester United seem to be the front runners to sign him and Rennes may be happy to take the money as they have a decent enough squad to do without him. Will will see him play here or will he be kept out of the team in view of a transfer? Génésio will be without exciting winger Jérémy Doku who has a hamstring injury. Frenchfooty prediction: Angers 1 V Rennes 1
Strasbourg V Brest - Kicks off at 1400
Strasbourg are currently at the foot of the table with just point from three games. There is no need to press the panic button yet. They are creating chances and scoring goals. Julien Stéphan's team have already played PSG and gave them a good game. They picked up their first point last week at home to Angers. With a new young Manager this is likely to be a season of transition for Les Coureurs but I don't seem them being in serious trouble. They have strengthened their defensive options with Thursdays signing of Maxime Le Marchand from Fulham. Will he go straight in to the side this weekend?
Strasbourg have good players particularly up front. Strikers Gameiro and Ajorque have a goal each already and I'd expect them to be a good partnership this season. Habib Diallo (pictured) is a decent Striker to have on the bench too. Strasbourg will again be without defensive midfielder Jean-Eudes Aholou who is carrying a muscle injury. Centre half Alexander Djiku is available after missing last weeks game through suspension.
Brest have two points from three games but like Strasbourg have already played Paris and given them a decent game. Les Brestois lost 4 - 2 to the Parisians last week but gave them a scare. It was 3 - 2 with five minutes to go. Winger Franck Honorat and Striker Steve Mounie got off the mark with a goal apiece in each half. Both goals were set up by Romain Favre (pictured) who could be influential again for Les Pirates.
The 23 year old is technically good on the ball and usually plays in the number 10 role just behind Mounie. Brest’s away form was as poor as Strasbourg’s home for last season so everything points to a draw here. I’ve just got a feeling Strasbourg will be pushed to go for the win by their home fans.
Frenchfooty prediction: Strasbourg 2 V Brest 1.
Lens V Lorient - Kicks off at 1400
Lens did brilliantly last season to finish seventh after being newly promoted. They have started the season just as impressively with two draws and a surprising 2 - 0 win at Monaco last weekend. Star striker Ignatius Ganago already has two goals this season as does midfielder Seko Fofana. Summer signing Kevin Danso made his debut at Centre Half last week and helped his team get their first clean sheet of the season.
The 22 year old Austrian is tall, strong and good in the air. It looks like Frank Haise wants him in the middle of a back three. It will be interesting to see if he is a threat from attacking set plays. Les Lensois will be without midfielder Cheick Doucoure who is suspended after his sending off at Monaco last week.
Lorient have four points from their opening three games. It all went a bit wrong last week at Montpellier. Les Merlus started well with attacking midfielder Enzo Le Fée (pictured) planting a firm header to put his side ahead.
They then lost three second half goals and had two men sent off late on. Defenders Jérôme Hergault and Houboulang Mendes are now suspended for this game. Veteran defender Jeremy Morel is also out with a thigh injury. Christophe Pélissier's side will have to be at their best to get anything out of this game. The Stade Bollaert-Delelis will be rocking though with the home fans always generating a great atmosphere. Lens should be favourites here.
Frenchfooty prediction: Lens 2 V Lorient 0
Clermont Foot V Metz - Kicks off at 1400
The great start continues for newly promoted Clermont. Trailing 3 - 1 at Lyon last week they fought back to draw 3 - 3. It was substitute Elbasan Rashani that pulled two second half goals back in the last ten minutes. Rashani did well to hold off a challenge and get a shot off. His second was a powerful header from a corner.
Star Striker Mohamed Bayo (3 goals already this season) has been the subject of much transfer speculation. It would be a tragedy for Les Lanciers if they lost such an important player at this stage of the season. I hope he stays until the end of the season where he'll get plenty of games. The Club can always cash in on him at the end of this campaign when he's hopefully helped to keep them up. Coach Pascal Gastien will be hoping for a home win here.
Metz have just two points from three games and needed a thunderbolt of a strike from Habib Maïga to get a point at Reims last week. Maiga is a defensive midfielder and not known for his goalscoring. He only scored once last season but this was a great strike from outside the area that flew in to the top corner. It's worth a watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpjdp_T93ZE
That match saw Manager Frédéric Antonetti sent to the stands and he has since received a one match touchline ban. It will be up to Antonetti's staff to direct his team from the sidelines at Clermont. Les Grenats have not yet managed to get star striker Ibrahima Niane scoring which will cost them. They don't have a lot of goals in the side and are still missing attacking midfielder Opa Nguette through injury. They also agreed to sell Pape Matar Sarr to Tottenham this week although the 18 year old midfielder will remain at Metz until the end of the season.
Frenchfooty prediction: Clermont Foot 2 V Metz 1
Lille V Montpellier - Kicks off at 1600 - Live on BT Sport ESPN / BT Sport Extra 5
Lille are the Champions but we all knew it was unlikely they'd scale the heights they reached last season. They have drawn two and lost one so far but still have a decent squad. Jocelyn Gourvennec's team probably should have won at Saint Etienne last week. They had more of the possession and created some good chances. They just weren't clinical enough. I still think goals will come from this team. Striker Burak Yilmaz got off the mark last week against Saint Etienne and Bamba, Ikone, David and Yazici are all goal threats.
The problem for Gourvennec is his side have started shipping goals. Hopefully new Goalkeeper Ivo Grbić will help after making his first appearance for the club last week in the 1 - 1 draw. The Croatian will be tested today against opponents who are scoring for fun.
Montpellier have scored plenty of goals so far but only got their first win last weekend. La Paillade went 1 - 0 down at home to Lorient but reacted well to win 3 - 1 with goals from Savanier, Mavididi and Delort. It was good to see Stephy Mavididi start. Montpellier look more of a threat to me when Mavididi plays with Laborde and Delort. The trio scored a lot of goals between them last season. Sadly it will be last we've seen of the them playing together. Andy Delort, already on 2 goals and one assist, is said to have reached an agreement to sign for Nice.
It's difficult to see how Montpellier will replace him, especially at such short notice. The transfer window shuts at midnight on Tuesday. Delort has spearheaded the attack with the likes of Laborde and Mavididi supporting him to great effect (15 goals last season). How Montpellier react to him leaving could make or break their season. We could see Laborde pushed further forward with youngster Elye Wahi, Florent Mollet and Mavididi behind him. Surely Manager Michel Der Zakarian will start Mavididi regularly now. Lets see how the young Englishman responds.
Frenchfooty prediction: Lille 2 V Montpellier 2
Reims V PSG - Kicks off 1945 - Live on BT Sport
Reims have drawn all three of their games so far. If they were to get another one here today it would be one of the results of the season. The red and whites have done well to grind out three results under new manager Óscar García but I still think they'll struggle this season. Their goals have come from midfield so far with Marshall Munetsi scoring last week against Metz and Ilan Kebbal and Moreto Cassamá scoring against Montpellier.
Reims have not won at home since January and have no League wins in eleven games. Not the form you want to have when facing the Champions Elect and possibly Leonardo Messi.
It seems that Messi, Neymar JR and Mbappe are all in the squad for this game. We'll have to wait and see if Messi plays. I would guess if he's in the squad that he will at least come off the bench at some point. If he does play it's possible it will be the only time we this exciting front three play together. Kylian Mbappé is yet to sign a new contract and is being chased by Real Madrid. It seems Mbappé wants to leave but as yet no bid seems to have been accepted by PSG. I'm surprised Mbappé wants to leave at this stage of his career. He is part of a team that is full of winners and are practically guaranteed to win trophies this season. PSG will be amongst the favourites for the Champions League and have a better squad than Madrid currently have. Real Madrid are currently top of La Liga on goal difference only and not the team they once were. Surely Mbappé must be excited at the prospect of playing alongside Leonardo Messi? The most sensible scenario to me would be for Mbappé to sign a one year extension to his contract with the agreement that he can be sold next season. That way he can go all out for the Champions League with PSG this year, then get a dream move next season and Paris can still receive a huge transfer fee. The 22 year old seems desperate to move now though. PSG are said to have refused bids of up to £145.6m. That is bold considering he can leave next summer for nothing.
We'll see how this pans out over the next two days but it will be enthralling to see if Mbappé and Messi play together in the Champagne region tonight. Meanwhile PSG keep scoring goals and winning. Three wins from three with a lot of quality players yet to play. Marco Verratti made his first appearance of the season last weekend and played well. With all the talk of Messi it's easy to forget that Achraf Hakimi has been one of the signings of the season so far. The right back has been outstanding, defending well whilst making excellent attacking runs. Whoever plays for PSG today the Stade Auguste-Delaune will be packed with everyone wondering if they'll get to see Messi or not.
Frenchfooty prediction: Reims 1 V PSG 3
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