The French Ligue One returns on Friday night with an intriguing clash between Monaco and Lyon at the Stade Louis ll.
These two teams experienced wildly contrasting league campaigns in 2018/19. Monaco were somehow dragged into the relegation dogfight at the bottom of the table after a season of injury nightmares and strange managerial changes (Leonardo Jardim leaving then coming back).
Lyon, on the other hand, mounted their usual challenge for the European spots finishing third-place in the table. OL will expect a similarly strong campaign this season, as they look to book their place in the Champions League once more for next season.
Monaco will expect a much-improved campaign than finishing just three points above the relegation zone.
🔴⚪️ Venez soutenir les Rouge & Blanc, vendredi soir au Stade Louis-II 🇲🇨, pour le premier match de la saison 19/20 face à l'Olympique Lyonnais ! #Déterminés 👊🎟️ https://t.co/shCrTLSW2L⏳ #ASMOL J-2⃣ pic.twitter.com/6XHa8nkz83— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) August 7, 2019
🔴⚪️ Venez soutenir les Rouge & Blanc, vendredi soir au Stade Louis-II 🇲🇨, pour le premier match de la saison 19/20 face à l'Olympique Lyonnais ! #Déterminés 👊🎟️ https://t.co/shCrTLSW2L⏳ #ASMOL J-2⃣ pic.twitter.com/6XHa8nkz83
The club from the principality has not exactly gone overboard on new signings. However, the signing of Portuguese winger Gelson Martins is certainly an interesting one.
Jardim’s team finished last season with just one win from their final nine matches in the French top-flight. A clash with OL is not exactly one to pencil in as a game to turn that sort of form around in.
Monaco’s home form also needs to improve in the new campaign, as the home side won just four times at the Stade Louis ll in Ligue One last season.
Lyon have experienced poor pre-season results. However, OL ended last season in top form, finishing the campaign with an unbeaten run of six games in the French top-flight, recording five wins. The visitors also ended last season in good form on their travels, winning four of their last five games away from home in French top-flight.
One massive negative for OL is that they have lost two big players in Tanguy Ndombele and Nabil Fekir. However, despite their losses, Forebet are still backing Lyon to record a comfortable victory in a high-scoring encounter.