Auxerre vs. Nice (Sunday, 2.00pm)
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Aiming to stay in the division after last season's promotion, Auxerre will host Nice at the Stade de l'Abbe Deschamps on matchday one of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 campaign.
The hosts won the 2023-24 Ligue 2 title with 74 points from 38 matches, booking their return to the top flight, while the visitors finished fifth in Ligue 1 with 55 points from 34 outings.
We say: Auxerre 1-2 Nice
Auxerre will be eager to pick up points from their first match upon their return to Ligue 1, especially in front of their home crowd, but the visitors possess more quality throughout their squad and should take all three points.
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Montpellier vs. Strasbourg (Sunday, 4.00pm)
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In the opening matchday of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season, Montpellier HSC will play host to Strasbourg at the Stade de la Mosson on Sunday afternoon.
The home team placed 12th in the division last campaign with 41 points from 34 games, while the visitors ended up in 13th place, just two points behind.
We say: Montpellier HSC 2-2 Strasbourg
Both meetings between these two sides last season ended in a 2-2 draw, while they have also drawn each of the two times they have faced each other on the opening day of a top-flight campaign, and we believe this one will also end all square.
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Toulouse vs. Nantes (Sunday, 4.00pm)
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Toulouse are set to host Nantes at the Stadium de Toulouse on Sunday afternoon on the opening matchday of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season.
The hosts finished in 11th place with 43 points from 34 matches last campaign, while the visitors secured their safety with a four-point lead over the relegation zone, placing in 14th.
We say: Toulouse 2-1 Nantes
This matchup will be the second season in a row that Toulouse and Nantes face each other on the opening day, with the hosts recording a 2-1 victory in that encounter.
The hosts have had much more joy in the league in the last two years, while the visitors have endured successive relegation battles, suggesting Toulouse will win this one.
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Angers vs. Lens (Sunday, 4.00pm)
© Imago
Newly-promoted Angers kick-start their 2024-25 campaign in Ligue 1 with an encounter against Lens at Stade Raymond Kopa on Sunday afternoon.
The two teams meet for the first time since March 2023 when Les Sang et Or secured a comfortable 3-0 home victory at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
We say: Angers 0-1 Lens
A closely-fought contest could be on the cards between two teams keen to make a positive start to the new campaign. Although Angers will be spurred on by their home supporters, we believe that Lens will find a way to claim a narrow victory.
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Rennes vs. Lyon (Sunday, 7.45pm)
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Lyon make the trip to Roazhon Park to face Rennes in their opening Ligue 1 fixture of the 2024-25 campaign on Sunday afternoon.
These two teams secured top-half finishes last season and have aspirations of qualifying for European football this term.
We say: Rennes 1-2 Lyon
Both teams will be keen to make a winning start to the new campaign and will fancy their chances of success having beaten each other last season, but we are backing the visitors to prevail, as they did in their last visit to Roazhon Park.
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Ben Knapton
