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The domestic soccer season kicks off in Europe with Ligue 1 beginning play on Friday, August 6 with one match, then two on Saturday, and the remaining seven on Sunday. Defending champions Lille will be looking to make it two straight championships with Paris Saint-Germain hope to take back the crown it has held seven times in the last nine seasons. Here’s a look at Ligue 1 odds for the 2021-22 seasons courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
The favorite
PSG (-650)
The French giants are stacked after a busy transfer window. PSG added Euro 2020 champion goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and legendary Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos to a core featuring Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Angel di Maria. Achraf Hakimi is another big signing to watch.
PSG has a loaded roster from top to bottom and should have the most talent on paper. Barring a slew of injuries, this is the rightful favorite by a significant margin. The one thing to monitor with PSG will be motivation. The club is desperate to win the Champions League in a year where Mbappe’s contract is up. It may not focus on domestic play as much as the European club competition. That could lead to some additional losses later in the season.
The other contenders
Lyon (+1000)
Lyon has been successful in Ligue 1, winning seven straight league titles starting in 2001-02. The club has dropped off significantly since then but still finished in the top three eight times over the next 13 seasons. Houssem Aoaur and Moussa Dembele are big-time players and Lucas Paqueta had a strong Copa America with Brazil. At +1000, Lyon could be worth a flier.
Lille (+1400)
Lille is the defending champion in the league and is also worth a look. Burak Yilmaz is a noteworthy name, but the headliners are captain Jose Fonte and Jonathan Bamba. The biggest loss for Lille will be goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who had the most clean sheets in Ligue 1 last season. He’s now at AC Milan. Lillie has finished in the top three five times since 2010-11.
Monaco (+1400)
Monaco is the only other club to have won a league title besides Lille and PSG in the last nine seasons. This is a powerhouse French club with a lot of history, similar to Lyon. There aren’t a lot of familiar names on the roster, but Wissam Ben Yedder and Aleksandr Golovin are two to watch.
Best bet to win league: PSG (-650)
It’s tempting to take Lyon or Lille given the huge reward at current lines, but PSG is simply too strong to pick against at this point in the season. Unless Mbappe, Neymar and di Maria start floundering or the team experiences a lot of injuries, this club is simply too good. Even if the Champions League distracts from Ligue 1 late in the season, the team is deep enough to put in a strong XI for domestic games while the stars rest.
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