Paris Saint-Germain Open as Heavy Favorites to Win 2020/21 Ligue 1 Title

• After the 2019/20 campaign was cut short due to COVID-19, PSG were once again crowned champions, winning by 12 points
• With the new season set to begin in late August, the French giants are heavy favorites to capture yet another Ligue 1 title, with average odds of -1917
• Will Neymar and co. breeze through France’s top flight in 2020/21? Get the odds and preview below

After winning the Coupe de France last Friday, Paris Saint-Germain secured the double as they look to compete for another trophy in the Champions League tournament in August. As for the upcoming Ligue 1 season, which is set to begin in late August, Thomas Tuchel’s side is obvious favorites to win it all again.

The 2020 Ligue 1 odds have PSG at -1250 odds to capture their eighth title in the last nine seasons. The next closest is Lyon, who boasts +2000 odds after their disappointing seventh-place finish this past season. However, they do remain in the Champions League after beating Juventus in the first leg of the round of 16.

2020/21 Ligue 1 Odds

Odds taken July 28

PSG Continue to Dominate France

It seems unfair at this point that Paris Saint-Germain continues to win almost every single year in Ligue 1 thanks to their wide array of superstars. Kylian Mbappe and Neymar aren’t going anywhere, for the time being, giving the French side an electric duo in the final third who are absolutely deadly in front of goal. They’ve recently made Mauro Icardi’s loan spell from Inter Milan a permanent move after the Argentinian bagged 20 goals in 32 appearances across all competitions this past term. Thomas Meunier and Tanguy Kouassi both left for Germany, joining Dortmund and Bayern, respectively, but neither player leaves much of a void in Paris.

PSG has yet to dip into the transfer market because it hasn’t yet reopened due to the shortened season but, it’s unlikely if they even will. A replacement for Meunier at right-back could be an option, but youngster Thilo Kehrer could also get more of an advanced role at the back next season on the right after making just seven league appearances this past season. Club legend Edinson Cavani finally looks on his way out, but his best days are behind him and his absence shouldn’t be felt too heavily considering that Icardi is now a PSG player as well for the foreseeable future.

Can Marseille Contend With PSG?

Marseille had an impressive season in 2019/20, finishing in second place, 12 points behind Paris. Although they scored just 41 goals in 28 games compared to PSG’s 75 in just 27 matches, they were quite solid at the back, conceding just 29 goals. Their attack is well-rounded though, with Dario Benedetto and Dimitri Payet leading the way for Andre Villas-Boas’ squad. Benedetto scored 11 goals, while Payet netted nine times, also tallying four assists. Nemanja Radonjic and Morgan Sanson each scored five times apiece, as these four attackers accounted for 30 of their club’s 41 goals.

Marseille will be ecstatic to be in Champions League once again though, featuring in Europe’s most prized competition for the first time since the 2013/14 season. They had a six-point cushion over third-place Rennes in the Ligue 1 table as well, winning four of their last six fixtures before the season was canceled.

Can Rennes, Lille, or Lyon Make a Mark?

After finishing in 10th spot in 2018/19, Rennes responded in emphatic fashion this past season, finishing in third place. The shortened campaign obviously played its part, but nevertheless, they’re in the Champions League. M’Baye Niang led the way with 10 goals, while Adrien Hunou also scored eight times.

Lille dropped back slightly after finishing in second last season, but, they still secured fourth place. Victor Osimhen, who found the back of the net 13 times, is a target for many of Europe’s biggest clubs, such as Napoli and Liverpool. He looks close to a move to Italy, but nothing has been secured quite yet. If they do lose him though, the club will definitely have a void to fill in the final third.

Lyon should be a side to watch as well, especially when Moussa Dembele and Memphis Depay are both healthy. They’re elite finishers who can do some real damage when partnered up top.

Best Bet

Realistically, none of these sides have any chance at dethroning PSG over the course of a full season. Even with a match in hand when the 2019/20 campaign was canceled, the Parisians still finished way ahead of Marseille. They have much more wealth than any other Ligue 1 team which allows them to buy top talent year after year and with their current squad, I don’t see anyone in France winning the title this season over them.

This could be Mbappe’s last season in the French capital as his contract is up in 2022 though, but for the time being, he’s staying put and will surely play a crucial part in their success like always. The odds are in PSG’s favor and rightfully so. They shouldn’t have any issue winning their eighth Ligue 1 title in the last nine seasons.

Pick: PSG (-1250)