Ligue 1 Tips

Ligue 1 Tips: Motivated Marseille to triumph as they chase Europa League berth

Crucial matters at the top and foot of the table offer the best opportunities in France's top flight this weekend, writes James Eastham...

Double up for a profit

Marseille vs Angers (5th vs 12th)
Lorient vs Metz (17th vs 10th)
Sun, 20:00 BST
Live on Betfair Live Video

There are a number of games in France's top flight this weekend where there's a clear difference in motivation between the two sides, throwing up opportunities to support the team that has more to play for.

One such game is Marseille vs Angers. Hosts Marseille are locked in a three-way battle with Lens and Rennes to claim a Europa League place by finishing fifth.

Marseille suffered a surprise 1-0 loss at St Etienne last weekend but managed to stay ahead of their two rivals as Lens and Rennes both dropped points as well.

Now Marseille have a great chance to collect three points as they face an Angers side with nothing to play for.

Angers have been destined for a mid-table finish for months and have spent the past few weeks going through the motions.

They beat already-relegated Dijon 3-0 last weekend but had lost their previous four games without even managing to score a goal, while conceding nine.

At 1.44 Marseille are a good price to triumph and worth putting in a double with another side whose superior motivation ought to earn them a victory.

Double up with Lorient

Lorient are battling to stay alive near the foot of the table and a good bet to defeat Metz this weekend.

Lorient go into this weekend one place and one point above the relegation play-off spot (18th) so a win will ensure their fate is in their own hands going into the final round of games next weekend.

Lorient are an excellent W4-D1-L0 from their last five home matches, winning their last three in a row.

Mid-table Metz have nothing to play for. Their only win (W1-D2-L5) in their last eight matches was vs already-relegated Dijon, and they lost 3-0 at home to another team fighting relegation when Nimes beat them last weekend.

Lorient are 1.62 to win. A Marseille-Lorient double will pay out at around 2.33.

Nantes to make it four straight wins

Dijon vs Nantes (20th vs 18th)
Sun, 20:00 BST
Live on Betfair Live Video

Nantes are a good bet to earn a comfortable victory over already-relegated Dijon this weekend.

Dijon's fate was sealed last month and their wretched form in recent weeks confirms that their last vestiges of motivation have drained away.

Dijon lost 3-0 at Angers last weekend, 5-1 at home to Metz the week before that and 5-1 at Rennes the week before that.

Those results will rightly fill Nantes with confidence and it's hard to see anything other than a straightforward victory for the away team.

Nantes go into this weekend's fixtures sitting in the relegation play-off place (18th). Yet they and the four teams above them are separated by just three points so there's everything to play for across the final two matchdays.

Nantes are also in excellent form: they've won their last three matches, and the last two in fine style. They ran out 3-0 winners at home to fellow relegation candidates Bordeaux last weekend after thrashing Brest 4-1 away from home the week before.

Given the emphatic nature of those victories, it's worth avoiding the 1.45 on a Nantes win and backing the visitors on the Asian Handicap instead. With our -1.0 & -1.5 Asian Handicap selection, you'll make a profit if Nantes win by two or more goals.