Ligue 1 odds and outright predictions: Lille look set for a late rally

Free football tips, best bets and analysis in the Ligue 1 outright markets.

Best bets

Lille to finish in top three
1pt 7-2 Hills

Preview

This season's Ligue 1 campaign has been more a title procession than race with Paris Saint-Germain 13 points clear at the summit heading into 2022.

Some bookmakers make Mauricio Pochettino's men as short as 1-80 to reclaim the title they lost to Lille last term and even if their focus switches to winning a first Champions League in the latter part of the season, they are highly unlikely to implode enough to relinquish top spot.

The battle below them, however, is intriguing with only six points separating Nice in second and Lens in ninth.

As a result, the top-three finish market makes appeal and Lille could be a cracking bet at 7-2.

The defending French champions are eighth after 19 games but only five points adrift of the Champions League places.

In Burak Yilmaz, Yusuf Yazici and Benjamin Andre, Lille still possess many of the key players who helped them claim the title last term, while Jonathan David is excelling with 12 goals in 19 games putting him top of Ligue 1's scoring charts.

They showed their class by finishing top of their Champions League group and are unbeaten in their last 11 games.

They are finally starting to get the results to match their performances - their expected-points total is nearly nine higher than their actual tally - and they should be in for a strong second half to the season.

Nice, Marseille and Rennes will be among their closest competitors for a top-three berth but Lille can take confidence from how they handled pressure at the summit last term.

Not got a bet365 account? Bet £10 & get £50 in free bets

Open account offer. Minimum deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as bet credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Minimum odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude bet credits stake. Time limits/T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org

CLAIM OFFER HERE

MORE FREE BETS

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport