The Ligue 1 is the highest division of league football in France.

Initially, the First Division football in France was played as an amateur league run by the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA) between 1894 to 1919 and by the French Football Federation between 1919 to 1926.

After the National Council of the French Football Federation voted in favour of professionalism in French football in 1930, the Ligue 1 - then known as National - was instituted.

The first season of National began in 1932-33, with 20 teams. From 1933 to 2001, the top-tier league in France was called Division 1 and it was only in 2002 that the French league was renamed as Ligue 1.

Over the years, Ligue 1 has often changed the allotment of clubs (14, 16, 18, 20) to feature in the tournament.

Ligue 1 follows the basic promotion-relegation rules, as it is in other major European Leagues. The clubs who finish the season at 19th and 20th positions are relegated to Ligue 2, while the top two teams in Ligue 2 win promotion to Ligue 1.

A two-legged relegation/promotion play-off is played between the 18th-placed team in Ligue 1 and the winner of the promotion playoffs in Ligue 2.

In Ligue 2, the fourth and fifth-placed teams play a one-legged fixture where the winner faces the third-ranked team in the second-tier competition. The winner of this tie then battles the third-last team in Ligue 1 to secure promotion in the top-flight competition.

In case the Ligue 2 team wins on aggregate, they are promoted to Ligue 1 and their opponent is relegated to Ligue 2. On the flipside, if the Ligue 1 team wins the play-off, both clubs remain in their respective leagues.

The 1992-93 season is the first - and only instance - in history where no team walked away with the league title. Initial winners Marseille were stripped off the title due to their involvement in a bribery scandal and runners-up Paris Saint Germain refused to claim the league crown.

Who were the first winners of Ligue 1?

Olympique Lillois, the predecessor of Lille, were the first league champions of France football in the professional era. They defeated Cannes in the final by a score of 4-3.

Georges Winckelmans netted a brace as his side, who topped Group A with 28 points from 18 games, managed to edge past Cannes - who qualified for the final ahead of top-ranked FC Antibes who were involved in a bribery scandal.

Lyon won the league in 2002-03, the first season following the rebranding of Division 1 to Ligue 1. It was the second of seven consecutive league wins for the club between 2001-02 and 2007-08.

Who has the most Ligue 1 titles?

Paris Saint Germain and Saint Etienne share the record for most Ligue 1 titles. PSG, who won the Ligue 1 2021-22 season, now have 10 league titles just as Les Verts.

Saint Etienne were the first team to win 10 Ligue 1 titles, with their last domestic success coming back in the 1980�?1 season.

PSG, who won their maiden Ligue 1 title in 1985�?6, have bagged eight of their 10 league titles since winning their third domestic title in 2012�?3.

Ligue 1 winners list

2021�?022: Paris Saint Germain

2020�?021: Lille

2019�?020: Paris Saint Germain

2018�?019: Paris Saint Germain

2017�?018: Paris Saint Germain

2016�?017: Monaco

2015�?016: Paris Saint Germain

2014�?015: Paris Saint Germain

2013�?014: Paris Saint Germain

2012�?013: Paris Saint Germain

2011�?012: Montpellier

2010�?011: Lille

2009�?010: Marseille

2008�?009: Bordeaux

2007�?008: Lyon

2006�?007: Lyon

2005�?006: Lyon

2004�?005: Lyon

2003�?004: Lyon

2002�?003: Lyon

2001�?002: Lyon

2000�?001: Nantes

1999�?000: Monaco

1998�?999: Bordeaux

1997�?998: RC Lens

1996�?997: Monaco

1995�?996: Auxerre

1994�?995: Nantes

1993�?994: Paris Saint Germain

1992�?993: unattributed

1991�?992: Marseille

1990�?991: Marseille

1989�?990: Marseille

1988�?989: Marseille

1987�?988: Monaco

1986�?987: Bordeaux

1985�?986: Paris Saint Germain

1984�?985: Bordeaux

1983�?984: Bordeaux

1982�?983: Nantes

1981�?982: Monaco

1980�?981: Saint-Étienne

1979�?980: Nantes

1978�?979: Strasbourg

1977�?978: Monaco

1976�?977: Nantes

1975�?976: Saint-Étienne

1974�?975: Saint-Étienne

1973�?974: Saint-Étienne

1972�?973: Nantes

1971�?972: Marseille

1970�?971: Marseille

1969�?970: Saint-Étienne

1968�?969: Saint-Étienne

1967�?968: Saint-Étienne

1966�?967: Saint-Étienne

1965�?966: Nantes

1964�?965: Nantes

1963�?964: Saint-Étienne

1962�?963: Monaco

1961�?962: Stade de Reims

1960�?961: Monaco

1959�?960: Stade de Reims

1958�?959: Nice

1957�?958: Stade de Reims

1956�?957: Saint-Étienne

1955�?956: Nice

1954�?955: Stade de Reims

1953�?954: Lille

1952�?953: Stade de Reims

1951�?952: Nice

1950�?951: Nice

1949�?950: Bordeaux

1948�?949: Stade de Reims

1947�?948: Marseille

1946�?947: Roubaix-Tourc

1945�?946: Lille

1938�?939: Sète

1937�?938: Sochaux

1936�?937: Marseille

1935�?936: R. Colombes 92

1934�?935: Sochaux

1933�?934: Sète

1932�?933: O.Lillois

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / FRANCK FIFE

Marseille host Lyon in the latest edition of the Choc des Olympiques on matchday 35 of Ligue 1 2021-22 at Stade Velodrome on Monday, May 2. The match will kick off at 12:15 AM IST (Indian Standard Time).

Marseille’s only absentees for the 104th derby clash in the league are Leonardo Balerdi and Konrad de la Fuente, who are recovering from season-ending injuries.

Lyon, on the other hand, saw centre-back Damien Da Silva pick up a muscular problem in the 5-2 win over Montpellier, and he joins Jason Denayer, Lenny Pintor, Rayan Cherki and Sinaly Diomande on the treatment table.

Marseille vs Lyon odds for Ligue 1 2021-22

Marseille: 2.28

Lyon: 2.98

Draw: 3.60

Click here to check football betting odds.

Note: Odds are subject to change.

Marseille vs Lyon recent form

Jorge Sampaoli’s men are coming on the back of a 2-3 loss against Feyenoord in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final. As far as the league is concerned, Marseille have lost just one of their last seven matches in Ligue 1 and will eye a win to strengthen their hopes for a second-place finish.

Lyon, coached by Peter Bosz, have three wins in their last 10 matches across all competitions, but come into the derby fixture following a morale-boosting 5-2 victory over Montpellier.

Marseille: L, W, W, L, W

Lyon: W, L, W, L, D

Marseille vs Lyon head-to-head

Lyon have the overall edge in the Choc des Olympiques head-to-head against Marseille across all competitions, claiming 41 wins in 119 matches.

As far as Ligue 1 is concerned, Les Gones have defeated Marseille in 35 of the 103 meetings between the teams. Marseille have 28 wins while 40 matches have ended without a winner.

Marseille have lost just two of their last five meetings against Lyon at the Stade Velodrome. Their recent game at home was a 1-1 draw in the 2020-21 season.

In the last five head-to-head, Lyon have won two matches including a 2-1 home win against Marseille.

Marseille vs Lyon prediction and betting tips for Ligue 1 2021-22

Marseille are the outright favourites to win this fixture. Les Phocéens�?position on the Ligue 1 points table is one of the primary reasons why the odds of victory are in their favour.

But, Lyon will be no simple pushovers, considering Moussa Dembele has 16 Ligue 1 goals with four coming in his last three matches.

Featured photo: AFP / OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE

Olympique Lyon will host West Ham United for their second leg of the UEFA Europa League 2021-22 quarter-finals tie at Groupama Stadium in the early hours of Friday, April 15. The match will kick off at 12:30 AM IST.

Olympique Lyon vs West Ham United odds for UEFA Europa League 2021-22

Olympique Lyon: 2.12

West Ham United: 3.45

Draw: 3.45

Click here to check football betting odds.

Note: Odds are subject to change.

Olympique Lyon vs West Ham United recent form

Olympique Lyon head into their upcoming UEFA Europa League encounter after playing out a 1-1 draw against four-placed Strasbourg in the Ligue 1 on Sunday. Under the tutelage of manager Peter Bosz, Lyon have struggled for form and have registered just a solitary victory and four draws in their last five matches across all competitions. With 46 points from 31 matches, the French club are currently placed 10th in the Ligue 1 2021-22 standings.

On the other hand, West Ham suffered a 0-2 loss against Brentford in the Premier League during the weekend. The David Moyes-coached outfit has registered two wins, two defeats and one draw in their last five matches across competitions. West Ham have been inconsistent in the Premier League recently and are currently placed sixth in the standings with 51 points from 32 matches.

Olympique Lyon: D, W, W, W, W

West Ham United: D, D, W, D, D

Olympique Lyon vs West Ham United head-to-head

This will be the second meeting between Olympique Lyon and West Ham United. Their previous meeting ended in a 1-1 draw during the first leg of the UEFA Europa League 2021-22 quarter-finals tie at London Stadium last week.

Olympique Lyon vs West Ham United tips and prediction for UEFA Europa League 2021-22

Olympique Lyon are one of the two sides to lose in the UEFA Europa League this season alongside Eintracht Frankfurt. The French outfit has secured six wins and registered three draws in nine matches in the competition this season. On the other hand, West Ham have lost each of their last three knockout stage away games in major European competitions. Going by recent away form and home advantage, Olympique Lyon will start as favourites to reach the semi-finals and hence, have the odds in their favour.

Featured photo: Glyn KIRK / AFP

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) entertain Lyon (LYN) in their upcoming matchday six clash of the 2021/22 Ligue 1 season at the Parc des Princes on Monday, September 20. The game will kick off at 10:00 PM IST.

Both teams have scripted contrasting starts to their campaigns this term, but Mauricio Pochettino's men will start as the outright favourites to win the contest.

PSG vs LYN Dream11 Prediction

It certainly is a no-brainer that Paris Saint-Germain enter the PSG vs LYN contest as the top side to win, given their start to the season and the overall head-to-head record between the sides.

Lyon have plenty of injury problems to tackle with but are optimistic of giving PSG a tough fight.

PSG vs LYN Dream11 tips for Bundesliga

Top tip: Best forward

Kylian Mbappe, who has headlined the PSG attack this season with four goals and three assists, will miss the PSG vs LYN tie with a knock meaning Lionel Messi will be in-charge of the scoring duties. The Argentine legend is yet to open his account and the upcoming tie should be his perfect opportunity in front of the home fans. 

Top tip: Best midfielder

Lyon will entrust Lucas Paqueta to orchestrate Lyon's attacking gameplay around PSG's formidable defensive line. The Brazilian, who is versatile in the engine room, has scored twice in five Ligue 1 games so far and will be eager to test the resilience of Presnel Kimpembe and Marquinhos on Monday.

Top tip: Best defender and goalkeeper

PSG captain Marquinhos as the top defender in the PSG vs LYN clash. The French centre-back has kept clean sheets in the last two league fixtures and is well-placed to continue the trend by keeping the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Karl Toko Ekambi in check. 

When it comes to goalkeepers, Gianluigi Donnarumma is the first-choice pick. The Italian shot-stopper kept a clean sheet in his home debut for PSG last weekend (4-0 win against Clermont Foot), and is likely to keep his place ahead of Keylor Navas, who began the 2021/22 Ligue season conceding five goals in three games. 

PSG vs LYN probable playing XI

PSG probable XI (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Nuno Mendes, Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi; Ander Herrera, Idrissa Gueye; Angel Di Maria, Neymar, Lionel Messi; Mauro Icardi

LYN probable XI (4-2-3-1): Anthony Lopes; Emerson, Jason Denayer, Damien Da Silva, Malo Gusto; Maxence Caqueret, Bruno Guimaraes; Lucas Paqueta, Houssem Aouar, Xherdan Shaqiri; Karl Toko Ekambi

Featured photo: AFP / Franck Fife

The Ligue 1 2020-21 season is fast approaching its business end with 29 matchweeks already over, and the French top tier football league is yet to find a clear favourite with just three points separating the top three teams.

After a poor start to their campaign and a mid-season managerial change slowing down defending champions Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) progress, Kylian Mbappe and Co. have somehow managed to get their campaign back on track.

PSG have won three of their last five Ligue 1 matches, and Mauricio Pochettino will want his men to improve their performance when they take on third-placed AS Lyon at Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Monday, March 22. With both sides on 60 points, this fixture is guaranteed to bring more daylight in the intense title run.

PSG fans could see the return of their star forward Neymar in the Lyon clash. The Brazilian international, known as the king of the rainbow flick, has returned to training after being sidelined for over a month with a thigh injury. He is expected to be available for the Ligue 1 clash on Monday.

League leaders Lille (63 points) will expect an easy outing against Nimes, who are struggling in the 19th place of the Ligue 1 table. Unlike PSG, Lille have remained unbeaten in the last five matches.

Fourth-placed AS Monaco will be in high spirits as they come into matchweek 30 following a goalless draw with leaders Lille. The 2016-17 Ligue 1 champions will take on St. Etienne in the first game of matchweek 30 on Saturday, March 20.

Ligue 1 League matchweek 30 schedule, fixtures, and India match times

Date and Day	Match	Times (IST)
Saturday, March 20	St. Etienne vs AS Monaco	1:30 AM IST
Saturday, March 20	Metz vs Rennes	5:30 PM IST
Saturday, March 20	Nice vs Marseille	9:30 PM IST
Sunday, March 21	Strasbourg vs Lens	5:30 PM IST
Sunday, March 21	Nantes vs Lorient	7:30 PM IST
Sunday, March 21	Brest vs Angers	7:30 PM IST
Sunday, March 21	Montpellier vs Bordeaux	7:30 PM IST
Sunday, March 21	Dijon vs Remis	7:30 PM IST
Sunday, March 21	Lille vs Nimes	9:35 PM IST
Monday, March 22	Lyon vs PSG	1:30 AM IST

Ligue 1 will not be broadcast in India, but you can watch the highlights of every match on their official YouTube channel.

Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ Franck Fife

Plenty of action in the ongoing transfer market continues to grab eyeballs. Reports have it that Manchester United have made significant progress in their pursuit of acquiring Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, with the only hindrance being his valuation of £108m.

Jadon Sancho is absolutely ready and 'buzzing' to join #mufc. He decided a month ago to talk about this opportunity. The problem is not the personal terms or agent fees #mulive [@FabrizioRomano, here we go podcast]

�?utdreport (@utdreport) September 9, 2020

Newly-promoted team Fulham announced the arrival of Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain, while Leeds United are actively hunting as well. There have been plenty of rumours ahead of the 2020/21 season, and here are the top transfer stories of the day.

A watch on Chelsea’s loan army

Days after defender Ethan Ampadu completed his loan move to Sheffield United, reports have emerged that as many as four senior players are set to follow suit. Tiemoue Bakayoko’s move to AC Milan is evident but this time around, the Serie A side will contain an option to buy. Another defender in Fikayo Tomori is expected to join Carlo Ancelotti at Everton on a season-long loan.

Forward Michy Batshuayi, on the other hand, is expected to move to Crystal Palace, where he had a brief stint in 2019. Daily Mail quotes the forward, who joined Chelsea from Marseille in 2016 for a fee reported to be around £33m, will sign a one-year extension with the Blues before moving to Palace for a second stint.

Another midfielder in line is the England U21 international Conor Gallagher, who has attracted heavy interest from the newly-promoted sides like Leeds United and West Brom. As per the sources, Chelsea are keen on handing Gallagher a new contract before finalizing his loan move. Leeds are thought to be the front runners, but West Brom sporting director Luke Dowling has been quite vocal about the midfielder’s abilities.

Madrid pushing for Bale’s exit

A report from Daily Telegraph has confirmed that Real Madrid are willing to pay 50 percent of Gareth Bale’s salary to allow him to leave Santiago Bernabeu in order to make way to the Premier League.

Bale, an outcast under Zinedine Zidane, has time and again expressed his desire of leaving Madrid, but a mammoth salary of £600,000-a-week is proving out to be a stumbling block in the negotiation. He still has two years left on his current contract, but Madrid are willing to pay half of his wages so that the player can move forward. 

The Wales international started just 12 times in La Liga last season and was left in Madrid as Real faced Manchester City at the Etihad for the second leg of their Champions League last-16.

“Many things have been said but we have a respectful relationship between the club and player (Bale). But all I’ll say is he preferred to not play. The rest is between us and him," Zidane had said ahead of the City game.

Arsenal to launch new bid for Houssem Aouar

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have made Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar a primary target, as journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Gunners are ready to launch a new bid after getting rejected in the initial offer. It is said that Arsenal initially offered £31.2m for the 22-year-old but faced an outright rejection as the Ligue 1 side remains unwilling to listen to any offers that are less than £54.5m.

It is being reported that Arsenal included midfielder Matteo Guendouzi in the first offer but Lyon's sporting director Juninho said the offer wasn't entertained.

"I get along very well with their sporting director [Edu]," Juninho said.

"We spoke on the phone. Houssem Aouar is really appreciated by Arteta. There have been some discussions for Matteo Guendouzi who is also a good player. He was mentioned during the discussion, but this is not the profile we need, we were very clear. If it is like that, it does not interest us at all�?it is, and we stopped."

Arsenal board [as Arteta too] are convinced that Houssem Aouar is a real ‘top player�? And Aouar would love to move to Premier League. But after refusing Guendouzi as part of the negotiation, OL don’t want to accept any swap deal. Price tag �?0m and no new bid yet from #AFC ⚪️

�?Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 10, 2020

Arteta will have to coup a significant amount if he tends to land Aouar at the Emirates. It is said that three players in Emilio Martinez, Rob Holding and Lucas Torreira face uncertain futures, and their sale might fund an approach for the Frenchman.

Juninho also revealed that he had approached striker Alexandre Lacazette in January over a potential loan move, but the deal failed as Lyon looked unwilling to match the Frenchman's salary demands.

"In January, I called Alexandre Lacazette to chat a bit with him because he was having problems at Arsenal and I said to myself, ‘Why not do a loan for six months with us where you will enjoy yourself, play all the games and score the goals like you know how to? And then you go back to Arsenal or somewhere else�?" said Juninho.

"But from the moment that you start looking at the level of the contract of these players, like with Juventus and Barcelona, it is not possible for us today. Today, we have to tell the truth, we cannot pay the salary for a player like [Samuel] Umtiti."

As for Aouar, the midfielder loves the idea of playing in the Premier League, but the clubs have not been in contact since the initial offer was rejected.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Pierre-Philippe Marcou

With a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in this year’s Champions League final, Bayern Munich became the first team in tournament history to win 11 straight games in the competition. While Bavarians set several records en route to the title, the competition also put on some enthralling performances.

• Six managers who have won the Champions League treble

That said, we take a look at five players who exceeded expectations and emerged as one of the top performers of this year’s competition.

Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig)

“He was a beast from the first to the last minute,�?coach Julian Nagelsmann explained in the press conference after defender Dayot Upamecano succeeded in keeping Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa quiet for the entirety of their quarter-final round against the Spanish side.

That @RBLeipzig_EN goal will liven things up. Highlight thus far has been watching the outstanding Dayot Upamecano. Massive future ahead for the young French defender. Superb with and without the ball.

�?Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 13, 2020

His performance, however, wasn’t limited to Costa, as he completed his game with a 100 percent tackle rate, won six of his seven duels on the ground, and three of four he had in the air. In eight Champions League appearances this season, Leipzig’s number 5 has averaged 3.1 tackles and 3.4 clearances per game. A vital member for the Leipzig squad under Nagelsmann, Upamecano’s understanding of tricky situations at 21 years of age has attracted comparisons with the former greats like Rio Ferdinand.

The 21-year-old French centre-back has signed a new contract with Leipzig in July, but given the performances he has put in this year’s Champions League, Leipzig are certain to have issues in keeping him at the club. 

Houssem Aouar (Lyon)

Lyon’s run till the semi-finals was exhilarating, to say the least. The French side defied odds to eliminate Juventus before causing the upset against Manchester City in the quarter-finals. A defeat against Bayern Munich in the semis was heartwrenching but Lyon showcased what is to come from their relatively young side.

Amongst the lot that made Rudi Garcia proud, a certain Houssem Aouar shone the brightest. A return of a solitary goal and four assists might not sound profound, but the fact that Lyon were majorly dependent on his performance speaks volumes. 

We need to talk about how good Houssem Aouar was for Lyon last night

Even Kevin De Bruyne was impressed pic.twitter.com/V7XY3VyPl7

�?Goal (@goal) August 16, 2020

At 22, Aouar not only exuded sheer confidence but the tactical side of his game was so spot on that former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand compared him to Samir Nasri. "He has it all. He reminds me of Samir Nasri at times. He’s someone who can be a top player at one of the top clubs in Europe," said Ferdinand.

Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)

Serge Gnabry’s rise from being a West Brom reject to a Bayern Munich starter was perfectly documented this season. The former Arsenal winger has finished his season with 23 goals and 12 assists, nine strikes of which came in the Champions League in a mere 10 appearances.

DREAM COME TRUEEEE!!! @ChampionsLeague @FCBayern pic.twitter.com/rbtmvgrgBF

�?Serge Gnabry (@SergeGnabry) August 23, 2020

Gnabry was lethal for Bayern since football resumed post-pandemic as he was one of the scorers during his side’s 8-2 rout over Barcelona. He followed that up with a brace over Lyon in the semi-finals. In fact, his numbers against the French side were truly inspiring, having completed the game with 100 percent shot accuracy. He attempted three shots on the night, two of which found the back of the net.

He was relatively quiet in the final against PSG, but that was just a one-off game. Keep in mind that he had scored four against Tottenham early in the tournament. 

Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)

From one Bayern player to another, left-back Alphonso Davies was an unassailable revelation in this year’s UEFA Champions League. The 19-year-old Canadian defender provided three assists in the competition but his contribution was simply much more than that, having attempted more take-ons than any other Bayern player this season.

Who would have guessed it a kid from Canada, Edmonton Alberta. Most people don’t even know where that. Where it snows I’m talking -40 weather, he’s now a champion league winner #AD19⚡️

�?Alphonso Davies (@AlphonsoDavies) August 24, 2020

The first-ever Canadian to win the UEFA Champions League, Davies has enjoyed a great run under Hansi Flick, having started in 35 out of 36 games under the German. Blessed with speed, precision and sheer understanding of the game, Davies�?best Champions League outing came against Chelsea in the first leg of the round-of-16 at Stamford Bridge where he dismantled the entire Chelsea defence with his pace to provide an assist for Robert Lewandowski. 

Quick stat: Davies clocked a speed of 36.51 km/h in June 2020, which forced Thomas Muller to name him the roadrunner.

Mario Pasalic (Atalanta)

Attacking midfielder Mario Pasalic, who recently made his Atalanta tenure permanent from Chelsea, has been one of the top performers for his side this season, having scored 12 goals and seven assists in 46 appearances in all competitions. In Champions League, the Croatian has returned with a figure of three goals and a couple of assists, which includes THAT goal against PSG in the quarter-finals.

Gian Piero Gasperini has been applauded for playing free-flowing football at Atalanta and Pasalic has been a vital component of it. Playing alongside former Middlesborough man Marten de Roon and Switzerland rookie Remo Freuler, the 25-year-old has duly delivered what was asked from him. A perfect team player, Pasalic is your typical silent vigilante who delivers when least expected.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Miguel A. Lopez

Four teams, one title!

After an exhilarating quarter-final round of the UEFA Champions League that saw some enthralling performances in Lisbon, Portugal, we are down to the business end of the competition. 

Bayern Munich, after humiliating Barcelona 8-2, face Lyon, who eliminated Manchester City to cause one of the biggest upsets of the season. RB Leipzig, who got the better of Atletico Madrid, square off against Paris Saint-Germain, who ended Atalanta’s fairy-tale run with a last-minute 2-1 win.

With two high profile games in the line, we give you five players who are tipped highly to make an impact in their respective fixtures.

Player: Moussa Dembele

Team: Lyon

Match: Lyon vs Bayern Munich

Striker Moussa Dembele was left on the bench against Manchester City, but it was his brace that guided Lyon to the semi-finals of the competition. With Memphis Depay back in the hold following a long-term injury, Dembele would be hoping to combine with the former Manchester United winger, and Lyon are certain to count on their attacking duo if they are to churn anything positive against the free-flowing Bayern Munich side.

Two goals in nine Champions League appearances don’t really bolster confidence but the former Celtic man is certainly riding high on momentum after a match-winning effort against Pep Guardiola’s side. 

Player: Robert Lewandowski

Team: Bayern Munich

Match: Lyon vs Bayern Munich

A goal against Barcelona in the quarter-finals made Robert Lewandowski the first player in Bayern Munich’s history to score in eight consecutive games in major European competition. Having already notched 55 goals and nine assists in 46 games in all competitions, the Polish striker is highly tipped to wreak havoc when he squares off against Lyon, who have duly struggled in keeping clean sheets this season.

8 - Robert Lewandowski is the fifth player in European Cup/Champions League history to score in eight consecutive matches. Natural. #UCL pic.twitter.com/h6WgJm7pUH

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 14, 2020

As far as his personal record goes, he is just four goals shy of becoming the third-highest goal-scorer the Champions League history.  A no-brainer in the fantasy team.

Serge Gnabry

Team: Bayern Munich

Match: Lyon vs Bayern Munich

Probably one of the most underrated players in the Bayern Munich squad, winger Serge Gnabry has scored seven goals and two assists in eight Champions League fixtures this season, taking his tally to 19 goals and 12 assists across the European competition and Bundesliga. Known for terrorising the opponents with a blistering pace, the former Arsenal man will be the one to keep a keen eye on.

His goal scoring form might have taken a hit in recent times, but a return of a goal and an assist against Barcelona duly keeps him in line of players who can make an impact on the night.

Neymar

Team: Paris Saint-Germain

Match: RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-Germain

Baring a barren run against Bordeaux in Ligue 1 and Lyon in the League Cup final in July, PSG forward Neymar has been involved in nine goals (eight goals and one assist) in his last ten appearances (including friendlies). He was at his usual best when PSG faced Atalanta in the quarter-finals. He did miss a few glorious chances, but he made up for the loss by playing an important role in both of PSG’s goals that night.

16 - Neymar completed 16 dribbles against Atalanta tonight, the most by a player in a single Champions League match since Lionel Messi v Manchester United in April 2008. Twist. #ATAPSG pic.twitter.com/WpT1ONRZVV

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 12, 2020

Up against a Leipzig side who have kept just two clean sheets in all competitions since football resumed in Germany, the Brazilian can well and truly be the one who can make a difference. 

Dani Olmo

Team: RB Leipzig

Match: RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-Germain

Signed during this year’s January transfer window from Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb, attacking midfielder Dani Olmo has made a telling impact at his new club, scoring five goals and an assist across three competitions (Champions League, Bundesliga and DFB Pokal). A match-winning goal against Atletico in the quarter-finals meant that he has been directly involved in four goals in his last five Champions League appearances (three goals, one assist).

With Timo Werner no longer available, Leipzig will be counting on their creative outlays in order to cause an upset against PSG. And in that context, Olmo could well and truly be the difference.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Rafael Marchante, David Ramos

An extravagant week of UEFA Champions League football produced several stupefying results as Ligue 1 side Lyon caused a major upset, eliminating Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City with an astonishing 3-1 win, while Paris Saint-Germain ended Atalanta’s dream run to make it into the semi-finals.

RB Leipzig, despite missing their top-scorer Timo Werner, managed to breach a stern Atletico Madrid defence, but the biggest win of the round was Bayern Munich’s 8-2 thrashing of FC Barcelona. With that being done, there is now a high possibility that the fans are in the line to witness an all-German final or an all-French showdown.

That said, here’s how the week is stacked, and what you can expect from the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League: 

RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-Germain

PSG’s record against German opponents is quite startling, to say the least, having progressed from all of their previous three meetings against the Bundesliga sides, which also includes a round-of-16 victory against Borussia Dortmund this season.

It is, however, the first time that these two giants are crossing swords, with both aiming to reach their first-ever European final. While Leipzig are relatively new to the Champions League setup, a win for PSG would make them the first French team to enter the final since AS Monaco did it in the 2003-04 season.

0 - No German side outside of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund has reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League since Schalke in 2010/11. Target. pic.twitter.com/5rb2qcpWQN

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 13, 2020

The team from the capital city of France are carrying an enticing Champions League record, having scored in each of their last 33 European games. Only Real Madrid have carried a longer streak (34). The last team to stop PSG from scoring was Manchester City in 2016, when a 1-0 win for Guardiola was enough to knock the Parisians out of the tournament.

Watch out for:

Neymar: Neymar lacked that clinical edge against Atalanta in the quarter-final, but all that was overshadowed by an enthralling return of an assist and a role in the build-up of the winner in the dying moments. Furthermore, he completed a total of 16 dribbles against the Italian side, which is now the most by any player in a single Champions League match since Lionel Messi v Manchester United in April 2008.

Since returning to action post lockdown, Neymar as scored five goals and an assist in his last six appearances (including club friendlies). When a player as staggering as Neymar is in the team, you just can’t overlook him. Expect him to make a telling impact.

Lyon vs Bayern Munich

Averaging a whopping 23.3 shots per game in the Champions League, Hansi Flick’s Bayern Munich have scored 39 goals in a mere nine games in the competition, significantly more than the closest opponent, PSG, who have bagged 22.

Up against Lyon, many might consider this as an easy rout for the German champions considering their latest showboating against Barcelona, but keep in mind that Lyon are actually chasing the Champions League title to keep their hopes alive for the next season, having finished a lowly seventh in the league last term.

8 - Bayern Munich are the first team to score eight goals in a Champions League knockout match. Endless. #UCL

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 14, 2020

This will be the ninth meeting between the two sides, and Bayern hold the edge, having won four of their last eight encounters, while Lyon have two. Since being crowned champions in the 2012/13 season in an all-German final against Borussia Dortmund, the Bavarians have failed to progress from each of their last four semi-finals of the competition.

Watch out for:

Robert Lewandowski: With 14 goals and five assists in eight Champions League outings, Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski is the outright top-scorer of the tournament. After being a part of all seven goals his side scored against Chelsea (three goals and four assists) in the round-of-16 across two legs, the Polish striker continued his rich vein of form against Barcelona, scoring one and assisting another in an 8-2 victory.

8 - Robert Lewandowski is the first player in Bayern Munich history to score in eight consecutive games in major European competition, overtaking Jürgen Klinsmann's seven-game run ending in 1996. Machine. #UCL pic.twitter.com/OradNtVk7a

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 14, 2020

With Lyon struggling to keep a clean sheet, Lewandowski is duly tipped to make a telling impact. 

Wondering what to do next? Head to Sportsbet.io to select your picks.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Manu Fernandez

The new-look UEFA Champions League returns this week as eight teams brace themselves for the one-off ties in Lisbon, Portugal for the quarter-final round of the tournament. 

With Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica and Estádio José Alvalade jotted down as two neutral venues for the round, it is safe to say that all bets are off, and we could well and truly be witness to some shocking results. 

Barcelona vs Bayern Munich

Both Barcelona and Bayern Munich produced stunning displays in their respective second-leg games of the round-of-16. Bayern, up against Chelsea, hammered four past the Blues, winning the tie with an aggregate score of 7-1. Barcelona, on the other hand, scored thrice against Napoli to get through with an aggregate of 4-2.

The two teams have not crossed paths for five years, but shared a brief history, with Barcelona scoring six across both legs to reach the final in 2015. Prior to that, Bayern put seven past Barcelona over two legs to reach the final in 2013. Ironically, both teams went on to win the title that year.

35 - Lionel Messi has scored against 35 different clubs in the Champions League; two more than the next best Cristiano Ronaldo. Collection pic.twitter.com/7CGCmN71YX

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 8, 2020

Barcelona, following a victory over Napoli, have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League for 13th season in a row. No other team has managed to match this dominance. In fact, no other club has managed to put together a run of more than eight seasons in a row in the last eight of the competition. As far as semi-finals are concerned, the blaugranes have failed to reach the final four on just four of the last 12 seasons.

Bayern, for their part, have been truly ruthless in the Champions League, having scored a whopping 31 goals; 11 more than any other team. The closest competitors are Manchester City and PSG, who have scored 20 goals in the campaign. 

Watch out for: Robert Lewandowski

What a season Robert Lewandowski has had. It’s a shame that the prestigious Ballon d'Or has been called off.

66 - With a brace against Chelsea tonight, Robert Lewandowski is now the outright fourth-highest scoring player in Champions League history, with 66 goals. Carnivore. pic.twitter.com/iq1YCYbpKY

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 8, 2020

The Polish striker, who is now the fourth-highest scoring player in the Champions League history at 66, has bagged 52 goals in 44 appearances this season, which is actually more than anyone else across Europe's top 5 leagues this season.

Across both legs against Chelsea in the round-of-16, Lewandowski was involved in all seven of Bayern Munich’s goals (3 goals, 4 assists), which now makes him the first player to score more than three and assist more than three against an opponent in the Champions League since Luis Figo in 2004-05 against AS Roma. He is duly tipped to make an impact against Barcelona.

Manchester City vs Lyon

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are yet to lose a game in year’s Champions League campaign. Having topped their group, the Cityzens dismantled Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid in the round-of-16, eliminating them by an aggregate scored of 4-2.

3 - Pep Guardiola is the third manager to eliminate Real Madrid in the knockout stages of the Champions League on more than one occasion, along with Marcello Lippi (1995/96, 2002/03) and Ottmar Hitzfeld (2000/01, 2006/07). Nemesis. #UCL pic.twitter.com/tdj7myw9Ui

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 7, 2020

Lyon, on the other hand, finished second in their group after losing two games, but picked the momentum as they squared off against Juventus in the eliminators. Heading into the second leg with a 1-0 advantage, Memphis Depay made the difference in the second leg as his penalty goal was enough for his team to set up a quarter-final clash with City on the back of away goal advantage. 

1 - Lyon is the first French team to eliminate Juventus in the knockout stage of the European Cup/UEFA Cup/Cup Winners' Cup. Arrivederci. #JUVOL pic.twitter.com/Jc7vmm49X2

�?Optajean (@OptaJean) August 7, 2020

History means little in the current era, but City are yet to register a win against Lyon, having lost one and draw one in their head to head count. 

Watch-out for: Gabriel Jesus:

The absence of striker Sergio Aguero seems less impactful now as Gabriel Jesus now leads City’s lethal attack alongside Raheem Sterling.

2 - Gabriel Jesus is just the second player to score in both legs of a Champions League knockout tie against Real Madrid for an English side, after Ruud van Nistelrooy with Manchester United in 2002-03. Galactic. #UCL pic.twitter.com/S1yFvFcKtJ

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 7, 2020

The Brazilian forward was on target in both the legs against Real Madrid as City beat the record European champions 4-2 on aggregate. Pep Guardiola will be hoping the striker can add to his six goals and three assists tally against a side which has shipped in 10 goals in the Champions League; second-most amongst the quarter-finalists.

Wondering what to do next? Head to Sportsbet.io to select your picks.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Tobias Schwarz