Will Salzburg pay the price again in France?
In France’s Ligue 1, there are currently two teams leading the standings with 15 out of a possible 18 points. Alongside triple winners Paris Saint Germain, the other team is Olympique Lyon. “Les Gones” have had an outstanding season so far. They also got off to a winning start in the Europa League group stage with a 1-0 victory in Utrecht. Considering their strong form and the fact that the players from the City of Lights have lost only three of their last 29 European home games (14-12-3), my Lyon vs. Red Bull Salzburg tip for Thursday evening also favors the former serial champions.
However, my assessment is based equally on the less than outstanding form of the visitors from Wals-Siezenheim. The Bulls are lagging well behind their own expectations, but they were able to get back on track with a 2-1 away win in Tyrol at the weekend after four games without a win. However, those in charge are definitely not satisfied with the season so far and fourth place in the Bundesliga.
Especially considering that they also suffered a defeat on the first matchday of the Europa League. At home against FC Porto, the Austrians kept up well, defended passionately, but still had to accept a lucky punch to make it 0-1 from their point of view in what was virtually the last action of the game. Considering that they have scored only three goals in their last four competitive games, the offense remains one of the biggest areas for improvement at the club. Ahead of the match between Lyon and Red Bull Salzburg, it seems reasonable to predict another goalless draw for RB.
It is also conceivable to narrow down the expected home win to a specific score. The odds for a 1-0, 2-0, or 3-0 victory for the home side in Lyon vs. Red Bull Salzburg are particularly exciting. You can place a corresponding bet at Winamax at a peak of 3.25.
Five of OL’s six competitive wins this season have been 1-0 victories. In fact, they have kept a clean sheet in all of their victories, including all of their home games to date. Coach Paulo Fonseca’s team has improved greatly defensively compared to last season and has enough individual quality in attack to steer games in their favor. It is precisely this combination that makes them the clear favorites in their home game against RBS.
Lyon – Red Bull Salzburg Head-to-head record
This is the first time the two clubs have met in a European cup match. In its long history of European competition, Lyon has never even had to face a representative from Austria. So this is a first for “Les Gones.” RB Salzburg, meanwhile, has lost its last three games against French clubs. That’s as many as in the previous nine encounters of this kind (5-1-3).
Lyon – Red Bull Salzburg Tip
Since December 2016, Olympique Lyon have played 29 home games in international competition, suffering only three defeats. On average, OL score over two goals in front of their home crowd. Apart from that, the French are in very good form at the moment. They have won six of seven competitive games this season. Les Gones have not conceded a single goal in any of those games. Five times, a single goal was enough to secure three points.
In contrast, RB Salzburg continues to struggle. Fourteen points from eight Bundesliga games do not meet their own expectations. They lost their Europa League opener to Porto. The Austrians have also lost their last five Europa League matches away from home. Although the betting odds for a home win between Lyon and Red Bull Salzburg are not even close to 1.60, I see value and therefore recommend betting on the favorites to win.
