Lyon vs Valenciennes Prediction & Betting Tips - French Cup

Prediction published on 02/04/2024, 05:57  by Nella Wagah in French Cup Predictions

Lyon will put aside their league engagements for a home game against Valenciennes in the French Cup. This will be the first semifinal of the competition, the two seeking the right to face PSG or Rennes in the final. Five-time French Cup winners, Lyon will be favorites to overcome their Ligue 2 opponents here. The hosts are coming from a three-game unbeaten run. Their most recent was a 1-1 draw with Reims, Lyon having to come from behind. That result denied them the chance to bag three wins in a row. Pierre Sage’s side eliminated Strasbourg on penalties in the last round after a 0-0 draw. With key league matches still to come, Lyon will want to win this in 90 minutes and manage their fitness levels. Their home form in recent matches have been shaky but they’ll be expected to sail through easily here. In the last three home matches, Lyon haven't won inside 90 minutes.

The last time Valenciennes faced Lyon was in 2014, and their last win over Lyon came in 2011. There isn’t a question about their status as underdogs in this encounter. In four of their last five meetings with Lyon, they suffered defeats. The visitors aren’t on a better run coming here either. They have two straight losses and inside 90 minutes, they are winless in eight straight games. In their most recent match, Valenciennes lost 2-0 to Saint-Etienne in Ligue 2. That loss worsened their state in Ligue 2, where they are bottom of the log and favorites for relegation. As they seek a first win in five matches, Valenciennes will also be hoping to better their attacking performance. They failed to score in any of their last four matches. Like Lyon, Valenciennes also won their quarterfinal on post-match penalties, after a 1-1 draw with Rouen.