Lyon vs Metz - prediction, team news, lineups

Lyon welcome newly-promoted Metz to Groupama Stadium for their opening home fixture of the 2025-26 Ligue 1 season on Saturday evening.

While Les Gones secured maximum points against Lens on the opening weekend of the new season, the Maroons came away empty handed from their home clash with Strasbourg.

Match preview

Following a summer of off-field chaos that culminated with a successful appeal against relegation to Ligue 2, preserving their top-flight status and Europa League spot, Lyon began the new season in positive fashion with a narrow 1-0 away win over Pierre Sage’s Lens.

Malick Fofana teed up Georges Mikautadze to sweep home the only goal of the contest in first-half stoppage time and Lyon have now won 16 opening matches of a Ligue 1 campaign in the 21st century (D5 L4), at least three more than any other French club in this period.

Head coach Fonseca is still unable to strut his stuff on the touchline as he continues to serve an unprecedented ban following his angry outburst at an official in March, but the 52-year-old is free to work with his streamlined squad that still includes a number of key players despite the notable departures of Rayan Cherki, Alexandre Lacazette and Lucas Perri.

Lyon, who finished sixth in Ligue 1 last season, will be looking to avoid losing their opening home league fixture for the third successive campaign when they face Metz on Saturday.

Les Gones will back themselves to end this streak as they accumulated seven points out of nine against newly-promoted teams last season.

After securing promotion from the second tier via the playoffs last season, Metz suffered defeat in their opening game back in the top flight, losing 1-0 at home to Strasbourg last weekend.

The Maroons were keen to keep things tight at the back after suffering a heavy 8-0 loss to Hoffenheim in their final pre-season friendly, and they looked on course to claim a point until Joaquin Panichelli netted an 86th-minute winner for Strasbourg.

Head coach Stephane Le Mignan has admitted that his team “felt a loss of confidence” following their heavy defeat to Hoffenheim, but Metz “worked well defensively” against Strasbourg and they have been encouraged to improve at both ends of the pitch if they wish to avoid slipping into the relegation picture this term.

Metz have relished playing away from home in recent times, as they have won six of their last eight competitive matches on the road (D1 L1), while they also picked up more points away (17) than at home (12) in their last Ligue 1 campaign in 2023-24.

The Maroons played out a 1-1 draw in their last visit to Lyon in November 2023, but they have suffered defeat in nine of their last 13 Ligue 1 encounters with Les Gones (D2 L2), so success is far from a given for Le Mignan and co this weekend.

Lyon Ligue 1 form:

Metz Ligue 1 form:

Team News

Lyon will be without Ernest Nuamah and Orel Mangala as they continue to recover from long-term knee injuries, but Nemanja Matic is available after serving a suspension last time out, though he is unlikely to start this weekend.

Newly-signed Tyler Morton made his full Ligue 1 debut last weekend following his £15m move from Liverpool and he is set to continue in centre-midfield alongside Corentin Tolisso and either Tanner Tessmann or Paval Sulc, while the rest of Fonseca’s lineup could remain intact.

As for Metz, they will have to cope without the services of Malick Mbaye (foot) and Joseph Mangondo (knee) due to injury, while Jessy Deminguet (heel) and Cheikh Sably (knee) are both doubtful.

However, Gauthier Hein is available to return from suspension and is likely to earn a recall in midfield, while striker Brian Madjo became the youngest player to start a Ligue 1 games for Metz last weekend (16 years, 217 days) and the 2009-born talent is set to continue alongside Cheikh Sabaly.

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Descamps; Kumbedi, Mata, Niakhate, Tagliafico; Morton, Tessmann; Maitland-Niles, Tolisso, Fofana; Mikautadze

Metz possible starting lineup:

Fischer; Sane, Gbamin, Mboula; Kouao, Stambouli, Traore, Deminguet, Tsitaishvili; Madjo, Sabaly

We say: Lyon 2-0 Metz

It is difficult to back against Lyon claiming maximum points on Saturday. Metz will attempt to make themselves tough to break down, but the hosts should possess enough quality in the final third to secure a fairly routine win.

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