Ligue 1: PSG aiming to maintain perfect start in Bordeaux battle

Defending Ligue 1 champions PSG have made the perfect start to the defence of their French crown, securing maximum points from their opening four games, but they face a Bordeaux side who toppled them in their previous meeting earlier this year.

Willy Sagnol’s visitors are 15/2 with Coral to secure a second successive victory over the country’s dominant capital club, though will need to discover more encouraging domestic form in order to do so, having won just once so far this term.

The hosts will be confident of extending their impressive season start, though, with the defeat to Bordeaux last March being their first loss in this fixture since May 2011, emerging victorious on seven occasions since then.

PSG’s flawless beginning to the campaign has stemmed from their superior defence, with the champions yet to concede a single goal in four league outings as well as in their French Super Cup final triumph over Lyon.

The club’s skipper, Brazil international centre back Thiago Silva, is confident his side are due to enjoy another successful season, claiming they are in great shape ahead of the clash with Bordeaux, when PSG are 13/8 to win both halves.

“In the league we have started great, compared to last year we have improved mentally and our biggest opponent is ourselves,” stated Silva.

“We have two strong players for each area of the field, we brought in a champion like [Angel] Di Maria, who will play with champions like Ibra, [Ezequiel] Lavezzi and [Edinson] Cavani, who have stayed with us. It is up to Blanc to find out and choose the best team.”

Star close-season signing Di Maria was only fit enough to make his competitive debut in the previous clash against title rivals Monaco, after a big-money switch from Manchester United this summer, while key marksman Zlatan Ibrahimovic unsuccessfully returned from injury himself in the same fixture.

The Sweden sharpshooter has been ruled out of the weekend clash after another set-back, along with Javier Pastore and new arrival Layvin Kurzawa, who are all absentees for Laurent Blanc ahead of the match-up with his former club.

Brazilian attacker Lucas Moura enjoys this fixture a lot, having netted against Bordeaux in two successive campaigns, including in a 3-0 triumph last season, and the lightening-quick forward is 4/1 to net the game’s last goal this time out.

Old Trafford flop Di Maria will hope to get off the mark in his new surroundings, having struggled hugely in the Premier League, and the Argentine attacker is 11/4, max stake of £20, to strike anytime with his maiden goal.

For the visitors, Diego Rolan will be a threat going forward and the Uruguay international is 11/2 to strike anytime, having netted in both a league and French Cup clash against PSG last term.

Betting tip: Angel Di Maria to score anytime @ 11/4 (max stake £20)