The Matchday 33 clash in Ligue 1 between Reims and Saint-Etienne will take place on May 10 at the Auguste Delaune Stadium. Reims vs. Saint-Etienne: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Reims
In the previous round, the club's three-match unbeaten run in Ligue 1 (2 wins, 1 draw) came to an end with a 0-1 loss to Nice. Despite the defeat, Reims remains in 13th place in the French league standings, but their gap from the relegation zone has narrowed to just two points. Notably, if they gain points in this match, the team will be guaranteed to avoid direct relegation to Ligue 2. It's also important to mention that Reims' matches are among the lowest-scoring in this season's Ligue 1, alongside Lens' games, with an average of 2.3 goals per game.
- At least one opponent failed to score in 11 of Reims' last 12 Ligue 1 matches.
- The club has not scored more than once in 13 of their last 15 games in this tournament.
- At home, the team has failed to win 10 of their last 12 matches in Ligue 1 (3 draws, 7 losses).
Predicted lineup for Reims (5-4-1)
Yehvann Diouf – Aurelio Buta, Mori Gbane, Joseph Okumu, Cedric Kipre, Sergio Akieme – Ange Tia, Valentin Atangana Edoa, Amadou Kone, Keito Nakamura – Jordan Siebatcheu.
Saint-Etienne
The team lost their last two league matches with the same 1-3 scoreline, against Strasbourg and Monaco. Saint-Etienne remains in the relegation zone of the Ligue 1 standings, occupying the 17th position, but due to the last two losses, their gap from the safe 15th place has increased to five points. If they lose the upcoming match, the club will be relegated to the second tier of French football. It's worth noting that Saint-Etienne has the worst defense in the league with 74 goals conceded, even more than the struggling Montpellier, who conceded 72. Importantly, in the first round, the club defeated Reims 3-1.
- The team has scored in 10 of their last 11 Ligue 1 matches.
- Both teams scored in 15 of Saint-Etienne's last 18 matches in the top French division.
- Away, the club has not won in 22 of their last 23 league matches (6 draws, 16 losses).
Predicted lineup for Saint-Etienne (4-3-3)
Gauthier Larsonneur – Leo Petrot, Mickael Nade, Maxime Bernauer, Dennis Appiah – Pierre-Emmanuel Ekwah, Aimen Moueffek, Florian Tardieu – Zuriko Davitashvili, Jilian Ngoy, Irvin Cardona.
Referee
Eric Wattelier (France)
Matches – 16 (Ligue 1, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 56;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.5;
Red cards shown – 3;
Average fouls per match – 22;
Penalties – 19%.
Reims vs. Saint-Etienne: Match Prediction
The upcoming match holds great significance for both teams. It is especially crucial for the visitors, who could be relegated to Ligue 2 if they lose. However, a victory would keep Saint-Etienne's theoretical chances of finishing in the safe 15th position alive. The visitors will be eager to secure all three points, as even a draw doesn't benefit them much. But the problem is that Reims has not yet secured their place in Ligue 1. The hosts also need a win to ensure they stay in the top flight, regardless of other results.
Therefore, both teams will seek their fortunes in attack. Given the visitors' unreliable defense, it's unlikely they will keep a clean sheet. But Saint-Etienne should score, having found the net in 16 of their last 18 league matches. Reims, even at home, regularly concedes, having failed to keep a clean sheet in 15 of their last 17 Ligue 1 encounters. However, I have no doubt the hosts will score, as Saint-Etienne has managed to keep a clean sheet in only 4 of 32 matches since returning to the top flight.
Additionally, I believe the hosts will not lose. Recently, Reims has been regularly picking up points, remaining unbeaten in 5 of their last 7 Ligue 1 matches (3 wins, 2 draws). During this period, they even defeated formidable opponents like Marseille (3-1) and Lens (2-0). Moreover, Saint-Etienne has only taken 3 points from an away match once in their last 23 encounters in this tournament. Therefore, my prediction is "1X + Both teams to score – yes"
* The starting lineup for each team is based on their previous match in this tournament.
