Clermont vs Angers Prediction & Tips
A hungry and revitalised Clermont escaped from the Ligue 1 relegation zone during the week with a crucial last-minute goal against Troyes (G 1-0) after spending 15 minutes a man down. Coach Pascal Gastien praised his players for “hanging in there” and finally ending a run of seven league games without a win, while admitting they will need to improve or “hold the ball up more” against their next opponents Angers as they look to continue their good form.
Gastien’s biggest frustrations were directed at right-back Alidu Seidu, who became the fourth member of the Clermont squad (including Gastien himself) to be sent off since the start of March. If the club ends up being relegated in May, some dismal home performances could be to blame, as Clermont come into this matchday with the worst winning percentage in Ligue 1 (11.11%) as home favourites (G1, E4, P4), although this fixture presents itself as an opportunity to improve on that.
Angers have gradually squandered a comfortable mid-table position to now be in no danger of relegation, and sit just two points above Clermont after a 3-0 home loss to PSG condemned them to their ninth defeat in their last 12 Ligue 1 appearances (G1, E2).
Although long-serving, the visitors’ coach Gérald Baticle has experienced what it is like to save teams in the bottom half of the table from danger, with his only previous stint as first-team coach seeing Brest finish two points above the relegation zone in the 2008/09 Ligue 2 season. Baticle said he was satisfied with a 1-1 draw against Nantes in Angers’ last away game in Ligue 1, although this was despite a goal from Nantes’ equaliser which meant a seventh consecutive game on opposition soil in Ligue 1 in which Angers failed to score the game’s final goal (E2, P5).
Players to watch: Mohamed Bayo, who scored Clermont’s winner in midweek, also scored the only goal in the first meeting of the season between the two clubs, while Sofiane Boufal scored Angers’ last goal in their last two away games in Ligue 1.
Key stat: The last 12 meetings between the two sides have seen three goals or fewer.
Clermont – Angers FREE TIPS
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