St Etienne vs Reims Prediction & Tips
St Etienne missed a great opportunity in midweek to close the gap to salvation, but despite leading 2-0 at halftime against Nice, they lost 4-2 at the end of the game. As a result, the 10-time Ligue 1 winners have a three-point deficit plus an unfavorable goal difference to 17th-placed Lorient with just two games remaining. Saint Etienne coach Pascal Dupraz remains optimistic that his team will have a 50% chance of staying in Ligue 1.
Dupraz’s side may be in with a chance in this match, as they have not lost in a top flight clash against Reims at home since 1959 (G14, E6 since then). After the loss to Nice, being able to maintain or extend any lead could be the difference between salvation or relegation for ‘Les Verts’, but they are the only team in Ligue 1 to have scored more points conceding the first goal (19) than scoring it (11).
With a 12-point lead over relegation, Reims are simply playing for pride in these last two rounds of Ligue 1. Despite all this, Oscar Garcia’s side do not appear to be on vacation, having taken as many points from the last four matches (G2, P2) as they have in the previous nine.
Reims have been solid away of late, taking ten points from the last 15 (G3, E1, P1) and conceding just three goals. Defense is key for Garcia, as no team has scored fewer goals away from home than Reims’ five in 2022.
Players to watch: Saint Etienne’s Denis Bouanga has opened the scoring in the first 25 minutes with five of the last seven goals in Ligue 1, while Reims’ Hugo Ekitike has scored the opening goal of the game on four of the last five occasions he has found the back of the net in Ligue 1.
Weekend stat: Saint-Etienne’s 19 goals conceded in the second half of their home games is a league record.
St Etienne – Reims FREE TIPS
St Etienne – Win @ 2.25
