Montpellier vs Strasbourg Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 French Ligue 1
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Both teams underperformed last season and very nearly drifted towards the bottom three and Montpellier may find themselves in a similar predicament this time around, whereas Strasbourg remain ambitious with their BlueCo ownership.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 18th August, 2024 - UK – 4:00pm / US ET – 11:00am / US PT – 8:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TBC / US – TBC
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – TBC / US – TBC
MONTPELLIER PREVIEW: TREADING WATER
For the last few seasons, Montpellier Herault have seemingly been circling the drain towards Ligue 1 relegation and in the second season of an 18-team French top-flight it would have to be said that a relegation battle may well beckon for the 2011/12 title winners as they continue to search for an identity.
Armenian coach Michel Der Zakarian remains in charge of La Paillade and there has been very few changes with no incoming signings at the club and a few outgoings. The likes of Silvan Hefti and Yann Karamoh have departed at the end of their respective loan deals, whilst both Leo Leroy and Sacha Delaye have also left the club.
STRASBOURG PREVIEW: NEW LOOK STRASBOURG GO AGAIN
In the second season of BlueCo ownership, something that Strasbourg fans have fiercely protested due to one of France’s most storied clubs becoming what is essentially a feeder club to Chelsea, the Alsace-based outfit have rang the changes on the pitch and in the dugout, too, with Liam Rosenior replacing Patrick Vieira.
The former Hull City boss, who led the Tigers to narrowly missing out on the top six and the playoff places last season, has been subjected to what happened last season with a few players arriving on loan or permanently from Chelsea, including Andrey Santos once again as well as Diego Moreira and Caleb Wiley.
MONTPELLIER TEAM NEWS: KEY ABSENTEES
After the aforementioned difficult and quiet summer transfer window, Montpellier could do without any key injury issues but unfortunately for Der Zakarian, they have been unable to avoid the inevitability of absentees.
Former Sunderland attacker Wahbi Khazri is unavailable for the hosts with a muscle injury he picked up towards the end of last season with midfielder Jordan Ferri also expected to be sidelined.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Lecomte; Sacko, Jullien, Kouyate, Sylla; Chotard, Fayad; Adams, Savanier, Nordin; Al-Tamari
UNAVAILABLE: Ferri (Injured), Khazri (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
STRASBOURG TEAM NEWS: FITTING PLAYERS IN
The negative of the influx of players from Chelsea and BlueCo is that the players signed may not or probably won’t be players that Liam Rosenior identified to sign but he will have to find a way of getting those players in.
Whilst at Hull, Rosenior preferred a 4-2-3-1 system and he is expected to continue with that. He is without forward Milos Lukovic, who has suffered a knee injury over the course of pre-season.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Bellaarouch; Guilbert, Sylla, Perrin, Wiley; Santos, Lemarechal; Diego Moreira, Diarra, Sahi; Emegha
UNAVAILABLE: Lukovic (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
MONTPELLIER VS STRASBOURG PREDICTION
Montpellier are one of the teams that will be likely battling against relegation this season. The home team sat firmly in the middle-of-the-table but Der Zakarian did occasionally produce some entertaining matches. They now face a Strasbourg side that, coached by Liam Rosenior, will look to play a possession-based style of football but as they get to grips with that it could leave them quite open so both teams scoring may well be a good bet for this one.
MONTPELLIER VS STRASBOURG TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
