Reims vs Lyon Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Stade de Reims are challenging for a European spot in Ligue 1 after a bright start to the campaign and they now take on an Olympique Lyonnais side that are a point and a couple of places above Lyon ahead of this weekend.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday 23rd November, 2024: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
How to watch online: UK – Ligue 1 pass / US – beIN Sports
Reims Preview: Rising Reims
After spending relatively heavily in the summer of 2023, Stade de Reims underperformed for large parts and slid down the table with English-Belgian coach Will Still eventually departing to be replaced by Le Havre’s miracle worker, Slovenian manager Luka Elsner. They sit tucked inside the top seven and the European spots.
Reims’ most recent outing saw them travel to Elsner’s former side, Le Havre, a couple of weeks ago before the November international break. Oumar Diakite and Keito Nakamura but Reims 2-0 up at half-time in that match before Japan international Junya Ito completed a 3-0 victory with a 57th minute strike.
Lyon Preview: Chaotic Lyon
Last season, Olympique Lyonnais sacked both Laurent Blanc and Fabio Grosso before B team coach Pierre Sage helped propel them from rock-bottom in early-December a top six finish and UEFA Europa League qualification by the end of the campaign with the best record of any side in Ligue 1 after Sage’s appointment.
After a chaotic summer transfer window with chaotic owner John Textor at the helm, which has recently seen them given a provisional relegation, Lyon started the season relatively slowly but they now begin the match day sitting just outside of the top four. They defeated arch-rivals Saint-Etienne by a goal to nil at Parc OL a couple of weeks ago thanks to a winner from Alexandre Lacazette.
Reims Team News: No Khadra or Daramy
Former Brighton and Hove Albion man Reda Khadra is absent alongside former Ajax attacker Mohamed Daramy due to injury as they have been throughout the season.
The home team are also dealing with another absentee as Emmanuel Agbadou is unavailable due to suspension ahead of their clash with Pierre Sage’s side.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Diouf; Buta, Okumu, Kipre, Sergio Akieme; Atangana, Kone, Munetsi; Ito, Diakite, Nakamura
Unavailable: Agbadou (Suspended), Daramy (Injured), Khadra (Injured)
Questionable:
Lyon Team News: Deep squad
The visitors have a deep squad and need to raise a lot of money by shedding a lot of that in January if they want to avoid an administrative relegation down to Ligue 1.
They are trying to find a balance for their abundance of strikers up-front but they are without midfielder Mahamadou Diawara due to a knee injury.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Perri; Maitland-Niles, Caleta-Car, Niakhate, Tagliafico; Veretout, Matic, Tolisso; Cherki, Lacazette, Fofana
Unavailable: Diawara (Injured)
Questionable:
Reims vs Lyon Prediction
This should be a thrilling encounter for the neutral. Luka Elsner’s Reims are a proactive and attacking side so will be expected to get on the front foot with an entertaining style of football. They now face a Lyon side that are chaotic at both ends of the pitch with an abundance of talented attackers. Both teams scoring with action at both ends is expected to be the case for this one.
Reims vs Lyon Tip: Both teams to score
