Verdict: Over 1.5 goals
Best Odds: 2/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
With a Ligue 1 spot hanging firmly in the balance on Thursday night, Reims will welcome Metz to the Stade-Auguste Delaune.
Reims
Starting with the hosts, suffering Coupe de heartbreak at the hands of PSG last weekend as they slumped to a 3-0 drumming in the capital, Reims are bracing themselves for what is a monumental showdown on Thursday night. g off the 2024/25 campaign with a 2-1 loss against Lille, Sambra Diawara’s men have rightfully come under a huge amount of scrutiny this season. Losing each of their final three Ligue 1 appearances by an aggregate score of 5-1, Reims have also gained a reputation for their extended issues on home soil. Despite snatching a 1-1 stalemate when they travelled to Lorraine for their first-leg battle last week, Les Rouges have recorded just a pair of wins from their previous 14 appearances at the Stade-Auguste Delaune within 90 minutes.
Reims Team News
All still dealing with respective long-term injury issues, Reims will once again be without the trio of Teddy Teuma, Mohamed Daramy and former Brighton youngster Reda Khadra on Thursday night. Settling for a spot in the final last week, 18-year-old Ange Tia could be handed a full recall.
Completing a January switch from Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin, Jordan Siebatcheu will lead Diawara’s charge. Bagging a first-leg strike in Lorraine last week, ex-West Brom defender Cedric Kipre will partner Joseph Okuma at the back.
Metz
As for the visitors, left disappointed last week as they missed out on the chance to claim a crucial first-leg advantage at the Stade Saint-Symphorien, Metz appear to have a real challenge on their hands here. However, g off their Ligue 2 campaign with an action-packed 3-2 win away at Laval, Stephane Le Mignan’s men are more than capable of spring an upset on Thursday night. Despite g off April with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Pau FC, that is the only loss that the Lorraine-based outfit have suffered from any of their previous 12 appearances – a run that stems back to February 22nd. Likewise, it should also be highlighted that Metz have lost just one of their nine showdowns on the road so far this calendar year.
Metz Team News
Not making a single appearance since the start of March, Metz will once again be unable to call upon one-time Swansea youngster Joal Asoro on Thursday night. However, aside from the Swedish marksman, Le Mingnan has no fresh injury concerns to worry about.
Recording seven Ligue 2 strikes so far this calendar year, former Auxerre striker Gauthier Hein will shoulder plenty of Metz’s goalscoring threat. Ex-Tottenham misfit Benjamin Stambouli will start in the middle of the park here.
Key Factors to Consider
- When Reims and Metz met for their first-leg showdown last week, Thursday’s opponents played out a 1-1 stalemate in Lorraine.
- Metz have suffered just a single defeat from any of their nine away fixtures so far this calendar year.
- Reims have lost five of their previous seven showdowns at the Stade-Auguste Delaune.
- Thursday’s hosts have recorded just a sole clean sheet in front of their own ers throughout 2025.
- All of Metz’s last six matchups outside of Lorraine have finished with both teams finding the net.
Conclusion
With a lucrative Ligue 1 spot hanging in the balance on Thursday night, we look set for what is a nail-biting affair here. Watching Reims and Metz play out a 1-1 stalemate when they met for their first-leg showdown last week, Les Rouges have a huge amount of pressure on their shoulders. With Reims mustering just a sole clean sheet at the Stade-Auguste Delaune so far this calendar year, Metz are more than capable of asking some real questions. With the midweek guests seeing all of their previous eight straight matchups outside of Lorraine finish with over 1.5 goals, we are expecting a similar outcome.
Verdict: Over 1.5 goals
Best Odds: 2/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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