Preview: Reims vs. Strasbourg - prediction, team news, lineups

Seeking to climb into the Champions League qualification positions in Ligue 1, Strasbourg will take on Reims at the Stade Auguste-Delaune II on Sunday afternoon.

Les Rouges Et bBancs will be looking to extend their unbeaten home run to three matches, while the visitors have not lost in any of their last four on the road.

Match preview

© Reuters

Reims pulled off an upset in the South of France last weekend as they came from behind in dramatic fashion to win 2-1 against Monaco.

Wissam Ben Yedder put the hosts in front 10 minutes after the break, but a headed own goal from his strike partner Kevin Volland in the 84th minute brought the visitors back into the game.

Monaco were then reduced to 10 men when Jean Lucas needlessly received two yellow cards in as many minutes, before Reims took advantage of the extra man and claimed all three points in the dying embers when Nathanael Mbuku finished a well-worked counter-attacking move in the 93rd minute.

Oscar Garcia's men, who have now moved up to 13th place in the Ligue 1 standings, are seemingly on course for a mid-table finish this season, as they are currently nine points above the drop zone and seven points behind the top 10.

Reims head into Sunday's contest with an impressive home record against Strasbourg, as they are unbeaten in their last 15 meetings at the Stade Auguste-Delaune II, winning 10 times and drawing the other five.

Defeat for Les Rouges Et Blancs on home soil this weekend would be their first against the Racers since losing 3-2 back in September 1958.

© Reuters

Strasbourg recently missed the chance to climb into the top three as they have drawn both of their last two matches against Saint-Etienne and Nice.

Both draws will have frustrated head coach Julien Stephan for different reasons; firstly letting a one-goal lead slip to draw 2-2 against relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne, before failing to score in their stalemate against nine-man Nice last weekend.

The Racers have now slipped to fifth in the Ligue 1 table, three points behind Nice in third and four points behind Marseille in second, with 12 league matches remaining.

Both Nice and Marseille face challenging opponents this weekend in the form of Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco respectively, so Strasbourg seemingly have a second bite of the cherry to move into the Champions League positions when they face Reims.

Strasbourg have only lost one of their last eight Ligue 1 matches on the road, but they have failed to win any of their last three meetings with Reims, including a 1-1 draw on home soil in November. Stephen will be keen to ensure that his side do not slip up again on Sunday, as they bid to qualify for the Champions League for the very first time.

Team News

© Reuters

Reims striker Hugo Ekitike, who missed last weekend's win at Monaco due to a hamstring injury, is doubtful for Sunday's game, as are Andrew Gravillon, El Bilal Toure, Thomas Foket and Jens Cajuste.

Yunis Abdelhamid is back from suspension and could return to the starting lineup at the expense of Maxime Busi, joining Wout Faes and Marshall Munetsi at centre-back.

After scoring as a substitute last time out, Mbuku will be hoping to force his way into the first XI, potentially starting in attack ahead of either Fraser Hornby or Mitchell van Bergen.

As for Strasbourg, Maxime Le Marchand and Abdul Majeed Waris are both sidelined with injuries, but Dimitri Lienard has returned from suspension and will be in contention to start at left wing-back ahead of Anthony Caci.

Stephan is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to his starting lineup, with top goalscorer Ludovic Ajorque, who has netted 10 times so far this season, set to lead the line again alongside Kevin Gameiro.

Centre-midfield trio Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Sanjin Prcic and Adrien Thomasson are all set to retain their places in the first XI, while centre-backs Lucas Perrin, Gerzino Nyamsi and Alexander Djiku are all expected to shield Matz Sels between the sticks.

Reims possible starting lineup:
Rajkovic; Munetsi, Faes, Abdelhamid; Flips, Locko, Matusiwa, Lopy, Konan; Van Bergen, Mbuku

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Sels; Perrin, Nyamsi, Djiku; Guilbert, Thomasson, Prcic, Bellegarde, Caci; Ajorque, Gameiro

We say: Reims 1-2 Strasbourg

Although Reims have frustrated Strasbourg in recent meetings, the visitors will fancy their chances of claiming maximum points against their mid-table counterparts.

Strasbourg's desire to move into the top three could help them edge past the hosts on Sunday to claim a narrow win at the Stade Auguste-Delaune II.

Previews by email