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Reims are unbeaten in 18 matches and they travel to Monaco in gameweek 27 hoping to extend that streak
All unbeaten runs must come to an end sometime, and where would be a more natural place for Reims’ to end than where it all began?
Monaco looking to end Reims' unbeaten run where it started
Reims’ incredible 18-game unbeaten run in Ligue 1 stretches back to September 2022, when they lost to Sunday’s opponents Monaco in a 3-0 whitewash.
Since then, so much has changed for Reims in Ligue 1 and the appointment of William Still has turned their season around.
The Anglo-Belgian coach, who turned 30 in October last year and is still in the process of earning a Pro License in France, has taken the team from relegation-threatened 17th place to a possible spot in Europe next season.
Ahead of Sunday’s game against Monaco, Reims sit in ninth position, just six points away from Lille in fifth place.
Still, who got into coaching after falling in love with the hit PC-game Football Manager, has been responsible for 16 of Reims’ 18-game run and has brought out the best in a team that had previously won only one of their opening 10 Ligue 1 fixtures, losing five in the process.
Balogun vs Ben Yedder
A huge benefactor of Still’s management has been Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun, who has been given a new lease of life under the Belgian manager, scoring nine goals in fifteen Ligue 1 games since Still joined the club.
With a total of 15 goals in Ligue 1, Balogun has already scored more goals in a single Ligue 1 season since the turn of the century, with 12 games left to go as well.
Balogun has been a revelation for Reims this season, and his goals have put him fourth on the Ligue 1 top-scorers chart, three goals behind Kylian Mbappe and one behind Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder.
Ben Yedder has been to Monaco what Balogun has been to Reims this season, aiding the team’s push for a Champions League spot with 16 goals and four assists in only 18 starts in Ligue 1.
With both forwards in great form, the match could become a straight duel between Balogun and Ben Yedder, with the match coming down to which of the two strikers has the better day.
Friday in Ligue 1
Lille and Lyon kick off Ligue 1 action this weekend with a cracker at Lille’s Stade Pierre Mauroy.
In what would have been a battle for the Champions League places or even a title decider in previous seasons, this season’s fixture sees sixth-placed Lille take on 10th-placed Lyon.
Saturday in Ligue 1
There are only two fixtures on Saturday in Ligue 1, and the highlight is Paris Saint-Germain taking on Brest, hoping to restore some pride following their UEFA Champions League exit on Wednesday.
The other fixture will see relegation-threatened Auxerre take on European hopefuls Rennes.
Sunday in Ligue 1
In addition to Monaco hosting Reims, Sunday will see six more fixtures, including Clermont trying to complicate Lens’ quest for a Champions League spot.
Relegation-threatened Ajaccio face a tricky tie against Montpellier, but they will take solace in knowing that other clubs around the bottom of the league also face tough encounters as well.
Strasbourg in 16th, who are only one point away from Ajaccio, will travel to Marseille, while Troyes in 19th will take on Lorient.
Bottom-of-the-table Angers also host Toulouse, hoping to take advantage of their visitors' poor recent form, which has seen them lose four of their last five matches.
Finally, a clash of Nigerians on Sunday will see Moses Simon’s Nantes host Terem Moffi and Nice.
Expert Predictions for Ligue 1 gameweek 27
In-house betting expert Stephen Oladehinde gives the best predictions from each game in this Ligue 1 round
Nice - Auxerre: Nice to win Lens - Lille: home handicap +2 Paris SG - Nantes: PSG to win Troyes - Monaco: Monaco win or draw Montpellier - Angers: under 3.5 goals Reims - AC Ajaccio: Reims win or draw Strasbourg - Brest: under 3.5 goals Toulouse - Clermont: under 3.5 goals Lyon - Lorient: Lyon to win Rennes - Marseille: home handicap +2 |
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