Reims vs Montpellier prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-06-02 19:00.
Reims’ longest ever top-flight unbeaten streak (W9, D10) captivated fans just a few months ago, but they’ve since felt the harsh reality of Ligue 1 football as their side have followed that up with only two wins in ten games (D2, L6). Will Still’s men will be glad to see the chequered flag at the end of the season then, with their 3-0 loss at Lyon last weekend possibly highlighting that focus seems to have already shifted towards the future.
While they now play for pride only, Reims could be motivated by potentially securing a first top-half finish in the top-flight since 2019/20, and a victory here could, combined with Lorient failing to win, allow them to achieve that. That, coupled with the fact they’ve avoided defeat in the previous eight H2Hs with Montpellier (W4, D4), means it’s no surprise to see that Reims are favourites here.
Sitting one place and four points behind their hosts, Montpellier also have nothing left to play for but can take pride in securing their 15th consecutive season in Ligue 1 after flirting with the relegation zone for a large part of the season. According to President Laurent Nicollin, Michel Der Zakarian is the "ideal coach" for Montpellier, and for good reason as since his return to the club in early February, they have doubled their average points per match, increasing from 0.9 to 1.8!
Der Zakarian’s men went down 3-2 against Nice last weekend, despite racing into a 2-0 half-time lead, indicating that minds already seem to be focused on next season. On the other hand, La Paillade have enjoyed their recent league trips by emerging victorious in five of their previous nine away assignments (D1, L3), with all seven of their travelling victories in 2022/23 so far being achieved without conceding a goal.
Players to watch: Reims might look to their Japanese winger Junya Ito for a quick start as he has scored three of his four home league strikes in the opening 25 minutes. Aiming to eclipse him will be Montpellier striker Arnaud Nordin, who has scored five of his eight league goals this season on the road.
Hot stat: Only champions PSG have scored more than Montpellier's 23 goals in the opening half-hour this Ligue 1 season.