In the opening matchday of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season, Montpellier HSC will play host to Strasbourg at the Stade de la Mosson on Sunday afternoon.
The home team placed 12th in the division last campaign with 41 points from 34 games, while the visitors ended up in 13th place, just two points behind.
Match preview
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Montpellier extended their stay in the top division to 16 consecutive seasons after they finished 12th in Ligue 1 in 2023-24, 12 points above the relegation zone and 10 points below seventh-placed RC Lens.
After securing only five wins in their first 24 matches, their position in the division looked in danger, with the team sitting 16th in the table as they entered the final 10 fixtures.
However, a victory against Nice on matchday 25 kickstarted a vastly improved run of five victories and three draws in the final 10 matches, propelling them to a comfortable 12th-placed finish.
Michel Der Zakarian, who has taken charge of the side in two separate stints between May 2017 to May 2021 and again since February 2023, will be eager to guide the side higher than 12th for the first time since placing eighth in 2020-21, recording 13th and back-to-back 12th placed finishes in the following three seasons.
Strasbourg may prove to be a difficult opening match for the hosts, with Sunday's visitors finishing just two points and one place behind them last season.
The Blue-and-Whites were held back from a higher Ligue 1 finish by multiple periods of inconsistency, including two stretches of eight matches without a win from September to December and from January to March.
Strasbourg also ended the campaign in a disappointing manner, losing four of their final five fixtures, and that form has continued throughout their pre-season preparations.
Patrick Vieira was dismissed as the club's manager during pre-season, with Liam Rosenior taking charge, but the Englishman has been unable to improve Strasbourg's form, leaving them heading into the new campaign having lost five and drawn two of their seven friendly fixtures.
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Team News
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Montpellier will be without Wahbi Khazri for this match due to an accumulation of yellow cards after the midfielder was booked in the final minute of the last game of 2023-24.
Christopher Jullien, Khalil Fayad, Lucas Davin and Axel Gueguin are all also expected to be unavailable as they continue their respective recovery from injury issues.
As for the visitors, Andrey Santos, who returned to the side on loan ahead of this campaign, will be suspended for the opening match of the 2024-25 campaign due to an accumulation of yellow cards from last year.
Felix Lemarechal and Dion Sahi are both doubts due to injury concerns, but the pair could return for their second game of the term against Rennes.
Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:
Lecomte; Tchato, Omeragic, Sagnan, Sacko; Chotard, Savanier, Ferri; Ta'mari, Adams, Coulibaly
Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Bellaarouch; Doue, Perrin, Sow, Delaine; Diarra, Ferro, Mwanga; Bakwa, Emegha, Perea
We say: Montpellier HSC 2-2 Strasbourg
Both meetings between these two sides last season ended in a 2-2 draw, while they have also drawn each of the two times they have faced each other on the opening day of a top-flight campaign, and we believe this one will also end all square.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
