Seeking their first away points of the new Ligue 1 campaign, Montpellier HSC head to the Champagne region of France on Sunday to face Reims at Stade Auguste-Delaune.
A 3-1 victory over Angers last week lifted Les Rouges et Blancs to fourth in the table, while Montpellier suffered a last-gasp defeat in the Principality against Monaco (2-1), dropping them into an early relegation playoff position.
Match preview
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The early days of Luka Elsner as Reims manager have been hugely successful, as the Slovenian-born coach has points in five successive matches in this competition.
That already exceeds their longest unbeaten run from last season under Elsner's predecessor, Will Still, as this team currently find themselves in a Champions League qualification position.
On Sunday, Reims can reach the 14-point mark after seven matchdays for the first time (counting three points for a win) since the 1974-75 top-flight campaign (16).
Three of their last five home fixtures in this competition ended with this team claiming maximum points, as many as they had accumulated in their previous 10 Ligue 1 fixtures combined.
Reims have not claimed at least a point in four successive domestic home contests since the 2022-23 season, when they went unbeaten in nine successive top-flight encounters at Stade Auguste-Delaune.
They have not defeated Montpellier at home in this competition since matchday 10 of the 2019-20 season when Reims earned a 1-0 victory.
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In the cruellest of fashions, Montpellier came away empty-handed from their encounter last Saturday, conceding the winner in the 98th minute.
It was the first time all season that former Reims coach Michel Der Zakarian had seen his side come away with nothing after scoring the opening goal.
So far this season, Montpellier HSC have lost all three of their away matches in this competition by a combined margin of 11-1.
Should they suffer another defeat this weekend, it would mark just the third time in the history of La Paillade that they lose five top-flight fixtures after seven matchdays, with the previous ones occurring in 2015-16 (six) and 1994-95 (five).
This club have not lost four consecutive league fixtures in this competition since the 1981-82 campaign, when they first appeared in the top flight.
La Paillade have won their last two visits to Stade Auguste-Delaune, scoring four minutes before the 90 in this exact fixture last season to claim a 2-1 triumph.
Team News
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Against Angers, Abdoul Kone was unavailable to Reims due to a sore hamstring, while Gabriel Moscardo and Joseph Okumu were sidelined with groin injuries.
Reda Khadra could be out long-term with an ACL injury, and Teddy Teuma was back on the field last weekend after sitting out against Paris Saint-Germain with a minor knock.
Keito Nakamura scored for a third match running last Sunday, with the other strikes coming courtesy of his Japanese compatriot Junya Ito and Zimbabwean midfielder Marshall Munetsi.
In their visit to the Principality, Montpellier were missing Theo Sainte-Luce due to a sore thigh, Othmane Maamma was sidelined with a hamstring strain, Joris Chotard sat out because of a calf issue, Mousa Tamari is recovering from a sprained ankle and Yanis Issoufou has a muscle injury.
Rabby Nzingoula will be suspended for this encounter after receiving another yellow card in their previous contest, and Tanguy Coulibaly must sit as well after he was given a second caution in the latter stages of that contest.
Nzingoula had the only goal in their defeat to Monaco, while Modibo Sagnan and Tamari scored the previous time they visited Stade Auguste Delaune a season ago.
Reims possible starting lineup:
Diouf; Buta, Kipre, Agbadou, Akieme; Atangana, Fofana; Ito, Munetsi, Nakamura; Diakite
Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:
Bertaud; Sacko, Omeragic, Sagnan, Sylla; Toure, Fayad; Nordin, Savanier, Khazri; Adams
We say: Reims 2-0 Montpellier HSC
Reims are thriving under Elsner, and the creativity and quality of Nakamura and Ito, among others, should find a way through a Montpellier side that have struggled on the back end away from home.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
