January 4, 2025. 6:00 p.m. Saint-Étienne. Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium.
League 1. Day 16
Unavailable players : Abdelhamid, Sissoko (Saint-Étienne)
Injured players : Waji, Boateng, Nade, Moncondu, Brianson (?), Mason (?), Old (?) – Khadra, Daramy, Okumu, Kone (?), Busi (?)
The first round of Ligue 1 of the new year will continue with matches on Saturday. In the opening of this meeting, Saint-Étienne will welcome Reims to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. The home side are fighting to stay in Ligue 1, while the visitors have ambitions to compete for European places, but their current form only sees them remaining in mid-table.
Saint-Étienne
For Saint-Étienne, the new year will truly start with a blank slate, as they will be led by a new coach in their first match of 2025. Norwegian Erik Horneland has taken over from Olivier Dall’Oglio, who led the ‘Greens’ in Ligue 1 last season finishing third in the second division, then winning the promotion play-offs. The new manager has a successful track record in his homeland with Brann, whom he led to Norwegian Championship victory. However, managing in a major league presents a completely different challenge.
Horneland got a taste of the difficult task ahead while watching from the stands during the Coupe de France last 32 home match involving his new club. Saint-Étienne suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat against Marseille. The defeat marked the team’s fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions. Before that, they also lost to Rennes, Toulouse and Marseille in Ligue 1, with two of those matches ending goalless, highlighting that the ‘Greens’ have struggled to find the net in eight games this season .
Furthermore, accumulating 10 defeats in the first 15 rounds is one of the club’s worst records during this period in its history. However, the situation is not yet critical, as the ‘Greens’ are currently one point above the relegation play-off zone, ahead of Le Havre. It was mainly their home performances that kept them afloat, with four wins in seven home games. Three of these victories were without conceding goals. Alongside Auxerre and Strasbourg, Montpellier also suffered defeat against Saint-Étienne.
Reims
Reims ended the year on a positive note, winning 3-0 against Still Mutzig in the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France. This victory is quite unusual for the ‘Reds and Whites’ recently, as they have only managed one goal in their last four League games under coach Elsner and failed to secure a victory. However, three of those matches ended in draws, including a 1-1 home draw against Lyon and two scoreless draws against Strasbourg and Monaco.
This striking contrast in performances can be seen when comparing the start of the season. In their opening seven matches, Reims recorded four wins, two draws and just one defeat, with goals scored both ways. This period also included two draws against Marseille and PSG. However, in their last eight meetings, they have won only once—on the road against Le Havre (0-3)—with the aforementioned draws and four defeats.
Currently, Reims are just four points off the European competition places, but to truly challenge these positions they need to return to their early season form. Visiting Saint-Étienne could give them the necessary momentum, as the ‘Reds and Whites’ have not lost to this opponent in their last six meetings. They won their last visit to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in 2022.
Saint-Étienne vs Reims: Predicted line-ups
Saint-Étienne has several problems with its workforce. Injuries affect Waji, Boateng, Nade and Moncondu. Brianson, Mason and Old still have a chance to play. In addition, Abdelhamid and Sissoko are suspended. Khadra, Daramy and Okumu will miss the match against Reims due to injuries, while the participation of Kone and Busi is also uncertain.
Saint-Étienne vs Reims: Author’s Prediction
While Reims are currently struggling to find the net, they have shown resilience in defense recently. This defensive solidity could well be enough to secure the three points against the league’s bottom team. Therefore, a win for the visitors with a low total seems to be a wise choice for this match.
