The Eirik Horneland era begins this Saturday, January 5 for AS Saint-Étienne, which hosts Stade de Reims as part of the 16th day of Ligue 1. Stuck in 16th place in the standings, the Greens are hoping for an electric shock with the arrival of their new Norwegian coach, appointed on December 20. But facing them, Reims, 10th and solid this season, arrives with ambitions. The bookmakers have looked into this clash, and here are the trends for this first meeting under the Horneland era.
For this match at the Chaudron, Reims is given a slight favorite with odds of 2.1 for a victory. The regular performances of the Champenois and their superiority in the ranking justify this confidence. However, the Greens, although poorly ranked, can count on the psychological effect of a change of coach and the support of their public to thwart the predictions. An ASSE victory is rated at an average of 3.75, while a draw is offered at 3.45.
Reims is favorite but the 1-1 draw stands out
The scores envisaged by the operators suggest a balanced confrontation. A 1-0 victory for the Greens is rated at 7.10, but it is the 1-1 score that seems most likely, with odds at 4.95. On the Champenois side, a 0-1 success is considered realistic with a rating of 6.10, while a possible 0-2 rises to 8.50. More dramatic scenarios, like a 3-3, are considered much less likely, with odds of 50.00 and above.
On an individual level, certain players could mark the meeting. On the Reims side, attackers Pape Sissoko (2.95) and Keito Nakamura (3.20) are the favorites to find the net. Among the Greens, if Ibrahim Sissoko is given favorite by certain late bookmakers (including one with a V for logo, sponsor of OGC Nice and AS Monaco) being nevertheless suspended, in his absence he is the winger Reda Khadra who is presented as the best offensive chance, with an odds of 4.25, followed by his counterpart on the other wing, Zuriko Davitashvili and Lucas Stassin in the axis (odds at 4.45 for both).
For AS Saint-Étienne, this first from Horneland marks a turning point in a hitherto complicated season. A victory could give him a welcome breath of fresh air in the fight to stay in Ligue 1 at the end of the season. For its part, Stade de Reims is looking to consolidate its place in the first half of the table and could take advantage of its opponent’s excitement to come away with three points.
