Nantes vs Reims: Reims to get back to winning ways

Nantes will face Reims in Ligue 1 at the Stade de la Beaujoire on Sunday, April 2. Nantes are 14th in the standings, and despite being only three points above the relegation zone, they look to be safe for the time being. They have 30 points, seven more than the 17th place. Meanwhile, Reims had one of Europe's longest unbeaten runs snapped last week against Marseille. They had earlier gone 19 games undefeated and hadn't fallen since September 18. They are presently tenth in the league rankings and have little to play for. Although Reims has little to play for, we expect them to win. 

Nantes are 14th, four points ahead of Strasbourg and four points behind Clermont, but they are still seven points away from the relegation zone. Nantes has been pulled back into the relegation zone after collecting only two points in their last five league games. Their home form has also been a cause of worry recently, despite the fact that it is usually a strength for a Nantes team. They have two defeats in their last four games at the Stade de la Beaujoire, which is the same number of losses they had in their previous 20 home games. Last time out, a draw away to Lyon was an acceptable way to finish before the international break, and they may need another one here at the very least.

Reims' incredible 19-game unbeaten streak came to an end in their penultimate game before the break, when they were trounced at home by second-placed Marseille. It also meant they lost territory in the race for Europe, as Rennes' stunning win over PSG dropped Reims to seventh position, seven points behind.

If they are to progress and narrow the gap on the top six, they will need to score more goals. Reims has the lowest goal total in the top 12, and no club outside of the relegation zone has scored fewer goals away from home.

A solid defense has helped them maintain their advantage for the time being, and if they can keep Nantes at bay here, they could keep a fourth consecutive clean sheet on the road for the first time in 70 years.

Despite the lack of goals on the road, their tenacity in avoiding loss has been extraordinary, with only Toulouse defeating them on the road three times since the season started, twice in the league and once in the cup.

Folarin Balogun has scored in consecutive games for Will Still's side before the international break, bringing his Ligue 1 tally to 17, trailing only Kylin Mbappe and Jonathan David.

Recent meetings between them have largely benefited Reims. They've won four of their last six encounters with Nantes, but they've only triumphed once at Stade Gabriel Montpied since 2014. The most recent outcomes for Nantes have been poor. They haven't won since February 12 and have only two points out of a possible 15 in their last five games. Despite competing against some of the best teams in Ligue 1, they have only failed to score in one of those games.

The defeat to Marseille last weekend was Reims' first under new boss William Still, who is still untested and only 30 years old. With 17 goals, Folarin Balogun is second only to two players, and Alexis Flips is tied for fifth with six helpers. The defenses of both teams are fairly good. Nantes has conceded the fewest goals of any side in the bottom half, with only Nice (25) and Lens (21) allowing fewer (28).

This matchup pits two of the finest defensive sides in Ligue 1 against each other, so it could be a tight one.

Nonetheless, Reims should bounce back from their disappointing defeat to Marseille last weekend. They still have one of the league's most lethal attacking players in Folarin Balogun, and they have already beaten Nantes this season.

The hosts need points to remain alive, but they may be distracted by the Coupe de France quarterfinals on Wednesday (April 5), giving Reims the edge.

• W2 for 2.276 odds (1xbet);
• Over 2.5 goals for 2.07 odds (Coinplay)
• BTTS for 1.80 odds (bet365)