Reims vs Angers Prediction: A win for the home team

Sunday's Ligue 1 match between Reims and Angers will take place at the Stade Auguste-Delaune. A decline in form destroyed Reims' ambitions of qualifying for Europe, therefore they no longer play to qualify for European competition but for pride. 

Under manager Will Still, the home team had a solid beginning to their tenure but recently seems to have lost their way as they presently occupy the bottom half of the standings. They lost to 10-man Lens in their most recent league game and will be devastated to have lost after having a one-goal lead and being a man-up for most of the first half. With 50 points from 35 games, Reims is now ranked 11th in the league and will be looking to increase that total this weekend.

After a very disastrous season, Angers will compete in Ligue 2 the next year. In their most recent match, they were defeated by Olympique Marseille, who were in third place. They had the lead thanks to a goal from Abdallah Sima, but their opponents increased the tempo and turned the game around.

Reims hopes of making a long-awaited comeback to Europe have been dashed following a 19-game undefeated streak that made headlines across Europe. They have already lost five of their past eight games. Reims lost to Lens last weekend, and as a result, they ended the weekend in 11th place. Their quick decline has put them in the bottom part of the standings.

Reims has lost three of its past five games while playing the team at the bottom of the standings, despite the fact that Angers is the team they face next and they are stuck at the bottom of the rankings after already having their relegation confirmed. Reims may at least take solace in the knowledge that they defeated Angers in the last meeting, prevailing 4-2 and earning the three points despite having 10 men on the field.

They have the chance to beat Angers three times straight for the first time because they defeated them late in the previous season. In what is probably going to be one of his final games for the club, Folarin Balogun will hope to have a say in whether they can get beyond this next obstacle. Balogun's 19 goals in his first Ligue 1 season is only surpassed by four other players, including Kylian Mbappe.

Thibault De Smet and Kamory Doumbia are two of the first-team players who will not be available for Reims when Angers comes to town. Mitchell van Bergen and Noah Holm will also be absent, and Myziane Maolida is currently recovering from sickness.

Starting lineup for Reims: Diouf; Busi; Agbadou; Abdelhamid; Foket; Matusiwa; Cajuste; Munetsi; Flips; Balogun; Ito

Angers is leaving with a whimper following a small turnaround in fortunes during early April in what has been a total disaster of a season. The club is one defeat away from tying the Troyes Sainte-Savine team for the most matches lost in a top-flight season. This encounter might see the club match that regrettable record.

Angers, the only team in Ligue 1 with a smaller point deficit than they did at this point last season after 35 games, has only collected 14 points so far this season.

With only one point in their previous 13 away games and an alarming 17 goals allowed in the last five, Angers away from home has a terrible road record that has significantly contributed to their demise.

They will be well past the point of forgetting this season after being demoted, but the second division will undoubtedly be more competitive given both Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 will only have 18 clubs.

For their journey to the North East, eight members of Angers' first squad will be absent. Faouzi Ghoulam, Farid El Melali and Pierrick Capelle are all suffering from a thigh injury. The other absentees include Ali Kalla, Amine Salama, Lois Diony, and Ilyes Chetti.

The possible starting lineup for Angers includes Bernardoni, Thioub, Valery, Blazic, Bamba, Kalumba, Bentaleb, Mendy, and Abdelli, as well as Niane and Sima.

Reims and Angers have met 22 times. In those games, the home team has triumphed seven times, while the visitors have triumphed six times. Nine draws between the two sides have occurred. After losing their first three games in this match, the hosts have triumphed in their last two. In their past three contests in this matchup, the visitors have failed to keep a clean sheet. Reims has won eight of its twelve league games at home this year.

Reims has lost four out of their previous five games played. They broke a three-game losing trend at the Stade Auguste Delaune by defeating Lille in their most recent home game, and they'll be hoping to build on that this weekend.

Angers has only won one Ligue 1 game this season and is now on a five-game losing skid. They have dropped their previous six consecutive away league games, and they risk losing again here.

Reims is expected to win with over 2.5 goals. Potential scoreline includes 2-0, 2-1, or 3-1.