Auxerre vs Stade Reims Prediction: A Struggling Auxerre Faces High-Flying Reims in a Crucial Encounter

With the 2024 Ligue 1 season in full swing, both Auxerre and Stade Reims go into this tie at contrasting ends of their form spectrum. Auxerre lies 14th in the standings and desperately seeks stability after posting a spate of poor performances with 4 losses in the last 5 matches. By contrast, the hosts, Reims, lie 4th in the table and are brimming with confidence since they have not lost in six outings, with their sights now set on maintaining this rhythm into a top-table climb.

This will be a clash between the team trying to get away from the relegation fight and another team trying to finish in top three. This match could be a goal galore, as both teams have been part of high-scoring games so far this season.

Auxerre

Auxerre has been in poor form of late as they have lost four out of the last five matches. This includes a 3-1 loss to St. Etienne in their last outing. Christophe Pelissier's men have been failing to show any consistency in their performance. The first problem is not being able to convert possession into tangible results. They were able to secure 58% possession against St. Etienne, yet they could only build just one big chance and were quite vulnerable to counters.

This season, Christophe Pelissier has preferred a 3-4-2-1 system at Auxerre; thus, this provides width through their wingbacks while keeping the back compact. They usually try to maintain possession at around 55-60% but fail to really make that count with clear cut opportunities. The amount of long balls played-38% in the last game-present a real lack of creativity in central areas often by-passing the midfield and just hoping for direct play from the back. Defensively, Auxerre drops deep to absorb the pressure; the lapses in concentration have led to goals conceded, especially against counter-attacks.

Stade Reims

Reims have, under Luka Elsner, maintained a far better record coming into this fixture. Reims pulled off an imposing 4-2 result on the road to defeat Montpellier with style, showing how strong the attacking side of Reims are. Reims have enjoyed good recent form, scoring at least two goals in each of their last six games while proving difficult to beat.

Stade Reims normally employ a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation that makes them press high and try to recover balls quickly. Luka Elsner has molded a team well able to press high and also win duels; in their last game, 56% of the duels were won. Quick breaks up the wide areas with a mix of crosses and intricate passes into the box can make them equally dangerous on the counter-attack. Reims then pulls defenses out of shape, as their front four regularly interchange to create a multitude of goal-scoring chances-as evidenced by the six big chances created against Montpellier.

Head to Head

Reims's head-to-head record against these two sides goes extremely in their favor: in their last 11 meetings, Reims have won 6, drawn 4, and lost only once to Auxerre. The last time they met was in an August 2024 friendly match, which ended 2-2 with clear vulnerabilities by both teams in the back. Reims will take along several psychological advantages, having gone unbeaten in their last six competitive meetings against Auxerre. They also tend to be the team that opens the scoring in these encounters, netting inside the opening exchanges in five of the last seven meetings.

When facing each other, both teams generally tend to keep the card count low, with eight of the recent matches having less than 4.5 cards. The card count has usually been low, while corner counts did not stop either, with five of the last six games each having less than 10.5 corners.

Expert Betting Tips

Auxerre has been especially precarious in recent times, especially regarding their defensive instability coming into the game. Even as they tried to keep the game tight at stretches, they always managed to concede to opposing teams due to individual errors and slack defensive structure. In the last match against St. Etienne, despite being on top of possession, they were outspread by the pace and movement of the opposition's attack. That is something which Reims will be looking to exploit, given how efficient they are on the counter.

Meanwhile, Reims has grown into one of the most dangerous attacking teams in the league; they have scored at least two goals each in the last six matches. With an unbeaten streak that stretches back six games, they possess an intensity of confidence and fluidity that is certain to trouble Auxerre. That Reims has been creating more goal-scoring opportunities, namely six big chances in the last match, means Auxerre's defense is in for immense pressure.

Since both teams are inclined towards high-scoring games, such as five consecutive over 2.5 goals for Auxerre and five of the last six for Reims, it may just be another goal-filled event.

• 3 Way Total Over 2 Goals @ 1.79 Odds
• GG (yes) @ 1.60 Odds
• Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.72 Odds