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AJ Auxerre
Ligue 1 | Gameweek 22
Feb 5, 2023 at 2pm UK
Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps
Reims

Auxerre
0 - 0
Reims


Mensah (23'), Jubal (38')
FT

Preview: Auxerre vs. Reims - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Ligue 1 clash between Auxerre and Reims, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

In-form Reims travel to face struggling Auxerre at the Stade de l'Abbe-Deschamps on Sunday afternoon in Ligue 1.

Reims have made more headlines with two excellent results this week to keep their unbeaten run going.


Match preview

Reims manager William Still pictured in October 2022© Reuters

The astonishing story of Reims this season continues to gather momentum after another spectacular week.

Thirty-year-old manager Will Still has been attracting more attention from the social media masses after he led his side to a 1-1 at the Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain last weekend.

Reims are fined £22,000 every match because Still does not have the required coaching badges necessary to manage in Ligue 1, but he has led his side on a fantastic 13-game unbeaten streak.

Having honed his skills on the popular Football Manager game, in a college in Preston and with Belgian outfit Beerschot, Still has been the managerial revelation in Europe this season.

The key to their recent success has been getting the best out of Folarin Balogun, as the Arsenal loanee scored the superb equaliser in stoppage time against PSG, and netted a hat-trick in midweek against Lorient.

Stade de Reims' Yunis Abdelhamid celebrates after Folarin Balogun scores their first goal on January 29, 2023© Reuters

Incredibly, Balogun is now the Ligue 1 top scorer with 14 goals, overtaking the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Wissam Ben Yedder and Alexandre Lacazette.

Avoiding defeat again here will mark Reims' longest unbeaten run since the 1950s, back when they were European Cup finalists.

For Auxerre, unbeaten runs are not a regular occurrence as they have now lost seven in a row in Ligue 1.

Wins over lower-league Dunkerque and Niort in the Coupe de France represent their only wins in any competition since October.

Sitting six points adrift means the newly-promoted side look in real danger of an instant return to Ligue 2 come May.

Their home form is largely better than their results on the road, but Auxerre's last two home matches have seen them ship seven goals with no reply against Montpellier and Toulouse, two sides also in the relegation fight.

Auxerre Ligue 1 form:


Auxerre form (all competitions):


Reims Ligue 1 form:


Reims form (all competitions):



Team News

Inter Milan goalkeeper Ionut Radu in action for loan club Genoa during the 2018-19 Serie A season© Reuters

Siriki Dembele could make his Auxerre debut after joining from Bournemouth on deadline day.

Han-Noah Massengo made his first appearance off the bench following a move from Bristol City, while Ionut Radu has taken the reins in goal following the departure of Benoit Costil to Lille.

Another of their new acquisitions, Elisha Owusu, is currently out injured.

Myziane Maolida was the only new face arriving at Reims last month, but they sent four players out on loan late in the window, with Andreaw Gravillon being one, as he moved to Torino.

Noah Holm and Bradley Locko are Reims' only injury absentees for this one.

Auxerre possible starting lineup:
Radu; Zedadka, Jeanvier, S Toure, Mensah; M'Changama, B Toure, Sakhi; Dembele, Niang, Perrin

Reims possible starting lineup:
Diouf; Foket, Agbadou, Abdelhamid, De Smet; Munetsi, Matusiwa, Doumbia; Ito, Balogun, Flips


SM words green background

We say: Auxerre 1-1 Reims

Reims are on a superb unbeaten run, but they have drawn eight of those 13 games without defeat.

Auxerre will also be determined to end this seven-game losing run, and will hope some of their new signings can make an impact.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data


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Written by
Andrew Delaney

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Game History

How you voted: Auxerre vs Reims

Auxerre
15.9%
Draw
18.2%
Reims
65.9%
44
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG16124044143040
2Marseille1593332181430
3MonacoMonaco1693426161030
4Lille1576225151027
5Lyon157442720725
6Nice156632819924
7Lens156631914524
8Auxerre156362323021
9Toulouse156361717021
10Reims155552018220
11Brest156182427-319
12Rennes155282020017
13StrasbourgStrasbourg154562527-217
14NantesNantes153571724-714
15Angers153481426-1213
16Saint-EtienneSt Etienne1541101234-2213
17Le HavreLe Havre1540111129-1812
18Montpellier HSCMontpellier1523101538-239


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