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Ligue 1 | Gameweek 35
May 2, 2021 at 2pm UK
Stade des Costieres
Reims

Nimes
2 - 2
Reims

Mbuku (30'), Ripart (47'), Kone (71'), Flips (80')
Zeneli (21'), Paquiez (45'), De Smet (56'), Kone (72')
FT(HT: 1-0)

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

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

Nimes take on Reims in Ligue 1 on Sunday, with the hosts in desperate need of a victory as they look to avoid relegation this season.

Reims, meanwhile, can move into the top half of the table with a win.


Match preview

Nimes Olympique's Renaud Ripart celebrates scoring their second goal against Lille in March 2021© Reuters

Time is running out for Nimes to escape the relegation zone this season, with Pascal Plancque's side four points behind 17th-placed Lorient with only four matches remaining.

Having stunned league leaders Lille with a 2-1 victory prior to March's international break, Les Crocodiles' hopes of survival looked realistic.

However, a winless run of four matches since has seen the odds become stacked against them, especially after falling to a 2-1 defeat to ten-man Lens last weekend.

Indeed, despite losing Issiaga Sylla to a straight red card in the 24th-minute, Europa League qualification contenders Lens secured a dramatic victory via Massadio Haidara's 76th-minute winner, with Nimes missing out on a golden opportunity to increase their chances of remaining in Ligue 1 next season.

Even a win against Reims on Sunday would not take them outside of the relegation zone, but it would almost certainly keep their chances firmly alive heading into the final weeks of the campaign.

Boulaye Dia pictured for Reims in August 2020© Reuters

Reims, meanwhile, have enjoyed another solid season under David Guion, with the 53-year-old hoping to guide the club to a third successive top-half finish in Ligue 1.

Like Nimes, a winless run of four matches has not helped those aims, but Metz - who currently occupy 10th place, two points ahead of Reims - are on an even worse winless run of seven league matches, so there is certainly a window of opportunity there if Reims can get some wins on the board between now and the end of the season.

Nathanael Mbuku's first-half opener against Marseille last time out looked like extending Reims' unbeaten run to an impressive 10 matches, but Dimitri Payet and Arkadiusz Milik flipped the match on its head shortly after. Wout Faes's second-half red card left Guion's side no hope of mounting a comeback as their unbeaten run finally came to an end.

Should Metz's winless run continue at Dijon on Sunday, Reims are guaranteed to end the weekend in the top half of the table providing they beat Nimes. There is plenty of motivation for them left yet, then.

Nimes Ligue 1 form:
  • D
  • W
  • L
  • D
  • D
  • L

Reims Ligue 1 form:
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • D
  • D
  • L



Team News

Reims manager David Guion pictured in October 2020© Reuters

Nimes are likely to remain without Andres Cubas, Anthony Briancon and Clement Depres due to injury, but the trio could return before the end of the season.

Pablo Martinez, however, has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign due to a knee injury.

Reims, meanwhile, will travel to Nimes without the suspended Faes after his red card against Marseille last weekend. Dario Maresic is likely to replace him at centre-back.

Valon Berisha is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, while Ghislain Konan and Mathieu Cafaro are unlikely to be risked due to knee and foot issues respectively.

Nimes possible starting lineup:
Reynet; Alakouch, Guessoum, Miguel, Meling; Ripart, Fomba, Sarr, Deaux, Ferhat; Kone

Reims possible starting lineup:
Rajkovic; Doucoure, Maresic, Abdelhamid, Foket; Dia, Lopy, Cassama, Chavalerin, Mbuku; Toure


SM words green background

We say: Nimes 1-1 Reims

We can envisage Reims drawing their 15th league match of the season on Sunday, with a point frustrating Nimes in their efforts to escape relegation.

There is little time remaining for Plancque's side to escape the drop, so expect them to go all out for the win.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a double chance bet on a home win or an away win 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.Home/Away:data



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Data Analysis

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Reims win with a probability of 41.69%. A win for Nimes had a probability of 31.24% and a draw had a probability of 27.1%.

The most likely scoreline for a Reims win was 0-1 with a probability of 11.45%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-2 (8.58%) and 0-2 (7.66%). The likeliest Nimes win was 1-0 (9.58%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (12.82%). The actual scoreline of 2-2 was predicted with a 4.8% likelihood.


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Game History

How you voted: Nimes vs Reims

Nimes
50.0%
Draw
36.4%
Reims
13.6%
22
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris FCParis FC1383222111127
2Lorient1382326151126
3DunkerqueDunkerque138142218425
4Metz137332112924
5Annecy136432118322
6AmiensAmiens136251715220
7GuingampGuingamp136162119219
8Grenoble135261715217
9Laval134451816216
10Bastia123721313016
11PauPau134451317-416
12Rodez AFRodez AF134362422215
13Clermont134361215-315
14Caen134271417-314
15Ajaccio124261013-314
16Troyes134271117-614
17Red Star134271223-1114
18Martigues13238826-189


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