Reims Vs Marseille
Reims Vs Marseille Friday 23rd April 2021 – 20:00 (BT Sport)
French Ligue 1
Pick: Draw
Odds: 12/5
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 20th April 2021)
Preview: Inside the Stade Auguste-Delaune on Friday evening, Reims will be keen to preserve an eleven match unbeaten run at home in Ligue 1 when they welcome a Marseille side searching for their first away win in the French top-flight since December.
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Table of Contents
Reims – Miserly hosts could take some beating?
A sixth goalless draw of this Ligue 1 season helped extend the unbeaten run of Reims (W9 D14 L10) to nine last time. Head coach David Guion overseeing just two wins, however, since his team last tasted defeat, in a 1-0 reverse away to Lorient on 6 February – one of two losses sustained since the middle of December. Safely nestled in mid-table, they last lost a league encounter at this venue in November (W3 D8 since).
The majority of these tight contests can be attributed to such a miserly defence. Reims conceding six times in nine Ligue 1 matches, shutting out all of Dijon, Metz, Montpellier and Nice. It has contributed to 11 of their past 13 top-flight fixtures producing no more than two goals. Meanwhile, just one of the previous seven on their own patch seen the nets inside Stade Auguste-Delaune bulge on at least three occasions.
Our prospects of witnessing goals on Friday evening appear fanciful, therefore. If anything, the draw once again holds appeal. Reims have now seen eight of their last eleven league games finish level. This include the last six at home, during which time Lens, Lyon, Montpellier and Rennes – sides fighting it out for the European places or the title itself – were all frustrated by this obdurate Les Rouges et Blancs outfit.
Marseille – Sampaoli still looking for answers on the road?
The decision to appoint Jorge Sampaoli as first team coach has reaped instant rewards. Since his first game at the helm, the former Argentina national team manager has inspired Marseille (W14 D10 L9) to victory in four of six Ligue 1 matches, with a return of 13 points from 18 reigniting their once ailing prospects of a top-five finish that would see them return to the Europa League for the first time since 2018-19.
Their latest success came in thrilling fashion. Full-back Pol Lirola enjoying the game of his life to score twice, including a last-gasp winner from long range, in a 3-2 win over Lorient at the Stade Velodrome. A result which not only preserves Sampaoli’s perfect home record (four wins from four) but keeps L’OM within striking distance of RC Lens, who are now a mere point better off in fifth place.
For all his early good work, Sampaoli is yet to find a solution to this team’s malaise away from home. Marseille have one of the poorest away records (W5 D6 L5) in Ligue 1, failing to win any of the last ten since edging out Nimes, currently third-from-bottom, at Stade des Costieres in December. Conceding exactly three in their two away outings under the Argentine’s guidance (3-0 vs Nice, 3-3 vs Montpellier).
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Reims Vs Marseille Betting Advice
Immediately, the odds on a draw stands out. Reims, who are unbeaten in the league for nine games, have played out more drawn matches in 2020-21 (14) than anyone else in Ligue 1. Eight have come at this venue, where there has been six successive stalemates with the likes of Lens, Lyon, Montpellier and Rennes – teams of a similar profile to Friday’s opponents – all settling for a share of the points.
Reims Vs Marseille – Key Facts:
- No team in Ligue 1 this season has registered more draws than the 14 of Reims, with seven coming during their current nine-match unbeaten run (W2).
- Reims last suffered a home loss in the league in November (W3 D8 thereafter) but are look to avoid a seventh consecutive home draw on Friday.
- Marseille are winless on their travels since December, failing to win any of their previous ten away Ligue 1 games (D5 L5).
Perhaps the only thing compromising our chances of banking decent odds on another stalemate is how poor Marseille travel. L’OM are in resurgent form under their new coach, winning four of six Ligue 1 matches since Jorge Sampaoli’s appointment. None were on the road, though, with the South Coast club winless on their travels since early December. Half of those encounters ended in a draw (D5 L5), which is how their fixture with Reims at Stade Velodrome finished earlier in the season (1-1).
Best Betting Odds – Reims Vs Marseille
Reims – 12/5 (PaddyPower)
Draw – 12/5 (Betfair)
Marseille – 23/20 (BetVictor)
