The French Ligue 1 goes on this midweek with the Round 15 matches, and in this preview, we would like to take a closer look at two games set for Tuesday, November 28th, 2017, when Strasbourg hosts Caen at Stade de la Meinau, while Bordeaux meets Saint Etienne at Matmut Atlantique.
Down below you will find some interesting tips and betting predictions for these two exciting games, so don’t waste your time and join the action here on GetMoreSports.
STRASBOURG vs. CAEN
3-Way: 1: Strasbourg +125; X: +242 Draw; 2: Caen +280 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -0.5: Strasbourg +118; Caen -128
Total +2.5: Over +114; Under -123
STRASBOURG
After a pretty poor start of the season, Le Racing is slowly building up the form, and they suffered just one defeat in the previous seven Ligue 1 matches, recording two victories and four draws in the process. In the previous round of the French Ligue 1 Strasbourg has earned a well-deserved draw with Saint Etienne on the road, 2:2, although they were underdogs against The Saints.
Le Racing is in the 17th spot of the French Ligue 1 table after the first 14 rounds with 14 points, a 17:26 goal difference and a 3-5-6 record. At home, they have earned eight points with an 11:9 goal difference and a 2-2-2 record, while on the road they have recorded one victory, three draws, and four losses with a 6:17 goal difference. Strasbourg is a pretty efficient this season, but their main problem is defense, which is the worst in the French Ligue 1 along with Metz’s defense.
The 26-year old striker Nuno Da Costa is leading his team with three goals in 12 appearances this season, while the 20-year old winger Martin Terrier, the 29-year old midfielder Dimitri Lienard, and a 27-year old midfielder Jonas Martin added two goals each. Dimitri Lienard and the right-back Kenny Lala are the team’s best assist-makers with three dishes apiece.
The manager Thierry Larey is still missing the left-back Abdallah Ndour due to a fractured leg, while all other players are ready for the next match.
CAEN
Le SMC has beaten Bordeaux at home, 1:0, in the previous round of the French Ligue 1, and it was their second victory in last five Ligue 1 matches, along with two losses Marseille and Monaco on the road, and a draw with Nice on the home soil. Meanwhile, Caen has beaten Lorient, 1:0, in the French Coupe de la Ligue Round of 32.
After the first 14 rounds of the French Ligue 1, Le SMC is sitting at the sixth place of the table with 22 points, a 10:14 goal difference and a 7-1-6 record. At home, Caen’s players were brilliant, recording five victories, one draw, and two defeats with a 7:5 goal difference. On the road, they have recorded two wins and four losses with a 3:9 goal difference. Caen is winning points on a regular basis, although they have a lot of problems with finishing, particularly when they are playing away from home.
The 28-year old Croatian striker Ivan Santini is the team’s top scorer with four goals in 13 appearances this season, while the 28-year old winger Ronny Rodelin bagged three goals in 14 matches so far. Rodelin is also the team’s best assist-maker with two dishes on his account, while four other players made one assist thus far.
The manager Patrice Garande prefers a patient approach, and it paid off in the previous rounds. For the next match against Strasbourg, he will be without a winger Jeff Louis (knee injury), and Youssef Ait Bennasser (hamstring injury).
STRASBOURG vs. CAEN – Match Prediction
Strasbourg prefers attacking approach, so we could see some goals in this clash. Caen has scored just three goals on the road thus far, and they will have a great chance to improve the record against Le Racing’s fragile defense.
MY PICK: Both Teams to Score YES (-102)
BORDEAUX vs. SAINT ETIENNE
3-Way: 1: Bordeaux -114; X: +269 Draw; 2: Saint Etienne +409 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -0.5: Bordeaux -123; Saint Etienne +120
Total +2.5: Over +123; Under -125
BORDEAUX
The Girondins are struggling recently, and they are without a win for seven matches in a row, recording two draws and five defeats in a process. They have scored just one goal in the previous five rounds of the French Ligue 1, failing to find the net on four occasions when they were beaten by their opponents. The manager Jocelyn Gourvennec is still in charge, but we’ll see for how long.
After the first 14 rounds of the French Ligue 1, The Girondins are sitting at the 13th spot of the table with 17 points, a 17:20 goal difference, and a 4-5-5 record. At home, they have recorded three victories, two draws, and one defeat with a 9:6 goal difference, but they are winless for three matches in a row in front of the home fans. On the other side, they were beaten in last four games on the road where they have recorded one victory, three draws, and four losses with an 8:14 goal difference.
The 20-year old Brazilian winger Malcom is arguably Bordeaux’s best player this season with five goals and four assists in 14 appearances, while the 28-year old midfielder Younousse Sankhare bagged four goals in 14 matches so far, also adding one assist to his name. The 21-year old winger Francois Kamano is another key player in Bordeaux’s squad with two goals and four dishes on his account in 14 appearances thus far.
Jocelyn Gourvennec can count on all players for the next clash, besides the 23-year old striker Gaetan Laborde, who’s suffering from a foot injury.
SAINT ETIENNE
The Saints are winless for five games in a row in the French Ligue 1, having some huge problems on the defensive line, as they’ve conceded 10 goals just in the previous three matches. A heavy 5:0 defeat against Lyon is still in their heads, while The Saints have played a 2:2 draw with Strasbourg on the home soil in the last round of the French Ligue 1. It was another poor defensive job, and another disappointment for their fans, as they had a lead twice in a match, allowing Le Racing to come back and earn a point in the end.
Saint Etienne had a solid start of the season, but after a recent miserable run, they sank to the eighth spot of the Ligue 1 table with 19 points, a 16:20 goal difference and a 5-4-5 record. The Saints have recorded three wins, three draws, and two losses in front of the home fans with a 12:12 goal difference, while they have earned seven points on the road with a 2-1-3 record, scoring just four goals and conceding eight in a return.
The 21-year old winger Jonathan Bamba is a team’s leading scorer with five goals in 12 appearances, while midfielders Bryan Dabo and Hernani bagged two goals each. The 29-year old winger Kevin Monnet-Paquet scored his first goal of the season in the previous round against Strasbourg, and the fans expect to see more from him in the following weeks. There is no player in Saint Etienne’s squad with more than one dish on the account, while nine different players made one assist each thus far.
The 37-year old manager Julien Sable is a rookie and we’ll see how he can cope with demands. For the next match with Bordeaux, he’ll be without the defender Loic Perrin (calf injury), while the winger Romain Hamouma is doubtful due to a wound.
BORDEAUX vs. SAINT ETIENNE – Match Prediction
This one will be interesting to watch, as both sides desperately need a win. It should be a tight match, but an early goal could be a game-changer. With all defensive issues on both sides, I’ll go with some goals in this one.
MY PICK: Both Teams to Score YES (+102)
