Relegation-threatened Strasbourg play host to Nice at the Stade de la Meinau on Saturday, looking to move closer to safety in Ligue 1.

Last week's victory over Nantes created some separation from the bottom four, while the Eaglets' result over Rennes keeping them eighth in the table.

Match preview

Strasbourg have found momentum at the right time in the season to slowly creep away from danger in the campaign's final weeks.

Le Racing were 17th when Frederic Antonetti took charge in mid-February, but five wins from 11 games have catapulted the strugglers to 14th in Ligue 1.

The latest victory was a six-pointer with Nantes, the out-of-form Canaries who were 10 points clear of Strasbourg when Antonetti was appointed three months ago, only to be three points adrift of the in-form side after last week's 2-0 result.

Three of the new manager's victories have come in the last four fixtures, with Habib Diallo's goals proving significant in the relegation battle.

The Senegal international has found the back of the net four times since the start of April, scoring a brace against Reims and netting a penalty before providing the other at Nantes, making him the go-to guy for Strasbourg on Saturday.

Nice have little to play for this season, even if there remains an outside chance of ending fifth if Lille wobble in the season's concluding weeks.

The Eaglets won back-to-back games in the league for the first time since February, having halted a seven-match run without success.

Didier Digard must have been pleased that Terem Moffi was back among the goals against Rennes last week, with the forward effectively scoring the game's winning goal after pouncing on Arthur Theate's mistake to score for the 17th time in the league in 2022-23.

Only six players have scored more — including Strasbourg's Diallo (18 goals) — and Digard's men will look to the Nigerian to come up trumps against the 14th-placed side.

Nice are eight points adrift of Lille in fifth, so they cannot afford any more slip-ups if they intend to have a realistic chance of ending in the final continental slot.

Team News

Antonetti is not expected to tweak the 3-4-2-1 approach that has brought the recent success for Strasbourg, although the home side have a few injury worries.

Eduard Sobol, Ismael Doukoure and Morgan Sanson all went off injured against Nantes and are touch-and-go for gameweek 35.

They should be without Gerzino Nyamsi, Thomas Delaine and Ibrahima Sissoko, who have been absent since last month.

Digard is expected to lean on most of last weekend's starters as Nice seek three consecutive wins in Ligue 1.

Jean-Clair Todibo returned to centre-back after missing the win over Troyes, and the 23-year-old is predicted to partner Dante at the heart of the defence.

Moffi should lead the line for the Eaglets as the Super Eagle seeks to add to his 17 Ligue 1 goals this season.

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Sels; Perrin, Djiku, Le Marchand; Dagba, Aholou, Prcic, Guilbert; Diarra, Bellegarde; Diallo

Nice possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Lotomba, Todibo, Dante, Bard; Ramsey, Boudaoui, Thuram; Bouanani, Moffi, Laborde

We say: Strasbourg 1-1 Nice

Nice have not won any of their last four games against Strasbourg since a 2-0 win in August 2020, and that run is expected to extend to five.

However, the side with the fourth-best away record in Ligue 1 should avoid defeat at La Meinau, even if the hosts enter the clash with three victories in their last five at home.


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