Preview: Auxerre vs Metz - prediction, team news, lineups

The bottom two teams in Ligue 1 will square off on Sunday evening in the Burgundy region at Stade de l’Abbe-Deschamps as Auxerre play host to Metz.

Heading into December, Auxerre are dead last after playing to a 1-1 draw with Paris FC, putting them two points behind Les Merlus, who lost 1-0 to Rennes last weekend.

Match preview

While they remain at the bottom of the table, AJA are taking some baby steps forward as the final month of the calendar year gets underway.

Christophe Pelissier’s men have points in back-to-back league fixtures, as only two points currently separate them from Nantes for the relegation playoff spot.

That may be a minor moral victory, but they will surely take any morale boost possible for now, seeing as they are on a nine-match winless run in this competition.

Their best performances of the campaign so far this season have come at Stade de l’Abbe-Deschamps, where they have accumulated six of their nine points to date.

Meanwhile, their four home defeats in the competition thus far were by just a single goal, while the Burgundy club have failed to score in their last three matches in Auxerre.

AJA have never lost a top-flight contest against Metz at Stade de l’Abbe-Deschamps this century, emerging victorious in four of those six outings in the 2000s.

After a promising start to November the month ended with a series of disappointing results for the Lorraine club, who are currently on a two-match losing run in Ligue 1.

Before that, they were on a three-match winning streak, with only one goal conceded, three fewer than they had given up in their last two games combined.

If they lose again this weekend, Stephane Le Mignan’s side will not only remain in the relegation zone, but they will also equal their longest losing run of the season (three matches).

Metz have allowed a league-high 31 goals domestically in 2025-26, with 24 of those against them coming away from home.

At the same time, only three points currently separate them from Lorient and Le Havre for a guaranteed place in the top-flight next season.

Les Merlus have failed to score in three of their previous four competitive away matches at Auxerre, but they have points in four of their last five visits to the Burgundy region across all competitions.

Auxerre Ligue 1 form:

Metz Ligue 1 form:

Team News

On Sunday, Auxerre will be without Nathan Buayi-Kiala, who has a cruciate ligament issue, while Lasso Coulibaly is doubtful with an ankle strain, Elisha Owusu has a knock, Telli Siwe is questionable due to a knee injury and Marvin Senaya is dealing with muscle tightness.

Sinaly Diomande levelled their match with Paris FC five minutes before the interval, his first of the current Ligue 1 campaign.

Meanwhile, a head injury will likely keep Pape Sy on the Metz sidelines this weekend, Cheikh Sabaly is questionable due to a sore ankle, while Urie-Michel Mboula and Habib Diallo have hamstring strains.

There were three new faces in their starting 11 versus Rennes as Fode Ballo-Toure, Boubacar Traore and Ibou Sane replaced Koffi Kouao, Alpha Toure and Joel Asoro

Auxerre possible starting lineup:

Leon; Mensah, Akpa, Diomande, Sy; Casimir, El Azzouzi, Danois; Sinayoko, Mara, Loader

Metz possible starting lineup:

Fischer; Colin, Gbamin, Yegbe, Kouao; Traore, Deminguet; Mbaye, Hein, Tsitaishvili; Sane

We say: Auxerre 2-0 Metz

Despite the standings, Auxerre are the side in better form, and we believe they will find a few more openings than usual this weekend, given how disorganised Metz have been away from home.

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