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

The battle for survival is intensifying for AJ Auxerre this season as they fight to remain in French Ligue 1 beyond the current campaign, and that struggle will continue on Saturday when they welcome European hopefuls Strasbourg to the Stade Abbe-Deschamps.

Les Diplomates have managed just three home victories all season, and if they are to keep their survival hopes alive, they must begin turning their home ground into a fortress, while their visitors arrive with contrasting ambitions as they push to secure a return to European competition next term and further cement their steady rise in French football.

Match preview

With only two wins in their last 20 Ligue 1 matches, Auxerre find themselves firmly embroiled in the relegation battle alongside Nantes and Metz, yet hope remains alive for Christophe Pelissier’s men as they currently occupy the relegation play-off spot and remain within touching distance of safety.

Their campaign has been a grind from the outset, and that trend continued with a 2-2 draw away at Lorient last weekend, a result that means they have suffered just one defeat in their last five matches and are unbeaten in their last three away fixtures, a run that includes a crucial 3-1 victory over bottom club Metz last month.

AJA are the lowest-scoring side in the top flight this season with just 19 goals, but a recent upturn that has seen them net five times in their last three outings offers renewed optimism for Pelissier after they failed to score throughout January before striking three times in a single game away at Metz in February.

Among the sides battling relegation, and even compared to the two teams directly above them, Auxerre boast the strongest defensive record having conceded only 35 goals and kept five clean sheets, which is one more than Metz and Nantes (four each) and two more than Nice (three).

However, recent history against Saturday’s opponents Strasbourg is far from encouraging, as Auxerre have lost six of their last seven meetings including four consecutive defeats, with their last victory coming in August 2022 in a 1-0 home win, although across 54 competitive meetings since 1979 they hold a slight historical edge with 21 wins, 14 draws and 19 defeats.

Strasbourg head into this weekend’s trip to relegation-threatened Auxerre with renewed confidence following their midweek Coupe de France quarter-final victory over Stade de Reims on Tuesday.

That success marked their 20th win across all competitions this season, their highest tally in a Ligue 1 campaign since 1996/97 when they recorded 26 victories, underlining their ability to compete on multiple fronts.

Despite that milestone, their league form has been inconsistent with just three wins in their last 12 matches, and although they are unbeaten in their previous three outings, only one of those games ended in victory — a 3-1 home triumph over Olympique Lyon.

Sitting five points adrift of the UEFA Europa League and Conference League qualification spots with 10 matches remaining, Gary O’Neil’s side must rediscover consistency and begin putting together a sustained run of victories if they are to realise their ambition of returning to European competition.

Their away form has also been underwhelming, producing three wins, three draws and six defeats on the road this season, with their most recent away victory dating back to January when they emphatically defeated Lille 4-1 at the Decathlon Arena Pierre Mauroy Stadium.

Encouragingly for Le Racing, they have won two of their last three visits to the Stade Abbe-Deschamps and are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Auxerre.

Auxerre Ligue 1 form:

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Strasbourg Ligue 1 form:

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Strasbourg form (all competitions):

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Team News

Auxerre will be without Nathan Buayi-Kiala due to a cruciate ligament tear, while Lasso Coulibaly is nursing a knock and Francisco Sierralta returned to action last weekend against Lorient after recovering from a muscle injury.

Romain Faivre, on loan from Bournemouth, remains sidelined with an ankle problem and is expected to miss out again, while Oussama El Azzouzi is doubtful due to a sore hamstring.

For the visitors, Sam Amo-Ameyaw and Maxi Oyedele returned to the squad on Tuesday, though Emanuel Emegha continues to miss out with a muscle fibre tear.

Diego Moreira, Valentin Barco and former Chelsea and Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell are all walking a disciplinary tightrope after accumulating four yellow cards this season and will face suspension if booked again.

O’Neil made four changes against Reims, bringing in Lucas Hogsberg, Chilwell, Gessime Yassine and Sebastian Nanasi in place of Andrew Omobamidele, Samir El Mourabet, Moreira and Julio Enciso, but the likes of Moreira and Enciso could return to the starting lineup for the trip to Auxerre

Auxerre possible starting lineup:

Leon; Senaya, Diomande, Okoh, Mensah; Owusu, Danois, Casimir, Oppegard; Namaso, Sinayoko

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:

Penders; Doue, Doukoure, Omobamidele, Chilwell; El Mourabet, Barco; Moreira, Enciso, Godo; Panichelli

We say: Auxerre 1-1 Strasbourg

Auxerre, who have only been back in Ligue 1 for the past two seasons, are desperately clinging to their top-flight status and are likely to make life uncomfortable for their opponents in the run-in, while Strasbourg’s pursuit of European qualification sets up what promises to be a compelling contest.

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