Preview: Metz vs. Lorient - prediction, team news, lineups

Already relegated Metz host Lorient in Sunday’s penultimate round of the Ligue 1 season, aiming to claim their first win of 2026.

Appointed at the start of 2026, Benoit Tavenot has yet to secure a league win in charge of the club since taking over, but the hosts hope for some joy in this season’s final game at Stade Saint-Symphorien.

Match preview

Metz and Lorient secured promotion from Ligue 2 at the end of last season, but the 2025-26 season has been kinder to the latter than the former.

The Maroons were already facing an uphill challenge after winning just three games before the start of 2026, but many may have scoffed in disbelief had they been told that November’s 2-1 success over Nice, following a pair of 2-0 triumphs against Lens and Nantes, would be their last.

However, Les Grenats were unable to build on their three-match winning streak, with the Lorraine outfit having since failed to win in 20 top-flight fixtures.

Fifteen of those games have been defeats, highlighting their undoubted struggles throughout a campaign that leaves them on 16 points after 32 rounds.

Entering this weekend having conceded 72 goals, 21 more than second-bottom Nantes, Tavenot’s team will have their motivation tested against an opponent they have not lost to in three matches.

A closer look, however, shows that all three games have ended in stalemates, with Les Merlus thus entering Sunday’s encounter without a loss to Metz over the past three years.

Having secured a 2-1 success at Stade Saint-Symphorien in February 2024 and nicked a 1-1 draw in September 2024, the Brittany-based visitors are unbeaten in their last two visits to this weekend’s hosts, last losing 4-1 in December 2021.

It will be interesting to see which version of the away side turns up, given their mid-table status with little to play for aside from finishing as high as possible.

Olivier Pantaloni’s team are ninth in the table, without the possibility of ending in the top six, as Monaco are 12 points ahead and definitely not in danger of a bottom-three finish.

That situation likely explains why Le FCL have claimed just one win from their last five in the competition, drawing two and losing as many, and they are fresh from a 2-2 draw with champions-elect Paris Saint-Germain.

While that point ended a two-match losing run away from home, Lorient are winless on their travels since securing back-to-back wins at Monaco (3-1) and Rennes (2-0), both of which were notably their only triumphs on the road all season.

Against the division’s worst side and one winless in 2026, Lorient will hope to end that six-match winless away run outside Brittany.

Metz Ligue 1 form:

Lorient Ligue 1 form:

Team News

Joseph Mangondo and Boubacar Traore are both missing Sunday’s game for Metz due to knee injuries, while Alpha Toure is carrying a knock.

Gauthier Hein is the Maroons’ leading attacking threat, as shown by his 15 goal contributions — eight goals and seven assists — which he seeks to add to against the mid-table visitors.

Theo Le Bris has not played for Lorient since April’s defeat to Lyon due to a hamstring issue, which should rule him out of this weekend’s action.

Only Pablo Pagis (10 goals) has hit double figures for Les Merlus, though Bamba Dieng needs one more strike to match the young Frenchman’s tally.

Pagis, though, is in superior form, having scored or assisted in four of his last five Ligue 1 appearances, with Dieng only managing two goals in his last five matches.

Metz possible starting lineup:

Sy; Sarr, Sane, Yegbe, Tsitaishvili; Stambouli, Gbamin; Hein, Deminguet, Mbala; Kvilitaia

Lorient possible starting lineup:

Mvogo; Talbi, Adjei, Faye; Katseris, Abergel, Cadiou, Kouassi; Ebong, Pagis; Dieng

We say: Metz 1-1 Lorient

Metz’s miserable run and defensive frailties make it difficult to envisage them ending their winless run, even though Lorient have been in below-par form.

Given the away side’s dismal away record all season, they cannot be backed to win at Stade Saint-Symphorien, suggesting the match will end in a draw.

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