Bottom-of-the-table Montpellier HSC are set to host Champions League hopefuls Lille at Stade de la Mosson-Mondial 98 on Sunday in Ligue 1.
Jean-Louis Gasset's Montpellier are currently languishing in 18th with seven points after 12 games, while Bruno Genesio's Lille are fourth in the table with 22 points from their 12 matches.
Match preview
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Montpellier are at serious risk of relegation this season, and have won just two of their last 14 Ligue 1 fixtures, a stretch that includes 10 losses and just two draws.
La Paillade made the decision to sack former manager Michel Der Zakarian after a humiliating 5-0 defeat at home to Roberto De Zerbi's Marseille in October meant they were in last place with just one win from their opening eight matchweeks.
Current boss Gasset had announced his retirement last season when he parted ways with Marseille but opted to return to the sport to coach Montpellier, the club that he spent the majority of his playing career with and the one that he began his managerial career at.
Gasset was appointed on October 22 and has overseen four matches so far, producing one win but also three defeats, and it remains to be seen whether he can save the club from going down this season.
Last time out, Montpellier lost 1-0 on the road to 13th-placed Saint-Etienne, a match in which La Paillade boasted a dominant 68% possession and managed 11 shots.
Gasset's side will be disappointed to have lost the potential 'six-pointer' to Benjamin Bouchouari's 47th-minute strike, but fans can take some confidence from the fact they were competitive and may have hope the team can make up the four points needed to catch 15th-placed Rennes, who are the first club outside of the relegation spots.
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Contrastingly, Genesio's Lille currently occupy the Champions League playoff spot in Ligue 1, and are just one point from Marseille, who are in one of the division's automatic qualification places.
Lille are also 12th in Europe's premier club competition, sitting one point above giants Bayern Munich in the playoff spots for the next round.
Les Dogues are unbeaten in their last 12 matches across all competitions, drawing five and winning seven, including an impressive 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in front of a home crowd and a fine 3-1 away win against Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid.
Last time out, Lille overcame Bologna 2-1 in Europe thanks to a brace from unlikely goalscorer Ngal'ayel Mukau, and emerged 1-0 winners in their most-recent league match with Rennes on November 24 in what was a close match with few opportunities for either side.
It is worth mentioning that Lille have in fact scored the fewest goals amongst France's top five, and have only won one game in 2024-25 by a margin of more than two goals.
With this in mind, Les Dogues may look to their match against Montpellier's leaky defence as an opportunity to boost their goal tally for the season.
Team News
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Montpellier will turn to captain and talismanic attacking midfielder Teji Savanier for inspiration this season, but he is a doubt for this weekend's match along with Mousa Al-Taamari.
Elsewhere, centre-backs Boubakar Kouyate and Christopher Julien are out, as well as Akor Adams, Khalil Fayad and Othmane Maamma.
As for Lille, they are expected to be without a number of high-profile players including Angel Gomes, Samuel Umtiti and Nabil Bentaleb.
Les Dogues will also miss Ethan Mbappe and have doubts about the fitness of Andre Gomes ahead of Sunday's game.
Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:
Lecomte; Mbiayi, Maksimovic, Sagnan, Sylla; Nzingoula, Chotard, Ferri; Nordin, Khazri, Coulibaly
Lille possible starting lineup:
Chevalier; Meunier, Diakite, Ribeiro, Ismaily; Andre, Bouaddi, Cabella; Sahraoui, David, Zhegrova
We say: Montpellier HSC 0-2 Lille
Montpellier have struggled this season and a team of Lille's calibre may be too much for them to handle.
Lille are missing a number of players, but they should still have the necessary firepower to handle Montpellier and pick up all three points on Sunday.
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