Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Preview: Bordeaux vs. Rodez AF - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 31 May 2023, 02:54
As we head into the final matchday of the Ligue 2 campaign, Bordeaux and Rodez AF, each have plenty to play for when they face each other on Friday at Matmut Atlantique.

For Les Girondins, their most straightforward path to promotion will occur with a win or draw combined with a defeat from Metz, while a victory by Rodez will likely be enough to stave off relegation, as they are currently tied with Laval but with a much better goal differential (-6 to -13).

Match preview

When the standings are as tight as they have been throughout the Ligue 2 campaign, one slip-up and all your hard work could be for not.

That might be the case for David Guion and his Bordeaux side, who dropped out of a promotional place last week with a 1-0 loss at Annecy, ending a five-match unbeaten run.

Currently tied with Metz on 69 points and just three back of the league leaders Le Havre, Bordeaux can still earn a promotion with a loss, so long as either of those teams suffer lopsided results, though Les Girondins have an inferior goal difference to both, at +24, with Metz at +27 and Le Havre at +26.

There is also still a chance that they capture the Ligue 2 title with a victory by three goals or more, along with a Le Havre defeat and a loss or draw by Metz.

Bordeaux have been virtually untouchable this season at home, on a five-match winning run at Matmut Atlantique heading into this contest, without a goal conceded over that stretch.

Under Guion, this team have shown a much stronger defensive commitment than a season ago, conceding the second-fewest goals in Ligue 2 (27) after allowing the most in the top flight in 2021-22 (91).

Should they fail to climb into the top two, Les Girondins will only have themselves to blame, letting 10 points slip through their fingertips when leading in the second half of this domestic campaign.

After a solid springtime in which Rodez dropped points in only two league fixtures from the beginning of March until the end of April, this team have suddenly cooled off with just two points in its last four games.

That means there is still work to do for Didier Santini, who took charge in November when they were in the relegation zone, as Laval and Dijon are now breathing down their necks with just one point separating 18th place from 16th.

It took this team 26 years to get back into one of the top two divisions, earning a promotion into Ligue 2 in April 2019, and their lack of finishing this season could be the reason they drop down to the Championnat National.

They have put together some solid road performances in the league of late but have succumbed to the pressure at the most inopportune of moments, conceding a winning goal beyond the 75th minute in two of its previous three away defeats in this competition.

Before their 3-2 loss at home to Pau last Friday, they had been a challenging team to penetrate along the backline, conceding a goal or fewer in nine straight league games.

Le RAF have lost their two previous encounters against Bordeaux, failing to find the scoresheet back in August (3-0) and again in their first meeting at the 2009-10 Coupe de France (1-0).

Though they have only captured one of their last four league fixtures away from home, this has still been a strong road team, claiming at least a point on 12 occasions.

Bordeaux Ligue 2 form:

W

W

W

D

W

L

Rodez AF Ligue 2 form:

W

D

L

D

D

L

Team News

Issouf Sissokho is unlikely to feature for Bordeaux in this encounter because of a leg injury, while Guion had the same starting 11 versus Annecy from their previous match against Laval.

Yoann Barbet, Zuriko Davitashvili and Stian Rode Gregersen scored in their previous home fixture, as they defeated Laval 3-0, while Gaetan Poussin made two stops to collect a clean sheet.

In their earlier meeting with Rodez last August, Poussin did not have to make a single save, as Danylo Ihnatenko, Dilane Bakwa, and Marvin De Lima each found the mark in a 3-0 triumph.

Rodez will be without Loris Mouyokolo for this match as he is still recovering from his ruptured Achilles tendon, while Remy Boissier, Akim Abdallah and Joseph Mendes replaced Louis Torres, Antoine Valerio and Sambou Soumano in the starting 11 versus Pau.

Boissier and Wilitty Younoussa scored in their defeat last Friday, while Kilian Corredor had the only goal in their previous road fixture, which they drew 1-1 at Grenoble.

Their leading goalscorer in this competition, Clement Depres, is without a goal since April 22, which was also the last time Lionel Mpasi picked up a clean sheet away from home in a 3-0 win for Rodez over Annecy.

Bordeaux possible starting lineup:

Poussin; Bokele, Rode Gregersen, Barbet, N'Simba; Davitashvili, Mwanga, Fransergio, Bakwa; Badji, Maja

Rodez AF possible starting lineup:

Mpasi; Danger, Vandenabeele, Raux-Yao; Senaya, Younoussa, Boissier, Rajot, Chougrani; Soumano, Corredor

We say: Bordeaux 1-0 Rodez AF

Bordeaux have an experienced group that should know how to handle a must-win situation, and we expect their solid backline to keep the visitors at bay in this one.

Rodez are more than comfortable playing away from home, but they lack that poise needed when the pressure begins to mount, something which may cost them on Friday.

Previews by email

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has reportedly not yet made a full recovery from the knock he suffered prior to the international break. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Xabi Alonso will hope that his Bayer Leverkusen side can return to winning ways when they welcome strugglers Heidenheim to BayArena in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Wayne Rooney gives Romeo Montague a run for his money with wife Coleen revealing he writes her love poetry. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Six places separate Wolfsburg and Union Berlin in the Bundesliga table ahead of Saturday's gameweek 11 match at the Volkswagen Arena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund have already fallen behind in the title race and will at least aim to stay within touching distance of the Champions League qualifications spots when they welcome Freiburg to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A crunch clash at the bottom sees Heracles and RKC Waalwijk go head to head at the Asito Stadium on Saturday evening in gameweek 13 of the Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttgart sit a disappointing 11th in the Bundesliga table before welcoming cellar-dwelling VfL Bochum in Saturday's gameweek 11 action at the MHPArena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will both be available for Saturday's Premier League away meeting with Everton. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Estrela Amadora return to action on Saturday when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal. 21 November 2024 talksport.com West Ham have sounded out former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic as a potential replacement for Julen Lopetegui, talkSPORT understands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to move back into the top six of the League One table, Huddersfield Town will welcome Charlton Athletic to the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com talkSPORT's Ally McCoist has opened up about living with Dupuytren's contracture, an incurable hereditary condition that affects the hands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Luton Town will welcome Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a crucial game at the bottom end of the Championship table. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Martin Odegaard is everything for Arsenal - he's at the heartbeat of everything positive they do. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to go top of the Championship table with a fifth straight victory, Sheffield United will travel to take on Coventry City on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig will aim to prevent the five-point gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from extending by claiming all three points at Hoffenheim's PreZero Arena on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt will hope to maintain their five-point advantage over Werder Bremen after hosting them on Saturday at Deutsche Bank Park in their 11th Bundesliga outing of the season. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Newcastle defender Lewis Hall says his lack of game time in the first-team left him 'in a dark place' last season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who could really do with a victory kick off round 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Go Ahead Eagles welcome Almere City to De Adelaarshorst on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promotion-chasing Barnsley are favourites heading into Saturday's gameweek 17 League One match at Oakwell. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord and Heerenveen will both be looking to pick up where they left off right before the international break in Saturday's meeting at De Kuip in matchday 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City officially announce that manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Girona will be bidding to make it three straight wins in La Liga for the first time this season when they welcome Espanyol to Estadi Montilivi on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk An in-form Las Palmas will be aiming to make it five wins from their last six matches in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign at home to Mallorca on Saturday night. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Following four straight defeats leading into the international break, Aston Villa will return to action on Saturday, when Crystal Palace pay a visit to Villa Park. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly set a £100m asking price for Enzo Fernandez amid interest from Real Madrid. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Saudi Pro League action will return to the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium this weekend when Al Khaleej play host to the defending champions Al-Hilal on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Atletico Madrid will be aiming to make it five straight wins in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign against Alaves at Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Robert Lewandowski is a mesmerising goal scorer, but it turns out that's not his only talent. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace may be without two of their key creators when they kick off on Saturday afternoon, as an ailing Premier League campaign resumes away to Aston Villa.