Metz, fighting to preserve their Ligue 1 status, face a tough test at home against Lille on Sunday, a side pushing hard for Champions League qualification.
The two clubs find themselves at opposite ends of the table, with Metz sitting perilously just one point above the drop zone in 15th place. Lille, meanwhile, occupy fourth spot and could leapfrog Rennes into third with a victory at the Stade Saint-Symphorien.
Despite their lowly position, Metz have shown signs of life recently with back-to-back wins. Their Georgian striker Georges Mikautadze has been in red-hot form, netting five times in the last three games to take his tally to 10 for the campaign.
Lille will prove a tough nut to crack though. While Paulo Fonseca’s men did suffer a setback against Monaco in midweek, they had been on a six-match unbeaten run prior to that. Goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier has been a stalwart, keeping 15 clean sheets so far – only trailing league-leader Mike Maignan.
The omens don’t favor the home side either, with Metz failing to beat Lille in their last half-dozen meetings dating back to 2016. But with survival at stake, Frédéric Antonetti’s men will be leaving everything on the field to grind out a result.
Lille’s quality may ultimately shine through, but Metz’s desperation suggests the visitors could be in for a war of attrition. A scoring draw looks the most likely outcome as both teams battle for crucial points at opposite ends of the table.
This vital Ligue 1 clash has all the ingredients to be a thriller as Champions League ambitions collide with relegation fears at the Stade Saint-Symphorien.
