It’s time for another set of Ligue 1 fixtures as we approach the seemingly never-ending month of January. There’s still so much to play for at both ends of the table and while some paths are clearer than others, French football’s top tier feels as unpredictable as it has in a long time. Today, we’re going to take a look at what should be a thrilling clash between Clermont Foot and Strasbourg.
Clermont Foot Form GuideClermont Foot had an incredible season last time out but if they want to avoid a relegation battle, they need to forget about the past and move forward to the future. They have a team that is more than capable of springing an upset if called upon, but that’s never been their problem. Their problem has been consistency and avoiding complacency, which is why we’re interested to see how they navigate the months ahead.
Clermont drew 0-0 with Lille before losses to Marseille and Rennes in December. To kickstart the new year, they drew 1-1 with Metz in the cup before getting through on penalties. They proceeded to beat Nantes on the road in the league, before falling to Strasbourg 3-1 in the tenth road of the cup.
Strasbourg Form GuideStrasbourg, in the eyes of romantic football historians, hold a special place in the annals of the French game. However, after barely avoiding relegation last season, there’s a lot of pressure on them to perform. They have a nice blend of veterans and young talent and if the first few months are anything to go by, they’ve found a solid enough structure to work with in the months ahead.
Over the course of their last six games, Strasbourg have been on fire with five wins and a draw. They picked up a point away at Marseille and alongside that, they defeated Le Havre, Lorient, Lille, Avoine OCC and, most recently, Clermont.
Match PredictionClermont Foot are struggling as of late, and we’re not sure they’re going to have much to slow down the visitors - who have been on an electric run of form as of late. In our view, the most likely outcome of this one is going to be a Strasbourg win.
