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Metz will entertain Clermont Foot at the Stade Saint-Symphorien in their Coupe de France round of 64 clash on Friday.
Both teams will play for the first time this year and will look to ensure a winning start to 2024. The hosts have suffered four losses on the trot and fell to a 3-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in their final Ligue 1 match of the previous year.
The visitors have not fared any better and head into the match on a six-game winless run. They met Rennes in their last game of 2023 in the Ligue 1 and suffered a 3-1 home loss. Shamar Nicholson had opened the scoring in the fourth minute and Clermont maintained their one-goal lead in the first half.
Rennes produced a remarkable display and scored thrice in the second half to register a memorable win.
Metz vs Clermont Foot Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams have squared off 20 times in all competitions since 2002 and will meet for the first time in the Coupe de France. The visitors have the upper hand in the head-to-head record with an 8-5 lead in wins and seven games ending in draws.
- They met in the Ligue 1 in August, with Metz recording a 1-0 away win.
- Interestingly, the visitors have just one win in their last five meetings against the hosts, with that triumph coming in their away game in Ligue 2.
- Metz have failed to score in three of their last four games. Clermont Foot, on the other hand, have failed to score in three of their last six games.
- The visitors have just one win in their travels this season, suffering four losses in eight away games.
- Both the hosts and the visitors were eliminated from the round of 64 in the Coupe de France last season.
Metz vs Clermont Foot Prediction
Les Grenats lost all four Ligue 1 games in December, scoring just once while conceding seven times in that period. They have failed to score in five of their last six home games, which is a cause for concern.
Head coach László Bölöni remains without the services of Oscar Estupinan through an injury while Habib Maïga is also unlikely to feature here as he is close to finalizing his transfer away from the club. Lamine Camara, Ablie Jallow, Kevin Van Den Kerkhof, and Fali Candé are unavailable having left for the training camps of their respective national teams for the 2023 AFCON.
Les Lanciers are winless in their last six games and have just one win in their last nine games in all competitions. They have just one win in away games this season and might struggle here. While they are winless in their last three meetings against the hosts, two games in that period have ended in draws.
Mory Diaw, Alidu Seidu, and Jérémie Bela are on international duty for the upcoming 2023 AFCON which should impact their performance here.
Nonetheless, considering the recent goalscoring struggles of the home team, we back the visitors to eke out a narrow win and the odds of a clean sheet also look good.
Prediction: Metz 0-1 Clermont Foot
Metz vs Clermont Foot Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Clermont Foot to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Under 2.5 goals
Tip 3: Muhammed Cham to score or assist any time - Yes
