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Ligue 2 side Valenciennes host Ligue 1 high-flyers Metz at the Stade du Hainaut in a Coupe de France clash on Saturday.
Metz defeated Ligue 2 side Amiens to make it to the round of 32, while Valenciennes eliminated Ligue 1 side Reims to set up the clash.
Valenciennes will look to claim another Ligue 1 scalp but Metz will feel confident that they can win and move into the round of 16.
Valenciennes vs Metz Head-to-Head
Valenciennes are currently in eighth place in Ligue 2, and have had a largely up-and-down campaign. This is evident in their record of nine wins, nine draws and nine defeats.
Most recently, they defeated Toulouse to break a five-match winless streak in league competition.
However, they’ve fared much better in the Coupe de France. After making the round of 64 by beating fellow Ligue 2 side Chambly, they eliminated Ligue 1’s Reims in a 3-4 thriller to find their way into the round of 32.
Meanwhile, Metz saw a two-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday when they fell to a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Angers.
The result means they’re still in sixth place, but they’ve now fallen three points behind Lens in the race for European qualification.
However, they comfortably eliminated Ligue 2 side Amiens to make it this far in the Coupe de France. They should be confident of moving into the round of 16 against another lesser side here.
The last time these two sides faced off, Metz ran out 3-0 winners in a Ligue 2 clash in 2019. Valenciennes’ last win over Metz came in January 2016.
Valenciennes form guide: W-L-W-W-L
Metz form guide: W-L-W-W-L
Valenciennes vs Metz Team News
Valenciennes
Valenciennes will be without winger Malek Chergui, who is likely to miss the rest of the season with an ACL rupture.
Injured: Malek Chergui
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Metz
Metz are still without five players due to injury. Ernest Boahene, Opa Nguette, Kevin N’Doram, Ibrahima Niane and Manuel Cabit are out of this clash.
Fabien Centonze, Kiki Kouyate and Alexandre Oukidja will also miss out due to suspension.
Injured: Ernest Boahene, Opa Nguette, Kevin N’Doram, Ibrahima Niane, Manuel Cabit
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Fabien Centonze, Kiki Kouyate, Alexandre Oukidja
Valenciennes vs Metz Predicted XI
Valenciennes predicted XI (4-4-2): Jerome Prior, Joffrey Cuffaut, Ismael Doukoure, Eric Vandenabeele, Aly Abeid, Noah Diliberto, Jaba Kankava, Noah Dilberto, Sessi D’Almeida, Gaetan Robail, Baptiste Guillaume, Kevin Cabral
Metz predicted XI (3-5-1-2): Marc-Aurele Caillard, Dylan Bronn, John Boye, Matthieu Udol, Lamine Gueye, Victorien Angban, Pape Sarr, Thomas Delaine, Farid Boulaya, Vagner Dias, Aaron Leya Iseka
Valenciennes vs Metz Prediction
Metz will need to do without a number of first-team stars for this game, including their goalkeeper. However, they should still be hopeful of a result here.
Valenciennes did well to knock out Reims, but Metz’s defense is remarkably solid and they have the firepower in attack to defeat a mid-table Ligue 2 side.
We expect an away win for Metz in this encounter.
Prediction: Valenciennes 0-2 Metz
