Ligue 1: Montpellier HSC vs. Lille OSC – Preview
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Montpellier-HSC-c39945
La Paillade finished fifth in the league table last season. MHSC started this season aiming for a spot in the UEFA Champions League. However, the Montpellier side failed to cheer their fans with their performances on the pitch. Montpellier fans were left
disappointed when relegation contenders AC Arles held their side to a scoreless draw last weekend. Even the most pessimistic of MHSC supporters were not expecting such performance from their side, as their side missed out number of opportunities to break the
deadlock.
Montpellier are currently placed ninth in the league table, trailing seven points to qualify for the Europe’s most prestigious football tournament. The home side have acquired 34 points and have an overall record of 23 played, 9 won, 7 drawn, and 7 lost.
La Paillade manager, Rene Girard, recorded his side’s best performance in the Ligue 1 last term. He will be hoping that he can rebuild his side’s morale and claim good results in coming weeks, as he was aiming to finish in the top three French teams this
season. Montpellier awaits a difficult home fixture against the league leaders, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Emir-Spahic-c12523, is confident for his side to claim good result in their upcoming match.
The 30-year-old defender said, “We are a 'small team' who may, in my opinion, cause a lot of problems for the big teams in the championship. I like playing against big teams. I'm really excited about this meeting and want to show that Montpellier is a solid
team in defence. The fact that I also had contact with Lille in the past is an extra motivation.''
Lille OSC
Lille will be looking to re-focus on their Ligue 1 campaign, as they are en route for the French crown after six decades. Les Douges threw away their Europa League dream this week against PSV Eindhoven when they conceded two goals in quick succession in
the dying minutes of the match to claim a 2 – 2 stalemate.
LOSC will now play their second tie of Europa League Round of 32 at Pjilips Stadion Eindhoven. Team manager, Rudi Garcia, will have to gather his side’s focus back to the Ligue 1 campaign, as any slipup can dent Lille’s hope to lift the French crown.
The Mastiffs have acquired 45 points and have an overall record of 23 played, 12 won, 9 drawn, and 2 lost. Les Dogues will be looking to bag all three points in this fixture and extend their lead to six points in the table, as the reigning champions Olympique
de Marseille are closing the gap with the Mastiffs.
Garcia knows the importance of their coming fixture against Montpellier. He said, “We are currently the best team in the league away from home. It is essential to adapt to the quality of the opponent and use several different game plans. We are happy with
what is happening to us and hope this continues, even though we know in football - and especially in this league - that things can move very quickly in one direction or another.”
Team News
Montpellier HSC
Rene Girard have to do without the services of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/John-Utaka-c18898, Nenad Dzodic, Guillaume Legras, Bengali Fode Koita, who are sidelined due to injuries.
Lille OSC
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Emerson-c12442, who will watch the match from the stands due to an injury.
Prediction
Les Dogues are in supreme domestic form and they will look to thrash the home side. It will be a 3 – 1 win in favour of the visitors.
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