Friday’s hosts, Reims, bring a stubborn looking nine-match unbeaten run in Ligue 1 into this upcoming clash against Marseille at their Stade Auguste-Delaune II as the home side have made themselves a hard team to beat both home and away in recent times.
Seven of Reims’s last nine matches have also ended in stalemate while picking up two wins as well in the shape of victories over Nantes and Dijon in 2-1 and 1-0 wins respectively and both being away from home.
90+5' 🏁 Fin du match ! Malgré plusieurs opportunités, notamment en début de deuxième mi-temps, et dans une opposition animée, les Rémois n'ont finalement pas trouvé la 🔑 pour faire céder le verrou messin et partagent les points cet après-midi #SDRFCM (0-0) pic.twitter.com/P1MDDJjgGT— Stade de Reims (@StadeDeReims) April 18, 2021
90+5' 🏁 Fin du match ! Malgré plusieurs opportunités, notamment en début de deuxième mi-temps, et dans une opposition animée, les Rémois n'ont finalement pas trouvé la 🔑 pour faire céder le verrou messin et partagent les points cet après-midi #SDRFCM (0-0) pic.twitter.com/P1MDDJjgGT
The draw has obviously featured prominently not only recently but throughout this season’s French top flight campaign where Reims have been concerned as the hosts have drawn no fewer than 14 of their 33 matches played to date this season.
After a shaky start to the season at home which saw Reims lose four of their opening five matches, they’ve since tightened up and are now unbeaten in their last 11 matches on home soil, drawing eight of these, including draws in each of their last six home games on the trot.
The only absentee for Stade Reims is expected to be midfielder Berisha with a knee injury.
Marseille are currently locked with Lens for the last remaining European spot with just a point separating the two teams but Marseille will be keen to get a jump on their rivals for 5th place when they travel to Reims on Friday night.
The visitors had stalled somewhat from mid-January as they’d failed to win any of their seven matches played through to mid-February but they’ve since been rejuvenated, losing just two of their subsequent 10 matches overall.
Marseille have picked up five wins during this recent 10-match spell with wins against Nice, Rennes, Brest, Dijon and Lorient but it’s worth noting that all of these five victories were all achieved on home turf at their Stade Velodrome.
However, after making a promising start to the season on the road which consisted of five wins in their opening six matches on their travels, Olympique Marseille’s results and form on the road have slumped to 10 matches without a further win, which includes five draws.
Midfielders Amavi and Caleta-Car have been ruled out while forward Rongier is questionable for this trip.
Two of the last four meetings between Reims and Marseille have also ended in draws and the points could be shared again on Friday night.