The context: keeping within reach
Victorious against Nantes last Sunday at La Meinau – 1-0, the smallest score for a Strasbourg victory this season in Ligue 1 since that brought back by Bollaert against its namesake Lensois on September 22 – Racing has reached the bar of 38 points.
“I have been saying the same thing for weeks: it will certainly take 40 or 41 points to still be in Ligue 1 next season. As a good mathematician, (I calculate that) when we have 38, we are missing two or three. We hope to have them as soon as possible but Angers will obviously not agree with us this weekend, ”summarizes Julien Stéphan, the Racing coach.
But more than aiming at all costs to maintain this Sunday, the technician wants above all “to stay focused on the game and on what we have to do to obtain a good result”. With a draw, the Strasbourg will be sure to keep their fourth place. But they must be wary of an Angevin formation which “apart from Paris has no equivalent in terms of dribbling in Ligue 1 this year”, according to Julien Stéphan.
The SCO, one of the three teams with Rennes and Marseille against whom Racing has not scored a goal in Ligue 1 this season, is however in 12th place, nine lengths behind and remains on two losses: 0- 1 against the Saint-Etienne red lantern and 2-5 in Marseille, despite “an exceptional first quarter of an hour in the speed of the game” against the current dolphin of PSG.
Today’s news: Friday’s uncertainties are lifted
Julien Stéphan had indicated on Friday during the pre-match press briefing that there were still some uncertainties concerning five players who had not taken part in the collective session that day: Ludovic Ajorque (victim of a blow to knee on Wednesday), Gerzino Nyamsi (joint pain), Matz Sels, Lucas Perrin and Ismaël Doukouré.
This Saturday, for the final session, only Doukouré was missing. The winter rookie from Racing, who remained on the bench last Sunday for his first at La Meinau, suffers from a knee and is not in the group of 20 players who took over the management of Angers in the post- midday.
Package against Nantes, Kévin Gameiro is back, just like Habib Diallo after the victorious epic of Senegal at the CAN. Ludovic Ajorque did not seem to be in difficulty with his knee and therefore applies for a starting place. Majeed Waris and Moïse Sahi also being available, Julien Stéphan is spoiled for choice in attack, as in the other areas of the game.
The Strasbourg group
Salts, Kawashima – Guilbert, Fila, Perrin, Nyamsi, Djiku, Liénard, Caci, Prcic, Aholou, Bellegarde, Sissoko, Thomasson, Kandil, Ajorque, Gameiro, Diallo, Waris, Sahi
Absent : Doukouré (knee), Le Marchand (back), Bellaarouch (g), Elimbi, Diarra choice
The number: 6
Racing have won six of their last eight Ligue 1 matches (wins against Bordeaux 5-2, Nice 3-0, Metz 2-0, Montpellier 3-1, Clermont 2-0 and Nantes 1-0 for two defeats against Marseille 0-2, and at Bordeaux 3-4). This is as much as in his 22 previous matches in the top flight (8 losses, 8 draws)
