Sabasports Match Preview
Ligue 1: Metz vs Lille
Kickoff Time: 2026-02-07 03:45 (HKT)
Metz is a newly promoted team in the league, and due to limited reinforcements, the team has lost competitiveness in Ligue 1. They currently have a record of 3 wins, 3 draws, and 14 losses, placing them at the bottom of the league table, 8 points away from the relegation line, making them one of the favorites for relegation. In the last 8 rounds, Metz has only earned 1 point, the lowest in that period. The main reason for Metz’s poor performance this season is their imbalance between attack and defense. While they have scored 21 goals in the league, they have conceded as many as 46 goals, making them the team with the worst defense in Ligue 1. After 20 rounds, they have managed to keep a clean sheet only 3 times. To make matters worse, their starting center-back Jean-Philippe Gbamin has been suspended due to a red card, leading to a reorganization of the defense and requiring defensive players to re-establish their chemistry. During the winter transfer window, the team strengthened their forward line by bringing in Georgian international striker Giorgi Kvilitaia and loaning Monaco winger Lucas Michal. Unfortunately, both joined the team on February 2, leaving too little time for adaptation to Metz’s tactics.
Due to distractions from European competitions, Lille’s league performance has declined, suffering losses in their last 4 league matches. They urgently need a win to regain team morale. In preparation for the upcoming Europa League knockout rounds, the team bolstered their forward line during the winter transfer window by signing winger Noah Edjouma from Toulouse and winger Gaëtan Perrin, who is playing in the Russian Premier League. Both are adept at breaking through on the wings, enhancing the team’s wing play. According to statistics, Lille’s strategy emphasizes ball possession, maintaining an average possession rate of 54%, ranking fourth in the league; they create an average of 11.2 key passes per match, ranking third in the league. So far this season, 13 players have scored in the league, and 14 players have provided assists. Of the 34 league goals scored, 23 have come from assists from teammates, showcasing a strong team spirit. Among them, Hákon Arnar Haraldsson is the team’s top scorer with 5 goals and 1 assist, while Félix Correia leads with 3 goals and 4 assists.
There is a significant gap in strength between the two teams. Metz has the lowest total player value among the 18 Ligue 1 teams, at only €46.8 million, compared to Lille’s €232 million, which represents roughly a 5-fold difference. In their first encounter, Lille won decisively with a score of 6-1, which gives them a psychological advantage. Now, facing a reorganized Metz defense, Lille is unlikely to miss the opportunity to win.
Metz’s Last 5 Games: LLLLD
26-02-02 Angers 1-0 Metz
26-01-26 Metz 2-5 Lyon
26-01-18 Strasbourg 2-1 Metz
26-01-12 Metz 0-4 Montpellier
26-01-05 Lorient 1-1 Metz
Lille’s Last 5 Games: LWLLL
26-02-01 Lyon 1-0 Lille
26-01-30 Lille 1-0 SC Freiburg
25-01-26 Lille 1-4 Strasbourg
25-01-23 Celta Vigo 2-1 Lille
25-01-17 Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 Lille
Head-to-Head Record:
25-10-26 Lille 6-1 Metz
24-04-28 Metz 1-2 Lille
23-12-04 Lille 2-0 Metz
22-02-19 Lille 0-0 Metz
21-08-08 Metz 3-3 Lille
Prediction: Lille to win away