Whatever happens this week, it has been a memorable season for Stade de Reims.
They head into the second leg of their Ligue 1/2 promotion/relegation play-off tie against Metz tonight still with the memories fresh from an historic appearance in the Coupe de France final.
Reims sacked coach Luka Elsner back in late-February and new man Samba Diawara’s first game in charge was to lead them past Angers on penalties in the quarter-finals of the cup. That was one stop on a remarkable journey that led them all the way to the final.
They eventually suffered a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain at Stade de France last weekend, but that did not detract from their remarkable achievement.
Diawara, though, knows that it could count for little unless he can get the job done in the league tonight. He has been keen to impress on his side for some time that Reims' priority is survival in Ligue 1 this season.
After an improvement in their form post-international break, they appeared to be sure of that before a late-season collapse saw them slip to third-from-bottom in the table, behind Le Havre, on the final day of the campaign to end up in relegation play-off peril.
Ligue 2 side Metz, on the other hand, pulled themselves together quickly this season, having been relegated from Ligue 1 last term and via last season’s play-off. They lost 4-3 on aggregate against Saint-Etienne in 2023/24 and now have an immediate chance to bounce back.
Metz finished four points behind Paris FC in third place in Ligue 2 this season, but gave a promising account of themselves at Stade Saint-Symphorien in the first leg last week, taking a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute before former Wigan and West Brom centre-back Cedric Kipre equalised for Reims in the second half.
With things locked at 1-1 heading into tonight's decisive encounter, Bet 365 have Reims as the clear favourites at 29/20, while the draw in 90 minutes is 11/5 and Metz can be backed at 2/1.
The Sporting News presents predictions and tips to help you bet and make the match even more exciting.
Reims vs. Metz prediction, tips, bet builder and odds for Ligue 1 relegation play-off
Both teams to score – (5/6, bet365)
Neither Reims nor Metz are particularly fluent or overly enjoyable teams to watch from a neutral perspective but they do both have some attacking quality in the final third, such as Japanese duo Keito Nakamura and fit-again Junya Ito for the hosts and Cheikh Sabaly for Metz, who notched 15 goals in Ligue 2 this season. These games tend to be desperate affairs, though, with both sides trading blows; as was the case in Metz’ 4-3 aggregate loss to Saint-Etienne last year, and even in the first leg last weekend. So, we're taking the BTTS market here as a very attractive option.
Double chance – Metz to win or draw (4/7, Sky Bet)
Reims head into this crucial second leg having struggled for much of the campaign, despite what was a bright start in terms of both performances and results under Elsner. They are now winless in their last six matches across all competitions. Metz, on the other hand, missed out on automatic promotion as a result of too many draws, with just five defeats in their 34 Ligue 2 matches — two fewer than Lorient and Paris FC in the top two. They showed last week they are more or less at the same level as Reims and siding with them to at least avoid defeat in the 90 minutes would seem a good value option.
Reims vs. Metz predicted score and most likely results
Here are the most likely results for this Ligue 1/2 relegation/promotion play-off second leg, according to Sky Bet. Odds are correct at the time of publish, but are subject to change as we get closer to kick-off.
| Reims vs. Metz Correct Score (90 mins, via Sky Bet) | |
|---|---|
| Draw 1-1 | 5/1 |
| Reims Win 1-0 | 6/1 |
| Metz Win 1-0 | 7/1 |
| Draw 0-0 | 8/1 |
| Reims Win 2-0 | 10/1 |
| Draw 2-2 | 12/1 |
How to watch Reims vs. Metz in Ligue 1
- Date: Thursday 29th May, 2025
Time: 19:00 BST
- Location: Stade Auguste-Delaune II, Reims
- TV/Stream: The second leg of the Ligue 1/2 relegation/promotion play-off will not be televised in the UK but can be streamed live via subscribing to a Ligue 1 Pass.