Stade Geoffroy-Guichard will be packed to capacity as St Etienne and Metz face off in the Ligue 1 relegation playoffs final on Thursday evening.
Les Verts are determined to secure their return to the French top division, and we are confident they will give their all in this crucial first leg. With no new injury concerns, Olivier Dall’Oglio is likely to stick with the same lineup that defeated Rodez in the semifinals.
Conversely, Les Grenats concluded the regular season poorly, suffering a four-game losing streak in the national championship, making a home victory for St Etienne seem probable.
For Metz, Joel Asoro and Benjamin Tetteh are out due to injuries. Coach Laszlo Boloni is expected to stick with the 4-3-3 formation. In their last competitive meeting, Metz defeated St Etienne 3-1, so the hosts will be eager to exact revenge.
Prediction: 1-0
