- Red Star are 4th in Ligue 2 having collected 57 points from their 33 games.
- Montpellier are 8th in Ligue 2 having taken 50 points from 33 games.
Two of Ligue 2’s most solid sides
Red Star 93 Saint Ouen will look to continue their top-four push when they welcome Montpellier HSC to Stade Bauer on Saturday. Grégory Poirier has done a fantastic job with Red Star and his pragmatic, compact 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 system has turned them into one of the toughest teams to break down in Ligue 2. With a disciplined double pivot and the ability to sit deep and counter with pace, Red Star have all the tools to frustrate teams and are particularly effective on their own patch.
Montpellier’s Zoumana Camara is a similarly shrewd tactician, and his willingness to adapt has kept the club in the playoff race. Our Red Star 93 Saint Ouen vs Montpellier HSC preview highlights how Montpellier have enough width to stretch teams, and the attacking full-backs in their 4-2-3-1 system can push up the field, but they will sit in a back five and look to counter when out of possession. Alexandre Mendy has been the driving force of Montpellier’s success with 12 goals and three assists, while his creativity has been vital, assisting nearly half of Montpellier’s last five goals.
Home advantage
Red Star are unbeaten in three home games (W2, D1) and come into Saturday’s game off the back of consecutive wins. Damien Durand has been influential for Red Star; they recorded a 3-2 win over Guingamp, and their previous fixture saw them record an emphatic 3-1 victory away at Amiens. The Red Star 93 Saint Ouen vs Montpellier HSC prediction leans towards Red Star, as Montpellier have won one and drawn one of their last two away games, including a 2-0 win at Amiens; they also suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Clermont Foot.
The last Ligue 2 meeting between these sides finished 1-1 at Stade de la Mosson, and with both teams in good form we could be in for another close game on Saturday. However, this Red Star 93 Saint Ouen vs Montpellier HSC prediction favours the home side to win at 1.85 and we’re supporting them to make that odds a winning bet. 1.72 is a good price for over 2.5 goals, but as Red Star like to sit compact and won’t give much away, we feel Poirier’s men can keep Montpellier out. For those looking for more insight, our Red Star 93 Saint Ouen vs Montpellier HSC betting tips recommend Both teams to score - No, available at 2.17.
Montpellier have scored just 13 goals in 16 away Ligue 2 games and have struggled to break down teams at times this season, while Red Star have scored 21 in 16 home games, averaging over a goal a game at Stade Bauer. This is a tactical chess match and we’re not expecting the hosts to dominate in the offensive third, but Red Star have the pace to counter quickly and Durand is a reliable finisher when they do break.
