Stubborn Reims to halt the Lille offensive
Two sides involved in score draws on the opening day go head-to-head on gameweek two of the Ligue 1 2020/21 season. Last term’s surprise package and sixth placed finishers Reims host Lille in looking to get their first win on the board and backup their previous successes. With David Guion’s side preparing for potentially lucrative Europa League football this season, Christophe Galtier’s Lille came fourth in 2019/20, painfully missing the Champions League spots by a whisker. Despite Reims being the second lowest side in the division last term they will be confident of challenging the six-time Ligue 1 champions on Sunday afternoon.
Background
Reims posted the best defensive record in Ligue 1 last term, only conceding 21 goals from 28 matches, catching the eye of many, leading to the loss of two key defenders in this summer’s transfer window. They pegged back from a two-goal lead to frustratingly draw 2-2 in Monaco last time out, suggestions that this game could be equally as entertaining and hard to believe with eight of Lille’s last nine matches bringing under 2.5 goals. The hosts have kept a clean sheet in their first home league game of a campaign for the last five seasons, this may not live up to its billing for a neutral.
Transfer business
Reims lost resolute attritional defenders in the form of centre back Axel Disasi to Monaco for £11.7million and left back Hassane Kamara to Nice for £3.6million. They have looked to replace the latter with 22-year-old Thibault De Smet from Sint-Truiden, it will be a huge hats off to the data analytics department should he fill Kamara’s void with the player signed for just £630,000 up front. To improve their attacking output, they have brought in attacking midfielder Fraser Hornby from Everton and the marquee signature is Kosovo international Valon Berisha from Lazio for £3.87million. Central midfield general Berisha spent most of last season on loan in the Bundesliga at relegated Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Lille have gone for experience to accompany their youthful £28.8million investment in Jonathan David with trusty frontman Burak Yilmaz from Besiktas. The 35-year-old is a great in his homeland of Turkey, previously turning out for top sides Trabzonspor, Galatasary, Besiktas and Fenerbahce and his achieved a tally of 187 goals in 323 Super Lig outings, a ratio of just under 0.6 goals per game. They have also sourced exciting young talent in form of defensive midfielder Eugenio Pizzuto from Pachuca, though it is yet to be seen how involved the youngster will be.
Jonathan Bamba got off the mark for the campaign in the last match and Lille certainly have the better side on paper, yet Reims are stubborn and will battle hard to earn a point.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
The aforementioned Jonathan Bamba bagged the only goal of the game as Lille rise to fifth.