A pair of undefeated sides in 2025 aim to close the gap for a spot in Europe next season as Toulouse welcome Strasbourg to Stadium de Toulouse on Sunday on matchday 17 of the Ligue 1 campaign.
Le Tef began the year with a 1-0 victory away to Lens, as they sit eighth in the table, four points ahead of the Alsatian club who came back to beat Auxerre 3-1 and climb up to 10th.
Match preview
© Imago
Despite having to sit back and defend for a good portion of their match with Lens, a patient Toulouse side caught a break in the second half when a red card after an hour of play to Les Sang et Or turned the tables in their favour.
Carles Martinez Novell's team took full advantage of this, firing home the only goal with fewer than 20 minutes remaining, even though they had just 34% of the possession.
That increased their winning run to three matches across all competitions, with the club from Haute-Garonne failing to concede in their previous two competitive fixtures.
Coming into this weekend, they have points in four consecutive Ligue 1 home contests, winning their last three domestic affairs at Stadium de Toulouse.
With six wins from their previous eight top-flight encounters, Toulouse are in the mix for a place in Europe, currently just three points back of Nice for a Europa Conference League spot and four below Lyon and Lille for a place in either the Europa League or Champions League qualifiers.
A victory this weekend would mark their longest home-winning run in the top flight since they returned to Ligue 1 ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
© Imago
Despite an early setback last Sunday, Strasbourg persevered, scoring three unanswered goals to win for the first time this season when conceding the opener.
Liam Rosenior is starting to see his side show more poise and quality in the attacking third of late, with this team netting three goals in three consecutive competitive fixtures.
Entering this match, Strasbourg are riding a four-match unbeaten run across all competitions, conceding just one goal over that span.
They have won their last two matches played outside Stade de le Meinau, posting a clean sheet on each of those occasions.
This weekend, they have an opportunity to win three successive matches in the top flight for the first time since December 2023 (three).
Le Racing are unbeaten in seven consecutive away fixtures versus Toulouse, with their previous defeat against them as the visitors occurring in February 2006 (2-1).
Team News
© Imago
Toulouse may have Rasmus Nicolaisen available on Sunday after he missed their game last week due to a sore ankle, while Oliver Zanden is questionable with a knock.
Niklas Schmidt, meanwhile, will be sidelined for this encounter as he serves the second game of a three-match suspension for his red card in their Coupe de France victory over Hauts Lyonnais last month (4-2 on penalties).
A 73rd-minute penalty converted by Zakaria Aboukhlal was all they needed to get past Lens in their previous encounter, his team-leading sixth of the competition.
Knee injuries could mean that Strasbourg are missing Moise Sahi and Thomas Delaine for this clash, as both players were sidelined against Auxerre.
Yoni Gomis was out last weekend with a sore foot, and Tidiane Diallo did not feature due to a knock, though both players may be available on Sunday.
Strasbourg levelled their match versus AJA last week with a Habib Diarra penalty in first-half stoppage time, before Felix Lemarechal and Emanuel Emegha netted in the second 45 minutes to give them maximum points.
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Restes; Sidibe, Cresswell, McKenzie; Donnum, Canvot, Casseres, Suazo; Aboukhlal, Genreau; King
Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Petrovic; Doue, Sarr, Doukoure, Sobol; Bakwa, Diarra, Santos, Nanasi; Mara, Emegha
We say: Toulouse 1-1 Strasbourg
These are two sides in fine form at the moment, but as good as Strasbourg have been in the attacking third, their opponents have been extremely compact defensively at home, and we expect a stalemate as a result.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
