Preview
Right, so we've got Reims at home to Dijon on 16 October, and if you've been following Dijon's last five, you'll know they've been absolutely cooking. Four goals against Metz on 12 October, two against Troyes, two at Annecy, three against Laval, and even the Boulogne draw saw them find the net. Five games, scored in all five, no clean sheets. That's a team that's got the confidence to walk into any ground and put the ball in the back of the net.
Now, Reims at home are no pushovers. Over their last 20 home games, they've won 10, drawn 8 and lost just 2, and in 11 of those 20, both teams have scored. That's a record that tells you Reims' home games tend to be open, and the visitors usually get a chance. Pair that with Dijon's away record — 11 wins, 8 draws, 1 loss in 20 away games, with both teams scoring in 13 of those 20 — and you've got a setup where goals look likely on both ends.
The counter-argument, and I'll be honest, it's a real one. Reims have only won one of their last five. Three draws, one loss, and they failed to score in two of those five. The 0-0 at Nantes six days ago and the 0-3 to Anderlecht two weeks ago (a friendly, but still) show a team that's struggling to find the spark up front. Their xG in the last game with data was 0.3, which is... well, it's not a lot. So can Reims actually score against a Dijon side that's been scoring in every game? That's the question.
The head-to-head doesn't help much here. The last time these two met was back in March 2021, and all five meetings on record are from the Ligue 1 era — five to eight years ago. There's no recent pattern to lean on, so we're really looking at current form and the home/away records to make a call.
Key Points:
- Dijon have scored in all five of their recent matches, including a 4-2 home win over Metz on 12 October
- Reims' home record over 20 games: 10W 8D 2L, with both teams scoring in 11 of 20
- Dijon's away record over 20 games: 11W 8D 1L, with both teams scoring in 13 of 20
- Reims have only won 1 of their last 5 matches and failed to score in 2 of them
- The head-to-head is entirely historical, with no meetings within the last 12 months
So here's my take. Dijon are scoring in every game they play, and their away record backs that up. Reims' home record tells you the visitors usually get a goal. Even if Reims are a bit rusty up front, the evidence points to both sides finding the net. I'm going with both teams to score.
