Metz vs Toulouse
French Ligue 1
Sunday
14th January 2024
Stade Saint-Symphorien
The most comprehensive preview, detailed analysis and reliable predictions of the French Ligue 1 fixture between Metz and Toulouse.
Metz vs Toulouse: Preview
Metz form analysis
Les Grenats come into the winter break in very poor form, without a win in their last five league matches. Their last result before the break was a 3-1 defeat away to league leaders PSG. They briefly threatened a comeback after Manuel Udol pulled a goal back to 2-1, only for Kylian Mbappe to put the game beyond doubt late on. The week before that, they fell to a narrow 1-0 loss at home to Montpellier courtesy of a Matheus Esteve goal. Prior to that, Metz lost by the same scoreline at home to Brest, with Jeremy Le Douaron hitting a 75th minute winner.
Their best recent performance came in a 2-0 reverse away to high-flying Lille, where Jonathan David’s 45th minute penalty put the game beyond reach after Yusuf Yazıcı’s opener on the stroke of halftime. The only solace for Metz was a thrilling 3-2 win away to Lorient over a month ago thanks to late goals from Ibrahima Traore and Alassane Jallow. However, Metz have struggled at both ends of the pitch in their recent matches and been unable to build on that comeback win. To avoid a relegation skirmish, manager Laszlo Boloni needs to shore up defensively and regain a cutting edge in the final third. Ending their five match winless run early in 2024 will be essential.
Toulouse form analysis
Toulouse come into the winter break in inconsistent form after a promising start to their return to Ligue 1. In their last match before the break against high-flying Monaco, Toulouse missed the chance to hold onto a 1-0 lead given to them by Fares Magri when Wissam Ben Yedder equalized midway through the first half and then scored the winner from the penalty spot for a 2-1 away win. The week before that, Toulouse held fifth-placed Rennes to a credible 0-0 draw at home.
However, prior to that they suffered a 3-0 hammering away to Lyon. Veteran striker Alexandre Lacazette rolled back the years with an impressive hat-trick. Toulouse’s best recent display came in a creditable 1-1 home draw against Lorient where substitute Thijs Dallinga came off the bench to grab them a point with a late equalizer. Overall, while Toulouse have shown they can compete well against midfield teams at home, their away form is a concern. Shoring up defensively and improving their resilience to protect leads could be key to a solid mid-table finish come May.
