Strasbourg vs Lyon – News and Probable Lineups

The closing encounter of Ligue 1 this weekend finds Strasbourg welcoming Lyon on Sunday at Stade de la Meinau, marking their first home match of the month.

Prior to matchday 23, the Alsatian side occupies seventh place, following a 2-2 draw against Marseille last weekend, while Lyon is in third position after achieving a 2-0 victory against Nice at home.

Match overview

Taking a slow start has been a recurring theme for Strasbourg lately, as they have found themselves conceding the first goal in each of their league outings in February within the early phases of the match.

Fortunately, Gary O’Neil’s squad managed to overcome an early setback last weekend, scoring twice in the last 20 minutes to halt a two-match losing streak in Ligue 1.

Late goals have been another characteristic of their play in the 2025-26 season, with six of their strikes coming after the 75th minute; among those, three have been decisive winners, and one secured a draw.

Strasbourg has dropped points in three out of their last four home fixtures in this competition and could experience back-to-back losses at Stade de la Meinau on Sunday for the first time this season.

Currently, entering matchday 23, they find themselves three points behind Rennes and Lille in the race for a spot in Europe next season with twelve matches still to play.

Le Racing has triumphed in their last two encounters with Olympique Lyonnais at home, including a remarkable 4-2 victory in this same fixture last season.

Amid financial uncertainty and the looming threat of relegation during the late stages of 2024-25, few would have anticipated the current form displayed by Lyon this season.

Paulo Fonseca’s team remains unbeaten in 2026, now on a 13-match winning streak across all competitions.

Out of these victories, seven have come in Ligue 1, allowing them to maintain a five-point lead over Marseille for the final automatic qualification spot in next season’s Champions League Group Stage.

Defensively, Lyon has been nearly unyielding in Ligue 1, allowing only four goals in their last seven league outings while achieving three consecutive clean sheets.

A win on Sunday would match their away victories in the top-flight from last season (six) and extend their winning streak on the road to six across all competitions.

Les Gones have secured four victories in their last five competitive matches against Strasbourg, but have not won at Stade de la Meinau since 2023 (2-1).

Team News

While Ismael Doukoure could return from suspension, his availability is uncertain due to an injury, and the same applies to Sam Amo-Ameyaw and Emanuel Emegha.

In addition, Maxi Oyedele is dealing with a muscular issue, Aaron Anselmino is a doubt because of a leg injury, and Guela Doue is struggling with an ankle concern.

Sebastian Nanasi sparked their comeback at Marseille last week, netting his third goal of the season, while Joaquin Panichelli converted a penalty deep into stoppage time, marking his twelfth goal in Ligue 1 this term.

On the opposing side, Lyon may be without Orel Mangala and Ruben Kluivert due to injuries, with Afonso Moreira troubled by a tight hamstring, and Nicolas Tagliafico and Malick Fofana are doubtful with ankle issues.

Roman Yaremchuk is likely to miss the match due to a calf problem, while Ernest Nuamah is out with a cruciate ligament tear.

Corentin Tolisso and Noah Nartey scored against Nice last weekend, with Dominik Greif recording three saves for his ninth clean sheet, which is tied for the most in the league so far with Paris Saint-Germain’s Lucas Chevalier.

Strasbourg probable starting XI:

Penders; Omobamidele, Hogsberg, Cisse, Chilwell; El Mourabet, Boat; Moreira, Enciso, Godo; Panichelli

Lyon probable starting XI:

Count; Hateboer, Mata, Niakhate; Maitland-Niles, Morton, Tessmann, Karabec; Tolisso, Nartey; Sulc

While Lyon holds significant momentum at this time, the tenacity exhibited by Strasbourg, particularly at home, leads us to believe they may secure a point against the visitors who have been outstanding for several months.