Saint Etienne vs Rodez - Ligue 2

When Saint Etienne and Rodez clash at the home ground on May 15, 2026, the stakes extend well beyond a single result — this is a Ligue 2 fixture that carries real weight for both clubs. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Ahead of the first leg of the UEFA Conference League play-off tie against Czech side Jablonec at Ibrox on Thursday, McInnes said: "I said that when I spoke to Lawrence.

The two sides arrive with plenty to prove, and the Ligue 2 contest at the home ground offers a chance to lay down a marker. Saint Etienne are operating at a remarkable level, their L run and a season win rate of 83.33% placing them among the Ligue 2's very best. Rodez have struggled to string results together away from home, L over their last five with a win rate of 33.33%. The contrast in attacking output — 2.83 versus 1.83 goals per game — adds an extra layer of intrigue. The Nottingham Forest playmaker is not anticipated to leave the City Ground this summer, unless a substantial transfer fee is put on the table.

How the two sides approach the contest strategically will be key. Saint Etienne will want to control proceedings in front of their own supporters, while Rodez will back themselves to cause problems on the break. A month before his death, he was also arrested in Arkansas on charges including possession of a controlled substance.

The fixture is likely to be shaped by its key performers, with creative midfielders and clinical finishers on both sides capable of turning the game in an instant. How each side deals with the other's danger men — and who takes their chances when they come — will be central to the outcome. He would keep it close until the defender had a nibble and then shift it," says Carr.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. Expect a tight, competitive affair that could easily end all square at 3-3. With positions in the Ligue 2 table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. A more central role appears likely given the sale of Youri Tielemans to Manchester United and the anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered by Amadou Onana at the World Cup.