Stade Tunisien vs US Ben Guerdane - Ligue 1

A fascinating Ligue 1 chapter awaits on May 8, 2026 when Stade Tunisien take on US Ben Guerdane at the home ground — two sides with plenty to play for and everything to prove. The left-back was taken off in the final minutes against Everton with cramp, and was not risked for the Champions League clash vs Sabah on Thursday.

There is little to choose between Stade Tunisien and US Ben Guerdane on paper, and the Ligue 1 encounter should reflect that balance. Stade Tunisien have blown hot and cold, W across their last five and a win rate of 33.33% that leaves room for improvement. The visitors have been hard to predict on their travels, DDLLL in their last five reflecting a win rate of 33.33%. Goals could be in short supply or plentiful — Stade Tunisien average 1.67 per game to US Ben Guerdane's 2, and that gap may dictate the rhythm of the contest. In terms of net spend, Liverpool topped the table with £219.4m, followed by Ipswich (£190.7m), Spurs (£176m) and Hull (£160.5m).

Tactically, the contest promises a fascinating contrast. Stade Tunisien will look to impose their style on home soil, while US Ben Guerdane are likely to have ideas of their own about how to gain the upper hand. It meant City had a three-man defence of Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov and Ruben Dias when in possession.

Star players on both sides will be eager to make their mark, and the individual duels across the pitch could go a long way to deciding the outcome. Set-piece specialists and aerial threats on both sides mean dead-ball situations could carry outsized importance. Ramos did eventually score the breakthrough goal midway through the second half but that was one of eight attempts at goal by the Portuguese forward - and there were no fewer than four big chances missed.

Predictions are tricky when the sides are this evenly matched, and small margins — a moment of quality, a slice of luck — could decide it either way. The signals point towards a stalemate, with the two sides closely matched across form and standings. A 2-2 draw is easy to envisage. With positions in the Ligue 1 table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters says a verdict on the alleged charges against Manchester City "has taken longer than expected".