Strasbourg vs Auxerre: can the hosts end their run of poor results?
On November 1, 2026, Strasbourg will host Auxerre in the ninth round of Ligue 1. The match will take place at Stade de la Meinau, with kickoff scheduled for 3:00 p.m. local time. For the hosts, this is an excellent opportunity to finally climb out of the danger zone, while the visitors will look to continue improving their position in the table.
At first glance, the teams do not appear to be too far apart in terms of overall level, but their current form is noticeably different. Strasbourg simply cannot escape their prolonged crisis, while Auxerre have gradually found their rhythm after a poor start. The visiting side should certainly not be written off.
Strasbourg: the crisis continues
The start of the season has been rather painful for the Alsatians. After eight rounds, the team has collected just seven points and sits 16th in the league. Strasbourg have two wins and one draw to their name, while the other five matches ended in defeat. The latest run is particularly concerning: Hugo Oliveira’s men have lost four Ligue 1 matches in a row.
In the previous round, Racing travelled to Rennes and suffered a heavy blow — a 3-0 defeat. The opponents capitalized on the Alsatians’ defensive problems, while Oliveira’s team failed to produce a convincing response. Before that came defeats to PSG (3-1), Nice (2-1) and Paris FC (2-1). The only positive result during this spell was a 1-1 draw with Monaco.
At the same time, it would be unfair to say that Strasbourg have shown absolutely nothing going forward. The team has scored 12 goals in eight rounds, exactly as many as Auxerre. The main problem lies at the other end of the pitch: 18 goals conceded is one of the worst records in the league. Moreover, the Alsatians have yet to keep a clean sheet in Ligue 1.
The coaching change is another important factor. After Gary O’Neil left for Ipswich, the team was taken over by Portuguese coach Hugo Oliveira. So far, however, the managerial switch has not produced the expected effect. Of course, the new coach needs time, but the team’s position in the table means results are required immediately.
Much will depend on Jessim Yassine in attack, with the forward having scored two goals and provided two assists in the league. Giovanni Reyna could also play an important role thanks to his ability to create chances between the lines. However, the hosts must take their personnel issues into account: Joaquín Panichelli is still recovering from a cruciate ligament injury, while Ismaël Doukouré, Sebastian Nanasi and Fábio Balde are among the players carrying injuries and remain doubtful for the match.
Auxerre: Will Still’s team is gradually coming to life
Auxerre’s situation looks somewhat more encouraging. After eight rounds, the team sits 12th with 10 points. That is still far from any serious ambitions, but the latest results offer reason to expect further progress.
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The start of the league campaign was not particularly convincing for the Burgundians, but they have become far more consistent of late. In their previous five Ligue 1 matches, Auxerre have recorded three wins, one draw and one defeat. Their away victory over Le Havre, a 3-1 success, stands out in particular.
In the last round, Will Still’s team hosted Le Mans but were unable to secure the desired result, settling for a 1-1 draw. The hosts had chances to win, but ultimately dropped two points. Even so, the result should not greatly dampen the players’ mood: before that, they had beaten Brest (2-1) and Le Havre (3-1).
Still has gradually
managed to improve the understanding between the lines, and the team have become more confident in attack. Their defence, however, still looks far from reliable: Auxerre have also conceded 18 goals in eight rounds.
Moreover, only three of their four away league matches ended in defeat? No — away from home, the team have one win and three losses, making road fixtures their clear weakness.
The main attacking hope is Cameron Archer. The English striker has scored five goals in six league appearances and is currently the team’s leading scorer. Danny Namaso also deserves attention, having contributed three goals and two assists. Romain Faivre can add the necessary creativity to the attacking play.
However, the visitors also have personnel problems. Assane Dioussé, Marvin Senaya, Rémy Labeau-Lascary and Thély Sivera will be unavailable due to injuries. Sékou Fofana is also doubtful.
Head-to-head record
Looking at the previous meetings, the advantage belongs to Strasbourg. In the last 10 head-to-head matches, the Alsatians have recorded six wins, Auxerre have won three times, and one game ended in a draw.
That said, the most recent results are also worth noting. In March 2026, the teams played out a goalless draw at Auxerre (0-0), while in October 2025, Strasbourg comfortably defeated this opponent at home, winning 3-0.
Moreover, the Burgundians have failed to beat the Alsatians in their last four league meetings. That gives the hosts an additional psychological edge, although the teams’ current form means this statistic should be treated with caution.
It is difficult to identify a clear favourite in this fixture. On the one hand, Strasbourg have home advantage and a historically strong record against Auxerre. On the other, four consecutive league defeats have hardly boosted Oliveira’s players’ confidence.
The visitors currently look more impressive in terms of results, and the Archer-Namaso partnership could cause plenty of problems for the hosts’ defence. At the same time, Auxerre’s own backline is far from perfect, so a completely cagey encounter is unlikely.
I expect a fairly open match in which both teams will create chances to score. Strasbourg need to end their poor run, while Auxerre are more than capable of taking advantage of their opponents’ nerves and bringing points back from Alsace.
Even so, I will give the hosts a slight edge thanks to home advantage and their positive head-to-head record.
Prediction: both teams to score — yes.
