Caen vs Valenciennes Prediction 17.05.2024

• Competition: France - Ligue 2
• Date: Friday, 17th, May 2024
• Kickoff: 19:45 UTC +1 / 20.45 CEST
• Venue: Stade Michel d'Ornano (Caen)

Caen welcomes relegation-bound Valenciennes to Stade Michel d'Ornano for the final day of the 2023-24 Ligue 2 season, hoping to secure a top-five finish.

Caen vs Valenciennes Betting Tips: BTTS

The math is crystal clear in this one - Caen must claim maximum points, but even if they win Friday's showdown, a spot in the playoffs won't be guaranteed, instead, they'll be crossing their fingers for Rodez to come up empty-handed against a low-spirited Ajaccio side, and the likelihood of such a scenario unfolding is very slim.

Furthermore, it seems that playoff-hopefuls Caen will have to put in the effort to snatch the full three-point prize, as Valenciennes, despite sealing relegation from the second tier weeks ago, are producing unexpectedly strong performances in the final weeks, winning three league games on the bounce and will be striving to bid farewell to Ligue 2 in grand style, promising us an exciting contest in Normandy.

The defensive line of Les Vikings has been committing cardinal errors in the final stretch of the Ligue 2 season, evident in their most recent outing, where they squandered a two-goal lead to ultimately play out a dramatic 2-2 draw against battling Dunkerque, marking the ninth instance without a clean sheet in their last 11 league matches.

For their part, Valenciennes are on fire right now, winning each of their last three L2 contests, which is more success than they achieved through their first 34 matches (2), but sadly, their resurgence has come too late, considering they've long confirmed their relegation, where they'll perform in the Championnat National (third tier) next season for the first time in 19 years.

Only one of their five successes this season was achieved on enemy turf, a feat accomplished back in the early days of the campaign when they edged past Rodez 1-0 on August 26, yet since then, they have failed to register a win in any of their subsequent 15 league visits (D5, L10), shipping at least twice in four consecutive away matches.

However, since sealing their relegation fate, the Athenians have been playing with a considerably relaxed attitude, a strategy that has proven profitable in every sense, particularly in the final third, where they have found the back of the net in all but one of their last six Ligue 2 outings, and they will surely fancy their chances of getting on the scoresheet against Caen, whose defense they have breached in seven consecutive H2H's, including twice in an exciting 2-2 draw when the two sides locked horns earlier this season.

As Caen chases much-needed three points, Valenciennes is looking to bid farewell to Ligue 2 in style, so we expect an entertaining contest where the nests on both ends should bulge, just as they have in six straight encounters between this pair.