Struggling Rodez face Ligue 2’s meanest defence
Rodez welcome Montpellier to Stade Paul-Lignon on Monday, 19 October 2026, in the 20:45 game that closes Ligue 2 matchday nine. The two Occitanie sides are heading in opposite directions: Didier Santini’s Rodez are 17th on seven points after four straight defeats, while Zoumana Camara’s Montpellier sit fifth on 15 points with the best defensive record in the division. Geoffrey Kubler takes charge.
“The only one responsible is me, not the players.” – Rodez manager Didier Santini (translated)
Predicted lineups: Rodez vs Montpellier
Rodez have goalkeeper Quentin Braat back after injury; he returned at Saint-Étienne last week and has just signed a new contract. No fresh injuries or suspensions have been reported, so the graphic shows the 5-3-2 that started that game. Montpellier are without Jérémy Hatchi, who picked up an adductor injury during the international break. Yanis Zouaoui is back in full training after a muscle problem but is unlikely to start, and centre-back Mouanga, who returned for the last 20 minutes against Grenoble, is expected to partner Julien Laporte.
Rodez Team News & Preview
Rodez have not picked up a point since the end of August, and the timing is not a coincidence. Ibrahima Baldé scored five goals in his first league games of the season before joining Lorient on loan on 1 September; Rodez scored ten goals in their first four matches with him and only four in the four without him. Braat’s injury in the same spell left them without the man many regarded as the best goalkeeper in the division last season, and the result has been 11 goals conceded in four games.
The 2-0 defeat at Saint-Étienne showed both sides of the side. Rodez worked hard, had ten shots and kept pushing to the end, but they created only 0.77 xG to the hosts‘ 1.64 and had 38% of the ball. Santini has taken the blame himself, urged the home crowd not to whistle, and called for his team to be more rigorous and more streetwise when they are under pressure.
What works for or against Rodez
- Four straight league defeats and no point since late August.
- 18 goals conceded, the most in Ligue 2, and no clean sheet in eight games.
- Quentin Braat is back in goal.
- Rodez still average 5.6 shots on target per game, one of the highest figures in the league.
Montpellier Team News & Preview
Montpellier beat Grenoble 2-0 last time out, the first time this season they have scored more than once in a league game. That sums up Camara’s side: they keep the ball (57.3% possession, the highest in Ligue 2), concede very little and grind out results. Five clean sheets in eight games is the best record in the division, and Simon Ngapandouetnbu and left-back Théo Sainte-Luce are the two highest-rated players in the squad on FotMob.
Away from home they have won at Nancy and Dunkerque, drawn at Reims and lost only at Saint-Étienne. Camara was unhappy with the Monday-night slot but clear on the message: Rodez are on a bad run, Montpellier arrive with certainties, and if Rodez are going to turn things round it should be next week.
What works for or against Montpellier
- Five goals conceded and five clean sheets in eight league games.
- Only one defeat in four away league games.
- Only eight league goals scored, with no player on more than two.
- Jérémy Hatchi is out with an adductor injury.
Rodez vs Montpellier Odds
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Rodez vs. Montpellier Stats Comparison
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Rodez vs. Montpellier Form Guide
Rodez Form, Stats & Data
The season averages flatter Rodez’s current attack because a third of their goals came from a player who has left. Since Baldé’s departure they have scored once per game, while the defensive numbers have been poor throughout: 1.99 xG against per game is the third-highest in the division. Braat’s return should help with the shot-stopping, but it does not fix the volume of chances Rodez allow.
Montpellier Form, Stats & Data
Montpellier concede fewer goals than their xG against suggests, partly thanks to Ngapandouetnbu, but even 1.21 xG against per game is one of the better marks in Ligue 2. Their attack creates more than it converts. Against the leakiest defence in the league, I expect them to get the chances they need to score at least once.
Rodez vs Montpellier: Prediction & Betting Tip
The case for Montpellier rests on the two defences. Rodez have conceded in every game and shipped 11 goals during their four-match losing run, while Montpellier have kept five clean sheets and lost only once on the road. Rodez’s attack has also lost its cutting edge since Baldé left. I want Montpellier on my side, but with their own lack of goals a draw is a live outcome, so I prefer the insurance of the Draw No Bet.
My main concern is that Rodez always make games hard work. Camara himself pointed out how much running Saint-Étienne needed to beat them, Rodez still get plenty of shots away, and Braat’s return could tighten things at the back. Montpellier’s 1.00 goals per game also leaves little margin. Even so, I think the gap in defensive quality is the decisive factor.
My selection is Montpellier Draw No Bet at 1.70 with Winz, with 1-2 as my correct-score call.