Between the last match of the season at home, the stakes in the race for the playoffs, the anniversary of Butte Paillade, the uncertainty surrounding the future of the club and Teji Savanier, the Montpellier – Clermont match on May 2, 2026, promises to be rich in emotions and symbols.
This Montpellier – Clermont match, counting for the 33rd of Ligue 2, will have a dimension that goes beyond the simple framework of football. Beyond the sporting stakes, the race for the playoffs, to access them from one side and to avoid them from the others, the symbols will be strong. The sale of the club no longer being a distant idea but an increasingly concrete possibility, Laurent Nicollin could live his last match at La Mosson while being at the helm of the club founded by his father in 1974. Teji Savanier, one of the embodiments of MHSC on the field since 2019, with its (many) highs and (many) lows, could also bid farewell before the Pailladin audience. The players, however, do not want to be disturbed.
Is this Teji Savanier’s last match at La Mosson with MHSC?
At the end of his contract in June, Teji Savanier does not yet know what his future holds. The playmaker has played 208 matches (50 goals, 38 assists) with Montpellier since his transfer from Nîmes in 2019. Making him the 21st most capped player in the history of MHSC. This season, Savanier has played 23 matches (five goals, three assists).
After a season marked by rumors of departure and a spell on the bench, he returned in grace in autumn and early winter, before gradually falling out of the starting eleven from February onwards. Hindered by his knee that had to undergo a minor medical procedure, then prevented by a calf injury, Teji Savanier has not had any starting appearance in the last ten league matches. In the squad but remaining on the bench against Annecy and Amiens, he played the last quarter of an hour against Grenoble in the last home match.
This could be Teji Savanier’s last chance with MHSC
This blockbuster of the 33rd matchday of Ligue 2 promises to be thrilling, both at the top and bottom of the table. For the Paillade, it will be about winning to keep a chance of reaching the playoffs at the end of the season. Currently, Montpellier, in 7th place, is two points behind Reims (5th) and Rodez (6th), and four points behind Red Star – whom MHSC will face on May 9th at Stade Bauer.
The emotional charge will be heavy around these hypothetical last moments, whether for Savanier or the Nicollin family.
This context, coach Zoumana does not want to emphasize. Explaining that they need to focus on the match and not get lost in questions about the future. They prefer to see it as a fitting end to a good season.
Another symbol in this intense evening is the anniversary of Butte Paillade. And not just any anniversary, as the group celebrates its 34th year. The ultras have given a taste of the celebration to come at Annecy, promising a lively celebration at home. Butte Paillade, which has brewed a beer for the occasion, invites everyone to start the procession at 5:34 pm, and gather in the “bloc” at 7:34 pm.
