Nice vs Lille: Match Preview and Predictions

November 10, 2024. 18:00. Nice. Allianz Riviera Stadium
French Championship, Matchday 11

Where to watch: MEGOGO

Injured: Budavi, Sanson, Moffi, Abdelmonem, Mandi (?) - Ismaili, Umtiti, Menye, Santos, Haralds, Bentaleb, Cabella, Gomes (?)

The Sunday program of Matchday 11 in the French championship will kick off with a clash between Nice and Lille at the Allianz Riviera. Both teams drew in their respective European cup matches this week and are currently positioned closely in Ligue 1 - the hosts are fifth while the visitors sit fourth with a two-point advantage.

Nice

The home draw against Twente doesn’t appear to be the best result for Nice. However, considering the unfolding events, a comeback from a 0:2 deficit seems acceptable, especially as the Eagles scored their second goal while being a man down. This draw marked only their second in the ongoing Europa League campaign, following a similar result at home against Real Sociedad. They suffered two away defeats to Lazio and Ferencvaros, meaning that under coach Eze, they are currently outside the playoff zone and will need to exert significant effort to reach it after the eighth round.

However, Nice’s domestic campaign is going better. After accumulating four points from their first four rounds, featuring away losses to Auxerre and Marseille, and just one win, the Eagles now find themselves on a six-match unbeaten run in Ligue 1. This streak began with a spectacular victory over Saint-Étienne, where they managed to score six goals in the first half. Following that, they had three draws, including one against PSG at home. In the last two rounds, they finally recorded back-to-back victories, with both opponents being Champions League contenders - a 2:1 win at home against Monaco and a 1:0 away win against Brest. Hessan has been a key player in these victories, scoring in both matches.

Nice has yet to lose at Allianz Riviera this season, although they have drawn four of their six matches across all competitions. This result is also popular for the Eagles when facing Lille, having occurred 18 times in the last 20 years, including twice in the previous season. At home, Nice has managed to win only once in their last five matches.

Lille

Lille approached their European draw with a completely different mindset. A timely goal from David allowed them to clinch a draw against Juventus. Following an opening defeat to Sporting in the tournament, coach Genesio's men have secured seven points despite a difficult schedule that has included matchups against both Madrid clubs, Real and Atletico. The Dogs now have an excellent chance to qualify for the tournament's playoffs.

Under Genesio, Lille has also excelled in the domestic league. The current unbeaten run for Lille spans 10 matches. In Ligue 1, following a sensational loss to Saint-Étienne after a home defeat to PSG, the Dogs have achieved three draws and three wins.

Notably, the Dogs have performed particularly well away from home during this period, recording clean-sheet victories against Le Havre and Lens, alongside a goalless draw with Monaco. Therefore, the last time the Dogs conceded in the league was back in mid-September during that unfortunate match against Saint-Étienne. Overall, Lille's defense has been a strong point, with only three teams conceding fewer goals. However, Nice shares this figure too with 9 goals conceded. The Dogs' attack is heavily reliant on David's form. Fortunately for them, the Canadian is currently in top shape, boasting seven goals in the league and six in the Champions League.

Nice - Lille: Expected line-ups

Budavi, Sanson, Moffi, and Abdelmonem will miss the hosts due to injuries, while Mandi's participation remains uncertain. Lille has several players sidelined, including Ismaili, Umtiti, Menye, Santos, Haralds, Bentaleb, and Cabella, with Andre Gomes' availability also questionable.

Nice - Lille: Author's prediction

A draw is a very common outcome in this confrontation, and another one wouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s also expected that both teams will not score a high number of goals here.