Nice vs PSG: Match Preview and Prediction

Date: October 6, 2024. Time: 21:45. Venue: Allianz Riviera, Nice
Competition: Ligue 1, Matchday 7

Where to Watch: MEGOGO

Injuries: Lyabord, Bard, Sanson, Moffi, Scho (?), Ndombele (?) - Ramos, Hernandez, Kimpembe

The seventh round of Ligue 1 concludes with a clash at the Allianz Riviera between Nice and PSG. Both representatives of Ligue 1 had disappointing European results midweek and will be eager to redeem themselves in the league. PSG will be looking to maintain their position at the top of the table, while Nice aims to move up from the middle of the rankings.

Nice

The arrival of Franck Haise at Nice this summer, who had a successful stint at Lens, has yet to yield immediate results. The Eagles have only looked convincing in their matches against relegation battlers, thrashing Angers 4-1 away and humiliating Saint-Etienne 8-0 at home.

In the other matches, the Côte d'Azur representatives have struggled to achieve similar results, starting with a 1-2 loss away to fellow newcomer Auxerre. They also suffered defeat in the derby against Marseille, falling 0-2. Draws were recorded at home against Toulouse (1-1) and away at Lens (0-0). This lack of effectiveness can be attributed to injuries to several key attacking players.

Nice's start to the European season has also been disappointing for their supporters. While they managed to avoid defeat at home against Real Sociedad, coming back to draw 1-1, their away trip to Rome ended in disaster as Lazio scored four goals in response to their solitary strike. The Eagles risk extending their winless streak across all competitions to four games against PSG. However, they have managed to defeat the Parisians twice in their last six encounters, including an away win last season.

PSG

This week, PSG suffered their first loss of the season, going down 0-2 in their Champions League match against Arsenal. Despite the narrow scoreline, it is essential to acknowledge that the Parisians were outclassed in the fixture, conceding two goals in the first half and failing to create significant chances to alter the game's momentum. This defeat has reignited discussions regarding PSG's ability to succeed in the main European competition, raising concerns that the competition in Ligue 1 is too weak for the true strength of the Parisians to be acknowledged.

Luis Enrique appeared in poor spirits following the game in London, reluctant to field questions from journalists. Nonetheless, PSG's season seems to be heading in the right direction overall. They secured a narrow 1-0 win against Girona in their opening Champions League match, despite relatively low conversion rates. In the league, they have only dropped two points from six matches, following a draw away to Reims.

Their other five fixtures have all been victories, each with a margin of at least two goals, seeing them triumph over fellow French teams Lille and Brest in the Champions League. A similar 3-1 scoreline was recorded at home against Rennes in the previous round. Teams from the lower table have suffered heavy defeats, including a 4-1 loss to Le Havre and a 6-0 thrashing by Montpellier. Barcola has emerged as a worthy replacement for Mbappe in attack, netting six goals already, while newcomer Neves has provided five assists, establishing a solid partnership with Zaire-Emery and Ruiz in midfield. Thus, a third consecutive victory for the Parisians at Allianz Riviera would not come as a surprise.

Projected Lineups: Nice vs PSG

Lyabord, Bard, Sanson, and Moffi will not play for Nice. The participation of Scho and Ndombele is also uncertain. For PSG, Ramos, Hernandez, and Kimpembe are sidelined. Dembele may continue to remain out of the squad following a fallout with Enrique.

Author's Prediction for Nice vs PSG

PSG has only managed to keep a clean sheet once this season, and I expect Nice to exploit the Parisians' sometimes unreliable defense. However, their attack compensates for defensive troubles, and we can anticipate at least two goals in response from the visitors.