Nice, aiming to maintain their current eight-game unbeaten streak in the league, are set to host Strasbourg at Allianz Riviera on Sunday night for matchday 12 of the 2024-25Ligue 1 season.
The hosts are sixth in the table with 17 points from 11 outings, while the visitors are 11th in the standings with 13 points from their opening 11 fixtures.
Match preview
© Imago
Nice have endured an extremely inconsistent start to the 2024-25 season, having won four, drawn seven and lost four of their opening 15 matches across all competitions.
They managed just two wins in their first 11 fixtures across all competitions, beating Angers 4-1 and smashing Saint-Etienne 8-0, losing four and drawing five matches in that time.
Nice eventually secured back-to-back wins for the first time this campaign when they beat AS Monaco 2-1 and Brest 1-0, followed by two consecutive draws, leaving them unbeaten in their last four, while they are also without defeat in their last eight league outings.
That form has left them sitting precariously inside the top six with 17 points, only ahead of seventh-placed Reims and eighth-placed Lens on goal difference, but a win here could see them move into third depending on results elsewhere.
Franck Haise's side will fancy their chances of collecting all three points in this game, given they are yet to be beaten at home in the league this term, while they have also defeated Strasbourg in each of the last two meetings.
Strasbourg's form has also been inconsistent at the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign, with the Blue-and-Whites coming into this match in 11th place with 13 points, from three wins, four draws and four defeats.
Liam Rosenior, who took over as the new manager in July, is likely to be largely pleased with that start though, given Strasbourg have finished 15th and 13th in the last two years.
Now aiming to bring an end to a recent two-game losing streak, with defeats to Saint-Etienne and Monaco, Strasbourg will look to secure their first away win of the campaign.
Team News
© Imago
Nice are set to be without Ali Abdi, Antoine Mendy, Hicham Boudaoui, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Morgan Sanson and Terem Moffi for this game due to a number of injury issues.
Evan Guessand is Nice's top scorer in the league this campaign with six goals in 11 appearances, and the striker is expected to start alongside Mohamed-Ali Cho and Jeremie Boga here.
As for the visitors, Alaa Bellaarouch, Emanuel Emegha, Mamadou Sarr, Dion Sahi and Thomas Delaine are all ruled out through injury, while Habib Diarra is also out with a suspension.
Andrey Santos, on loan from Chelsea, has been Strasbourg's goal threat in the league this season with five goals in 10 games, and they will look to the midfielder for goals once again in this one.
Nice possible starting lineup:
Bulka; Ndayishimiye, Bombito, Bard; Clauss, Rosario, Ndombele, Diop; Guessand, Cho, Boga
Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Petrovic; Doue, Sow, Sylla; Bakwa, Doukoure, Santos, Moreira; Lukovic, Nanasi, Mara
We say: Nice 2-1 Strasbourg
The hosts are enjoying a positive run of results heading into this match, and with Strasbourg having failed to win away from home thus far, we believe Nice will win this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
