Get ready for one of the most interesting clashes in Europe this week because Monaco and Nice have the same number of points, and their place in the top three in Ligue 1 is what's at stake in this fixture.
Monaco and Nice's performances this season have been frighteningly similar. The teams have the same number of points, the same goal difference (+19), and currently have the same results in the last five rounds – three wins, one draw, and one loss each. Their form is the same, and they score and concede the same number of goals.
Monaco have had interesting games in the last month or two, recording both spectacular wins (7-1 over Nantes) and tough losses (2-1 to Lille). The team has shown that it is capable of scoring a lot of goals, but also that their defense is far from perfect. The same can be said for the visitors.
The Eaglets had a great February, recording four consecutive Ligue 1 wins. With this performance, they managed to climb to third place in the league before the two poor games two weeks ago. First, they conceded a heavy 0-2 loss to Lyon at home and then a surprising draw against Auxerre, again as hosts.
How the bookies view it: Did they get it wrong?
Bookmakers expect Monaco to win this match, giving them a significant edge in the odds. This is an interesting decision, considering the equal form of both teams and the first match between them this season. You can pick Monaco at 9/10, while the draw and Nice's win are available at 29/10 each.
Recent head to head: Nice have the short-term advantage
The interesting thing about Monaco vs Nice matches is that there is almost always a winner. Only one of the last 10 H2Hs has ended in a draw. Another key detail is the fact that the games are almost always extremely tight and usually end with a maximum goal difference for one of the two teams.
Monaco have the overall advantage with six wins in the last 10 matches, but Nice won three of the last five, including the reverse fixture earlier in the season (2-1).
Players to watch: Biereth's future is bright
Monaco had trouble scoring goals in the first half of the season but made a strong transfer in January. Bringing in Mika Biereth from Sturm Graz has yielded quick results, with the 22-year-old Dane now having as many as 11 goals for the team in just nine Ligue 1 games. More importantly, he scored 10 of them in the team's home games, including two hat-tricks. We expect a strong performance from the young player.
Probable line-ups
Monaco: Kohn, Singo, Vanderson, Mawissa, Kehrer, Camara, Zakaria, Akliouche, Minamino, Ben Seghir, Biereth
Nice: Bulka, Ndayishimiye, Bombito, Dante, Clauss, Santamaria, Boudaoui, Abdi, Laborde, Cho, Guessand
Anything else catch the eye?
It often happens that important clashes like this end in a draw or even without goals. We don't expect this match to be one of those examples, at least when it comes to the goals. Both teams are scoring an average of two goals per game this season and have definitely had strong performances in recent weeks. With rare exceptions, of course.
Interestingly, only one of the teams scored in three of the last five H2Hs. But the last two meetings ended at 2-1 and 2-3. We expect a similar result and we don't recommend picking a side. Both teams have equal chances of winning, even if the odds suggest a win for Monaco. Bet on goals and skip the FT result bets.
Another option is to try betting on cards. It's surprising how the main market sits at Over 3.5 cards. The previous game between the teams this season had six yellow cards, plus the red card for Vanderson, and the previous game at this stadium from last season had nine yellows and another red card.
This French Ligue 1 match between Monaco and Nice will be played on and kick off at 20:05. Check below for our tipsters best Monaco vs Nice prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
GambleAware