Ligue 1 returns this weekend, and Nice will host Toulouse in a difficult first-round clash. Will the Eaglets bounce back after their disappointing trip to Portugal or will Toulouse make their season start even more worrying?
Ligue 1 fans will remember the exceptional winning streak that helped Nice finish 4th last season in the very last round. But these efforts were in vain, as the Eaglets exited the Champions League qualifications immediately. The draw placed them against Benfica, and Nice lost back-to-back with 4-0 on aggregate. Coach Franck Haise needs to find a solution, as Nice produced almost zero chances in 180 minutes.
On the other side, this will be Toulouse's first match of the new campaign, as the team finished 10th last season. While finishing around the middle of the table is nothing unusual for the team, their pre-season form already raises questions about their ability to stay competitive in this league.
It remains to be seen how well the new signings, like Santiago Hidalgo and Abu Francis, will fit into the team. Meanwhile, the Violets already have a whole list of injured players, which is never a good thing, but especially before the start of the new season.
How the bookies view it: They favour the hosts
Nice no longer seem that far ahead in terms of strength, and bookmakers understand that, despite the betting advantage. You can currently pick Nice at 11/10, while Toulouse and the draw are both priced at 12/5.
Recent head to head: Back-to-back draws
Nice and Toulouse have had one of the most intense rivalries in recent years, often sharing the spoils. Five of the last 10 H2Hs ended level, while Nice have a minimal advantage with three wins to two. Both games last season ended in draws.
Players to watch: Time for Jansson's first goal?
Both sides were busy on the transfer market, but mostly made good business from departures. Nice sold Evann Guessand, who had 21 goal contributions in Ligue 1 last season. But did they find a replacement? It is hard to predict a goalscorer in this matchup, especially after Nice's 1.23 xG in two games against Benfica and Toulouse's catastrophic pre-season. But we would put a small stake on Isak Jansson to score his first goal for Nice. He arrived from Rapid Vienna for €10.0m last month and already played four matches with the team.
Probable line-ups
Nice: Diouf, Mendy, Bah, Oppong, Clauss, Rosario, Boga, Boudaoui, Bard, Moffi, Ngeune
Toulouse: Restes, Cresswell, McKenzie, Nicolaisen, Kamanzi, Casseres, Sierro, Donnum, Edjouma, Magri, Gboho
Anything else catch the eye?
This is a difficult fixture to predict as neither side has shown much promise in recent weeks. And we definitely can't expect an action-packed game. This rivalry always produces tight games, with the last case of either side winning by more than a goal being over five years ago.
Toulouse suffered during the pre-season, including friendly losses by 6-0 to Stuttgart and 7-0 to RB Leipzig. Nice played bad football against Benfica, but at least they have two competitive games behind them already. We don't see how the visitors could clutch the three points here, but we can't exactly expect too much from the hosts either. And we should also keep in mind that Toulouse haven't lost an opening fixture in four seasons in a row.
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