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Kick off: Friday, 18 December @19:30 GMT
Venue: Allianz Riviera (Nice)
Head to head record
Montpellier vs Nice 2-1 (2014/2015 Ligue 1)
Nice vs Montpellier 1-1 (2014/2015 Ligue 1)
Montpellier vs Nice 3-1 (2013/2014 Ligue 1)
Nice vs Montpellier 2-2 (2013/2014 Ligue 1)
Nice vs Montpellier 2-0 (2012/2013 Ligue 1)
Nice vs Montpellier prediction
The opening fixture of round 19 in Ligue 1 this Friday brings us the clash between Nice and Montpellier. The home team will want to finish the year with a victory, thus ending their winless streak. On the other hand, Rolland Courbis would like to continue the ascend of his squad in the overall standings.
A rather rough period for Nice
Even though they have had a rather good first half of the season, sitting in the fifth place in Ligue 1 overall standings, Nice is suffering from a somewhat drop in form, since the team are on a five-game winless run in all domestic competitions. The recent defeat in the French cup against Guingamp on penalties has certainly affected the players and Claude Puel needs to restore the squad’s confidence fast if he intends to finish the year with a home victory, bearing in mind that his team recorded their last win over a month ago. Another thing that will trouble the coach is that les Aiglons recorded a single triumph against la Paillade at Alianz Riviera in previous six matches (D2 L3). Nice already recorded four defeats on home turf this term and Puel will have to rely on his main hitmen, Hatem Ben Arfa (7) and Valere Germain (7) to stop the current negative trend of their team and start producing results as soon as possible.
When it comes to injured players, Nice will be without the likes of Ricardo Pereira, Mahamane Traore, Allasane Plea and Mickael Le Bihan, who are all in the recovery room for the time being.
Watch the Match via bet365 Live Stream
On the opposite side, quite the opposite situation
Rolland Courbis’ troops are in very good shape at the moment, given the fact that they lost a single game in their previous nine Ligue 1 fixtures. After a rather sluggish start of the season when they hit rock bottom, la Paillade managed to pull their act together and start their rise in the Ligue 1 standings, collecting 21 points in their last eleven games. Montpellier remained unbeaten in their last four away fixtures, and this is why they await the forthcoming clash with huge amount of confidence, since a win in this match would bring them only one point behind their next opponents. Additionally, la Paillade scored 2 goals on average in their last six fixtures, mostly thanks to their star forward, Casimir Ninga, who is on fire at the moment. The Chadian striker, who scored five goals in previous seven matches will be the biggest threat to Nice’s leaky defense in this match.
Montpellier will surely be without the likes of Joris Marveaux (thigh), Paul Lasne (knee) and Geoffrey Jourdren, who are having injury problems and remain sidelined.
Quick Facts
- Montpellier are on a four-game unbeaten streak on the road in Ligue 1 (W1 D3)
- Rolland Courbis’ men have dominated the previous fifteen meetings with Nice (W10 D4 L1)
- Nice recorded a single win on home turf against Montpellier in last six games (D2 L3)
- Les Aiglons’ boast a negative home record in Ligue 1 this term (W3 D1 L4)
- Last 5 meetings between the two sides produced 3 goals on average
Nice vs Montpellier betting tip
We have in front of us two teams with diametrically opposed forms at the moment. Although both teams have been rather efficient in attack this term, their shaky defenses prevent me from picking a sure winner in this clash. The current statistics draw me to a conclusion that we will most certainly witness goals on both sides.
Tip: Both teams to score
Odds: 1.91 (10/11) @10Bet
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Daily Specials
| Event | Promotion | Claim | Expiring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea v Sunderland | Chelsea to win is 6/1 (exclusive) | Claim | Sat @15:00 |
| England | Bury & Cardiff both to win is 19/2 | Claim | @19:45 |
| Europe | Vitesse, Schalke & Birmingham is 5/1 | Claim | @19:00 |
| Europe | Laval, Nice & Birmingham is 11/1 | Claim | @19:00 |
| Europe | Elche, Lokeren & Wisla Krakow is 9/1 | Claim | @19:30 |
| Brum v Cardiff | Birmingham to win & BTTS is 5/1 | Claim | @19:45 |
| Brum v Cardiff | Cardiff to win to nil is 4/1 | Claim | @19:45 |
| Schalke v Hoffenheim | Schalke to win & over 3.5 goals is 7/2 | Claim | @19:30 |
| Schalke v Hoffenheim | Huntelaar to score 2 or more is 5/1 | Claim | @19:30 |
| Nice v Montpellier | Montpellier to win & BTTS is 13/2 | Claim | @19:30 |
