Nice vs Rennes prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-05-05 15:00.
Manager Didier Digard has urged his “struggling” Nice side to “finish in the best way possible,” despite kissing goodbye to their hopes of qualifying for European football. The Eaglets have been on a dire run of form, registering just one victory in their last eight league outings (D4, L3), slipping 11 points off the top five with just five games remaining.
That victory at least came in their last game, when Hicham Boudaoui’s early goal – his first of the season – secured a 1-0 victory over Troyes. Digard has described the Algerian as “one of the very important players of the future,” so he will be hoping the striker can now help end a run of five top-flight home matches without success for his side (D3, L2), during which time Nice have only scored three goals.
Visitors Rennes will be desperate to extend that poor form as they still harbour their own ambitions of qualifying for Europe for the sixth season running. The Red and Blacks make the long journey to the south of France having come from behind to beat Angers 4-2 last time out, and now sit just three points behind fifth-placed Lille.
What will be of concern to manager Bruno Génésio is a dreadful away record of just two wins from their last ten Ligue 1 matches on the road (D2, L6). That does not bode well for Rennes, who may also be fearing the trip to the Allianz Riviera given they have won only two of the last 14 H2Hs (D5, L7).
Key battle: Nice’s top scorer Gaëtan Laborde will be hoping to improve on an awful record of just one goal and one win in ten clashes with Rennes (D4, L5). Looking to outscore him will be visiting forward Amine Gouiri, who has helped his team to victory in 20 of the last 24 games (D2, L2) in which he has scored.
Hot stat: Nice’s Ligue 1 matches this season average a league-low of 2.15 goals per game.