Montpellier vs Nantes prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-08-30 17:00.
[p]Montpellier come into Round 3 of this Ligue 1 campaign still looking for their first victory of the season (D1, L1) and in need of a confidence boost after conceding six goals to PSG for a second consecutive time. Facing any other opposition is probably a bonus in that respect, but recent form on many fronts is up against them when their next opponents, Nantes, roll into town. [/p]
[p]They’ve struggled against the side from Brittany across the last few seasons, winning just one of the last five H2Hs (D1, L3), while failing to beat fellow battlers Strasbourg in the opening round (D 1-1) was further indication that there’s little room for optimism when it comes to playing at home, as it failed to improve upon what was the joint-fewest home wins of any Ligue 1 club last season (W3, D9, L5) including the relegated trio. [/p]
[p]Nantes were another of those teams to register only three victories at home in the 2023/24 campaign but they managed to avoid the drop due to their six away wins (D3, L8). Four of those came from February onwards and they will make the long trip south to the Mediterranean coast with only two away league defeats to their name since the turn of the year (D4).[/p]
[p]Under head coach Antoine Kombouaré, who returned for a second spell in charge at the back end of last season and secured their survival, Nantes began this campaign with a goalless draw away at Toulouse followed by a 2-0 win at home against Auxerre. Their four points came with consecutive clean sheets, which is unfamiliar territory for fans of La Maison Jaune who have not gone into a league game with form like this since early December 2023.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Montpellier winger Arnaud Nordin has had an eventful last two games against Nantes with a red card in April and a goal in a 3-0 away win in May 2023. That victory represents his only personal victory in his last eight H2Hs (D4, L3)! Nantes centre back Jean-Charles Castelletto was booked in both H2Hs during the 2021/22 season and Nantes have begun this season with one of their centre backs receiving a yellow card in both matches.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Montpellier have won just three of their last 12 Ligue 1 home games as pre-match favourites (D6, L3). [/p]
[p][i]Written by Tom Penn[/i][/p]