FC Koln vs Nice prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-11-02 20:00.
Group D of the 2022/23 UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) was anticipated to be a hotly-contested affair, with all four clubs working their way through the play-off round to get there, so it’s no surprise that the two remaining games are both do-or-die affairs for three of the four teams. The bulk of the pressure will be on German hosts Cologne, who must win against Nice due to various tiebreaks against their top-two rivals not going their way.
From the moment Cologne had to overcome a 1-2 home defeat to Hungary’s MOL Fehervar just to reach this group stage, their home form has been anything but assured. Just three victories from their last eight home games in all competitions (D2, L3) is hardly a solid platform for a must-win assignment, and they continue to do themselves the disservice of sluggish starts, scoring just two first-half goals and conceding 11 in return across their last nine competitive fixtures at home or away.
Nice’s progression would be assured with a draw regardless of the result of Slovácko’s trip to Belgrade in Group D’s other game, and whilst having to go to the knockout round playoffs would be no disaster given five of the eight UECL participants defeated the UEL entrants at that stage last year, avoiding two extra matches in an already jam-packed schedule is perhaps the greatest reward on offer.
Boss Lucien Favre is no stranger to continental success, guiding Nice to the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 during the final season (2017/18) of his previous stint. Nice would then go on to lose four consecutive away trips across all UEFA competitions by an aggregate score of 4-11, but with positive results away to both Partizan (D 1-1) and Slovácko (W 1-0) so far in Group D, topping a UEFA group for the first time in their history could be their destiny.
Key battle: Steffen Tigges could be key to Cologne’s fortunes after scoring in his last two UECL starts, while marshalling him, Nice captain and centre-back Dante has never lost any of his nine appearances against Cologne (W5, D4) in all tournaments.
Hot stat: Nice coach Favre has won eight of his 11 matches against Cologne in all competitions (D1, L2).