Nice vs Strasbourg prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2022-08-13 15:05.
The anticipated return of Lucien Favre for his second stint as Nice manager didn’t quite go to plan, as the team laboured to a 1-1 draw with Toulouse in their Ligue 1 opener, where high-profile recruit Aaron Ramsey salvaged a point with a late equaliser. The Allianz Riviera will now welcome Favre and his troops home with high expectations, considering the Eaglets ended last season by winning seven of their final ten home matches (D1, L2).
They’ll need all that confidence when Strasbourg come to town though, as Nice have lost three of the last four home H2Hs in Ligue 1 (W1). Another H2H defeat here would be far from the fairytale start for Favre, who will undoubtedly be looking to scale the heights he previously achieved back in 2016/17 when he guided Nice to third-place, which is still their highest league finish since the mid-70s!
Strasbourg would’ve been full of confidence heading into the season opener after securing their highest top-flight finish since 1979/80 of sixth place last term, but a humbling 2-1 defeat to Monaco was a stern reminder that repeating the feat would be no easy task. Manager Julien Stéphan has done minimal business in the transfer window to boost the ranks after narrowly missing out on Europe last season, but another unfavourable result here may enact some change.
The Blue-and-Whites have been left feeling blue after their first away assignment of the season in recent years, failing to win any of their last three opening road trips (D1, L2). In the hope of rectifying that run a tight affair might be on the cards, especially as Strasbourg only registered over 2.5 goals in seven away league games last season, a joint-league low.
Key battle: Nice’s other big summer signing Kasper Schmeichel registered 276 Premier League appearances before making the switch. He’ll be pushing for his first start as Nice #1 in the hope of stopping Strasbourg’s Ludovic Ajorque, who’s netted three goals on his last two trips to the Allianz Riviera.
Hot stat: In each of the last ten seasons, none of Nice’s opening home league games have been decided by more than a single goal.