Toulouse vs Nantes prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-08-17 15:00.
[p]Toulouse head into the new Ligue 1 season aiming to build on last term’s 11th-placed finish, which was their best top-flight campaign since 2013/14, when they came ninth. Carles MartĂnez Novell’s men were even flirting with a top-half finish in 2023/24, but failing to win three of their last five games of the season (D1, L2) ultimately put those hopes to bed, with the added workload of competing in the UEFA Europa League perhaps ultimately taking its toll. [/p]
[p]Les Violets will largely rely on the same squad from last term having made very few signings this summer, although they have sold a couple of key players, including last season’s top scorer Thijs Dallinga to Bologna. Those in attendance at the Stadium de Toulouse this Sunday will however have greater concerns, since Toulouse only managed to win three home league games last campaign (D7, L7), their joint-lowest total ever in a top-flight season. [/p]
[p]Opponents Nantes will believe that the only way is up ahead of the new campaign, after a five-match winless sequence at the back end of last season (D2, L3) meant that they only avoided relegation by four points. Antoine Kombouaré was reinstated as manager just three games before that disastrous run and will have to prove he’s the right man for the job once again in his second spell in charge of the club.[/p]
[p]The 60-year-old will be hoping that he can further improve on Nantes’ recent favourable H2H record, as they have lost just three of the last 16 league encounters against Toulouse (W7, D6). To ensure that sequence gets even better, the Canaries, who possessed the second-worst attack in Ligue 1 last term, will be targeting a change of fortunes in that regard as they look for an even greater contribution from Matthis Abline after he arrived on a permanent deal from Rennes this summer following his promising loan spell at the Stade de la Beaujoire in 2023/24.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Expect Toulouse captain Vincent Sierro to make a beeline for any dead balls, since six of his seven goals last season came from penalties or direct free-kicks. Nantes’ Mostafa Mohamed will also be sniffing out any opportunity to put the ball in the net, having taken a liking to facing Toulouse by registering five goal contributions (G3, A2) in his three career league appearances against them. [/p]
[p]Hot streak: Nantes have failed to win their opening game of a Ligue 1 campaign in each of their last seven seasons (D3, L4). [/p]
[p][i]Written by Peter Stavrinou[/i][/p]