Verdict: Nice draw no bet
Best Odds: 6/5
Bookmaker: Bet365
With the chance to officially announce another season of Ligue 1 football, Monaco will travel to the Allianz Riviera on Friday night.
Nice
Starting with the hosts, although Nice may have slumped to a 3-0 loss against a high-flying Saint Etienne in their penultimate fixture of the season, Patrick Vieira will be impressed with his sides overall consistency at the back end of the campaign. Losing just two of their previous nine Ligue 1 encounters and securing a top-half finish with time to spare, undoubtedly Les Aiglons’ form on home soil will be most impressing the former Arsenal midfielder. Aside from a surprise 1-0 loss at home to relegation scrappers Caen last month, Nice are unbeaten in their other 12 French top-flight appearances at the Allianz Riviera, a run that stems all the way back to the 21st of November. Despite their stable end to the year, Vieira will be looking for his side to show some more bite in the final third. With no player at the Allianz Riviera scoring more than seven league goals this season and leading marksman Youcef Atal failing to find the net in seven of his last eight appearances, Nice have failed to score more than a single goal in 90 minutes in 14 of their last 15 Ligue 1 matchups.
Team News
Patrick Vieira will be missing Wylan Cyprien, Mohamed Diaby, and Myziane Maolida due to injuries. Center back Dante is eligible to return having served suspension.
Monaco
As for the visitors, while the former French giants may have managed to pick up a 2-0 win over Amiens last weekend, a result that all but secured another Ligue 1 season for next year, it does not cover what has been a worrying campaign for returning Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim. Despite securing a second-place finish last season, Les Monégasques find themselves holding just a three-point buffer over the drop zone and have now managed to record just a single victory in any of their last eight outings. Despite hosting a squad glittering with talent, a huge part of Monaco’s struggles this season has come down to their continued issues away from the Stade Louis II. Suffering a 1-0 loss away at Reims in their last appearance on the road, the Red and Whites have failed to win any of their last four matches on their travels and have picked up just a single Ligue 1 away victory since the middle of December.
Team News
Leonardo Jardim will be missing goalkeeper Danijel Subasic and forwards Willem Geubbels, Stevan Jovetic, and Pietro Pellegri due to injuries. Center back Jemerson will miss out via suspension.
Key Factors to Consider
- Nice have lost just one of their last 13 Ligue 1 matches at the Allianz Riviera, a run that stems back to October.
- Patrick Vieira’s side have also kept six clean sheets in their last nine matches on home soil.
- Monaco have recorded just one victory in their last eight Ligue 1 appearances.
- Friday’s visitors have also managed just one away victory in 2019.
- Monaco have shipped 55 Ligue 1 goals this season, the third worst defensive record in the division.
Conclusion
While Nice are unable to secure another season of European football, they should see Friday as a golden opportunity to end their season on a high. Given Les Aiglons’ continued performances at the Allianz Riviera, coupled with Monaco’s well-publicized issues on the road this year, we’re backing Friday’s hosts to come away with the victory on the final round of Ligue 1 fixtures.
Verdict: Nice draw no bet
Best Odds: 6/5
Bookmaker: Bet365
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