Nice showed their character yet again with a 1-0 win at Guingamp in midweek. Questions were being asked of the Ligue 1 leaders after their disappointing 1-1 home draw to Bastia last weekend but they bounced back in impressive fashion with a win against a tough Guingamp team. At home Nice will play to win. They don’t always dominate games but have better technical players than Toulouse and should be able to enjoy plenty of possession. Nice are weaker at both ends of the field as striker Balotelli and centre-back Baysse are still sidelined. The pair have been big players for Nice this season but the team has shown signs in recent weeks of learning to cope and play well without the duo.
Toulouse will go into this game in a more positive frame of mind after their 1-0 win over Montpellier in midweek. That was an important victory that boosted morale and kept Toulouse in a solid mid-table position. It was an average performance, however, meaning Toulouse will expect to come under plenty of pressure here. Their priority will be to frustrate Nice for long spells. Their chances of picking up a draw – a result they’d be happy with – are weakened by the fact first-choice centre-backs Jullien and Diop are out. The pair were missing against Montpellier but it will be a stiffer challenge to get a result without the pair here. The ongoing absence of playmaker Trejo makes Toulouse weaker in midfield.
Verdict & Prediction
Nice will be in a positive frame of mind after their excellent 1-0 win at high-flying Guingamp on Wednesday night. That impressive victory once again showed the character of this side, coming as it did after they’d dropped points at home to Bastia (1-1) last weekend. At home they’ll be 100% motivated to win so expect a fully focused and positive performance from the hosts.
Prediction: Nice -0.50 AH (same as Nice to win)
Odds: 1.88 Pinnacle
We also posted an article about home court advantage in NBA, check it out here.
