In round 7 of Ligue 1 fixtures, we saw some fantastic goals, fascinating games, and furious league leaders as they dropped their first points of the season. This week, with the international break just over the horizon, we are expecting players and teams to exert extra energy and produce impressive performances to ensure that their side is in the best position possible for when the football returns. In what is the pick of the bunch, today we look at Nice vs Marseille.
Nice, who could only manage a draw at home to Rennes last weekend, have recently hit their stride after a difficult start to their Ligue 1 campaign. Marseille, who achieved a good win in their last game, will hope to continue with another win to help cover-up some poor wins so far in this season. We’re eager to find out who will come out on top in this game, as we are finding it difficult to separate the sides. May the best team win!
Nice vs. Marseille
3-Way: 1: Nice +148; X: +250 Draw; 2: Marseille +220
Spread 0: Nice -132; Marseille +127
Total +2.5: Over -110; Under +106
Nice
Nice continued their unbeaten run with an entertaining 2:2 draw against Angers, when they would have hoped for at least another three points. That being said, Nice were outplayed for much of the first half, with Angers opening the scoring through a headed cross as their attacker got away from the Marseille defense for a free shot at goal. A second was soon added with a beautiful cross and a volley past the helpless goalkeeper, Yoan Cardinale. With proceedings looking bleak for Nice, they were handed a lifeline in the 39th minute when a cross hit by winger Allan Saint-Maximin was handballed in the box and a penalty was consequently awarded. Up stepped man of the hour Mario Balotelli to smash the ball into the corner for his fourth goal of the season, and to half Angers’ lead.
Les Aiglons came out onto the pitch in the second half with greater intent, with Mario Balotelli nearly adding a second when his free-kick found its way through the way but was stopped by a quick reaction save. The resulting corner gave Nice their second lifeline, as the ball was oddly headed into the Angers goal by one of the away side’s defenders. Nice, not sure how they found themselves on the front foot, pushed and persisted for a winner with Maxime Le Marchand dragging a shot wide and young winger Alassane Plea taking a long-range pop at goal, but it was well saved by the Angers keeper. It was a good second half overall for Nice, but they were unable to find their third before the ninety minutes was up.
There’s no denying that Nice was lucky but persistent, and on balance deserved at least a point from the game. The most important thing is that they are now on a five-game unbeaten streak, including their two Europa League games, which is a huge improvement on their start of the season when they won just one of their six games. At times it seemed that they weren’t going to improve after their first six games, where they scored just three goals, but now in their last five matches they have seen themselves the team score fifteen, a remarkable improvement, and have left themselves enough time and fixtures to move back into European positions by the end of the season.
Another massive positive is the continued excellent performances of Mario Balotelli, whose goal was his fourth in four league games, and has certainly been turning heads of fans and clubs around the world. Historically, Balotelli has been quite the journeyman, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he found himself an upgrade on his current club come the summer. Another thing of note is that Wesley Sneijder did not feature despite being on the bench, it will be interesting to see if he can regain form, find a way into the first eleven and reaffirm the statement that class is permanent.
Manager Lucien Favre will be without central midfielder Wylian Cyprien through a long-term cruciate ligament rupture injury, but will otherwise have a full squad for Sunday’s fixture.
Marseille
A dominating performance in front of their home crowd at the Stade Véledrome saw Marseille come out as deserved 2:0 victors over Toulouse. Marseille threatened throughout with pace and conviction upfront, with Lucas Ocampos coming close early after a clever through ball from Florian Thauvin but the Argentinian forward was quickly closed down by the Toulouse goalkeeper. Forward Clinton N’Jie also joined in with a couple of chances hitting the target twice, and later Rolando crossed over the bar from a Dmitri Payet corner. Eventually, Marseille’s pressure caved-in on the Toulouse defense as a Thauvin shot from close-range pinballed around defender’s legs in the box, and Thauvin followed up first to the ball and finished to take his side 1:0 up into half-time.
Ocampos and Thauvin were instrumental throughout, with some intelligent footwork from the latter allowing him space to take a shot which was blocked. Then a crossed corner found its way over Marseille and Toulouse heads and landed on Ocampos’ knee and past the keeper for a second goal. Although it was already a great performance and a clear win, substitute Valere Germain could have put the icing on the cake with a third but he was denied by a strong save.
With Marseille’s wingers chipping in with the goals, manager Rudi Garcia will be happy to know that he has other options if Clinton N’Jie is not firing. Furthermore, Marseille has an exciting attack with Ocampos, Payet and Thauvin who are happy to roam around the opposition half and patiently find chinks in defenses, and that’s without new summer signing Kostas Mitroglou who is yet to come back from injury to make his Ligue 1 debut.
Les Olympiens now have some tricky ties to contend with, with last year’s third-place Nice, of course, their next game, then Strasbourg away and finally league leaders PSG at home which promises to be a feisty, but a challenging affair.
Manager Rudi Garcia will be with a full squad for the match on Sunday.
Nice vs. Marseille – MATCH PREDICTION
This will be a highly-competitive game between two teams that both have strong claims for a top three position. Nice is probably in the slightly superior form, while Marseille has been a little more consistent over the season so far. Both teams have match-winners, although I would say Marseille has one or two more, but that is negated by Nice’s home advantage.
I am finding it very hard to separate these two sides, but what is for certain is that it will be a spectacle with a good chance of a few goals.
MY PICK: Over 2.5 goals (-110)
