Nice vs Lens
23rd August 1600hrs
Football – France – Ligue 1
Pick Home Win HT/FT
Bookmaker Unibet
Odds: 23/10 odds taken 1230 GMT, Saturday 22 August
Patrick Vieira’s Nice entertain Franck Haise’s Lens on the opening weekend of the French Ligue 1 season. The hosts, who finished fifth in Ligue 1 last term, are the favourites to get the win over the top-flight newcomers. Can Vieira’s troops start with a victory at Allianz Riviera this Sunday? We have the best betting odds and top tips for this French Ligue 1 clash.
Table of Contents
Nice Preview – Will the Eagles start with a home win?
Nice missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification last term, but fifth place was enough for a spot in the UEFA Europa League. Having played 28 games before the campaign came to an abrupt end, the Eagles picked up 11 wins, suffered nine defeats and drew eight times.
Nice were a tough nut to crack at the Allianz Riviera last season, losing only three league games on their own patch. They accumulated a decent 28 points at home, with just Paris Saint-Germain, Lille, Montpellier and Rennes claiming more home points.
Nice finished last season in strong style, losing just one of their last 12 Ligue 1 fixtures. In fact, the Eagles have lost only once in league action in 2020. They ended the campaign with a 2-1 home win over Monaco.
Finishing in the top four of Ligue 1 will no doubt be Nice’s main aim this season. Can they start with three points on home turf on Sunday?
Lens Preview – Can the visitors leave Nice with a positive result?
The French football season was cut short last term, but Lens were promoted from Ligue 2 after finishing runners-up to Lorient. Lens finished a point behind the champions but, more importantly, a point ahead of third-place Ajaccio.
Blood and Gold were incredibly hard to beat in Ligue 2 last term, as they lost just five matches, which was the least amount in the division. Lens won 15 times and drew eight of the other 23.
Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions
Click here for more Betting Tips
Lens had the best home record in Ligue 2 and were pretty decent on the road, too. They won six of 14 away matches and were beaten just three times.
This will undoubtedly be a tough season for Franck Haise’s men, but they are back in Ligue 1 on merit. Can they begin their 2020-21 league campaign with a shock win at Nice on Sunday afternoon?
Nice vs Lens Betting Advice
These two have not met since the 2014-15 Ligue 1 season. Lens picked up a 2-0 home win in December 2014, with Nice sealing a 2-1 victory on home turf in May ’15. That remains Nice’s only triumph in this fixture since September 2007.
Key Facts – Nice vs Lens Betting Tip
- Nice have beaten Lens just once since 2007
- The Eagles finished fifth in Ligue 1 last term, while Lens were runners-up in Ligue 2
- This will be Lens’ first top-flight encounter for over five years
Lens will relish their time back in the top tier this season, but Sunday’s game the Allianz Riviera is a tough place to start. Vieira’s men will be eyeing up all three points from this one.
Nice should get the win on home soil, so check out the decent odds of 23/10 for the home team to be winning at half time and full time on Sunday.
The best betting odds for Nice vs Lens
Nice to win: Evens at Bet365
Draw: 23/10 at Bet365
Lens to win: 3/1 at Bet365
