Nice Vs Marseille
Nice Vs Marseille Saturday 20th March 2021 – 20:00 (BT Sport)
French Ligue 1
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Odds: 10/11
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 17th March 2021)
Preview: Something may have to give at Allianz Riviera when Nice, unbeaten in their past three Ligue 1 contests, welcome Marseille who are seeking a third straight win under new management.
French Ligue 1 Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Nice – Top-half finish suddenly achievable?
Seven points from the last three Ligue 1 matches is as many as Nice (W10 D6 L13) mustered across their previous ten fixtures (W2 D1 L7) in the competition, emphasising the swift turnaround in the team’s fortunes of late. Moreover, only the concession of an equaliser, coming so soon after midfielder Myziane Moalida’s third goal of the season had given them a lead, denied them a third straight success last time.
A point at 17th-placed Lorient (1-1) follows 2-1 wins over Rennes and Nimes and keeps them nestled in mid-table (12th). Crucially, they are nine points clear of any relegation danger. Les Aiglons, having been susceptible to lulls in form throughout the season, notably losing five of six before embarking on their current three-game unbeaten run, are by no means assured of another term at this level though.
The record of Nice boss Adrian Ursea since replacing Patrick Viera in December is also underwhelming: W5 D4 L9 in Ligue 1. However, Viera’s former assistant has been getting a tune out of this team recently, and while a run of six matches without a clean sheet might suggest otherwise, the burgeoning relationship between on-loan centre-backs William Saliba and Jean-Clair Todibo continues to catch the eye.
Marseille – Sampaoli arrival catalyst for European push?
After a brief period under the temporary tutelage of Nasser Larguet, whose nine games in charge returned a meagre two wins and culminated in ignominy with defeat to fourth-tier opponents in the Coupe de France, the Marseille (W12 D9 L8) players finally have a permanent coach in which to navigate the final stretch of a typically chaotic season which could yet conclude with the club back in Europe next term.
So far so good. Jorge Sampaoli, perhaps more commonly recalled for his turbulent spell at the helm of the Argentina senior team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, has become the first manager to record back-to-back victories in his first two games in charge for Marseille in more than eight years. The first a late-gasp 1-0 win at home to a European rival in Rennes, followed by a 3-1 thrashing of Brest.
Both successes would come at their Stade Velodrome, as have each of their previous five victories in Ligue 1 since a 2-0 scoreline at second-bottom Nimes on 4 December. L’OM have since taken four of a possible 24 points away from home, scored just six times, and were recently held to nil at Bordeaux, in a goalless stalemate, and Lille, with the current Ligue 1 leaders cruising to a 2-0 triumph at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
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Confidence has seeped into both dressing rooms as the pair revel in their late-season renaissances. After losing five out of six, Nice are unbeaten in three and were close to making it three wins in as many games last time. Meanwhile, Marseille are two wins from two since installing Jorge Sampaoli as permanent manager. The former Argentina national team coach overseeing the club’s first set of multiple Ligue 1 victories since December.
Nice Vs Marseille – Key Facts:
- Each of the last seven Ligue 1 encounters between these teams ended in victory for Marseille, who edged this season’s reverse 3-2 at Stade Veldrome on 17 February.
- Nice, whose last taste of victory in this fixtures was a 3-2 success as hosts in September 2016, are unbeaten in three Ligue 1 games (W2 D1).
- Marseille have won successive Ligue 1 matches for the first time since December. Their previous five Ligue 1 victories all came when they hosts, though (D4 L4 since most recent away win).
After the reverse fixture produced no shortage of goals (3-2 to Marseille), I am following a similar route into Saturday’s contest. Despite the on-loan pairing of William Saliba and Jean-Clair Todibo blossoming in Nice, Les Aiglons are six Ligue 1 games without a clean sheet with all six seeing both teams net. This has also been the case in five of Marseille’s last six in league competition, the exception being Sampaoli’s first match in charge which was the 1-0 win at home to Rennes.
Best Betting Odds – Nice Vs Marseille
Nice – 2/1 (BetVictor)
Draw – 5/2 (Unibet)
Marseille – 7/5 (PaddyPower)
