Are Nice a credible candidate to finish in the Champions League qualifying positions? Les Aiglons pocketed three points against previously second-placed Angers last Friday to move within a point of the top-three. Claude Puel’s team are now unbeaten in four and have shown their ability to grind out results as well as produce sparkling swashbuckling counter-attacking football. It’s the potential to be a potent mix.
Nice should have enough quality to see Lorient on Saturday as the hosts bid to win three successive home fixtures for the first time since February 2014.
Lorient have managed just two triumphs in 12 (W2-D7-L3) and look highly unlikely to have either of their feared front two of Benjamin Moukandjo or Majeed Waris available. Les Merlus have fired blanks in their last two games without the pair and in midweek were forced to go to extra-time by third-tier club Boulogne in the cup.
To make matters worse, central defender and skipper Wesley Lautoa was ruled out for the season, hardly ideal for a team that’s failed to record a clean sheet in nine road trips and kept only four shutouts in 21 this season.
I’ll back Nice to win at 1.85.