In week 30 of the French Ligue 1, Nantes will host Nice at the Stade de la Beaujoire this Saturday, March 18, 2017 (9:00 AM Pacific). Both teams have been great to watch this season in the Ligue 1 and have had solid campaigns which should make for an attractive encounter.
Nantes is not in danger of relegation and is not close to the top four in the Ligue 1, currently in 10th place with 37 points. Nantes is in good form, only having lost one game in their last six, getting two big 3-2 victories against Marseille and Montpellier. A lot of the recent success of the club is due to the arrival of manager, Sergio Conceicao in late December. Before his arrival, Nantes were heavy relegation candidates, but have now transformed into a solid mid table team.
The latest result for ‘the canaries’ was a nice 3-2 victory against Montpellier away from home. Prejuce Nakoulma scored his first two goals with Nantes in this game, since arriving from Turkish club, Kayserispor. Before Nakoulma’s arrival, Emiliano Sala had been the main supplier of goals on the team, and the Argentine did score his eighth of the season coming off the bench against Montpellier. It should be interesting to see if Conceicao goes with Nakoulma or Sala in the game, either way, Nantes should be able to give a contested match to Nice.
Nice’s title aspirations seem to be dwindling in the Ligue 1 as the weeks go by, the latest result of the Principality side being a disappointing 2-2 draw to Caen at home. Nice is now in third place with 63 points, five points away from Monaco in first place. Another huge factor that can go on to affect Lucien Favre’s side is the recent injury to midfielder, Wylan Cyprien. The young midfielder had been having a breakout season for Nice, having scored eight goals and providing three assists.
The loss of Cyprien is a big one to Nice, especially since striker, Alassane Plea is also out for the remainder of the season. A huge reliance on Jean Seri and Vincent Koziello will be for the remainder of the season to cover the gap in midfield that Cyprien has left behind. Mario Balotelli will also need to quit his antics and start to behave as a professional for the sake of his team’s title race. It will be interesting to see how Nice now does with these huge absences and see who steps up for the Principality side. The match should be an intriguing one in week 30 of the Ligue 1 and is one that is vital for Nice’s title aspirations.
How to Watch Nantes vs Nice
The Nantes vs Nice match will be broadcast this Saturday, March 18 at 9:00 AM Pacific:
TV Schedule: No US Listings
Watch Live Online: beIN Sports Connect, Fubo TV (Watch 7 Days Free)
