Auxerre vs Nice Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Lawes ·
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
Auxerre have endured a tough start to the season as they now welcome likely fellow relegation battlers Nice to Stade de l’Abbe Deschamps on Sunday.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / USA – beIN Sports
How to watch online: UK – Ligue 1+ / USA – beIN Sports Connect
Auxerre preview: Poor start
Having narrowly avoided relegation in each of their two seasons following promotion back to Ligue 1 in the 2023-24 campaign, Auxerre took the decision to appoint former Stade Brest, Lens and Southampton boss Will Still.
Still has endured a really tough start, though, with a 5-2 hammering at the hands of former club Lens before then suffering back-to-back 3-1 defeats to Angers and then Olympique Lyonnais.
Nice preview: Likely strugglers
The neglect of Nice by ownership group INEOS has left Nice in a relegation battle in each of the last couple of seasons and the same is to be expected this time around with the southerners again having very little to get excited about over the summer.
Olivier Pantaloni is a solid operator and was appointed, beginning with a draw against former club Lorient in their opener but Nice have since gone on to succumb to a 3-0 loss to Paris before a 1-1 draw at home to newly-promoted Le Mans.
Auxerre team news: Defensive injuries
Auxerre have defensive issues as new signing Axel Tuanzebe regains full fitness with Fredrik Oppegard, Sekou Fofana and Francisco Sierralta all doubtful, while Bryan Okoh and Marvin Senaya remain sidelined.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Diop; Sy, Legros, Makosso, Akpa; Ahamada, Piedfort, Danois; Loader, Archer, Labeau Lascary
Unavailable: Okoh (Injured), Senaya (Injured), Diousse (Injured)
Questionable: Tuanzebe (Fitness), Oppegard (Illness), Fofana (Injured), Francisco Sierralta (Injured)
Nice team news: Mendy now out
Nice defender Antoine Mendy is now sidelined for the visitors due to a knee injury, while Moise Bombito and Laurent Abergel are also unavailable as Morgan Sanson works his way back.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Diouf; Mandza, Ndayishimiye, Abdelmonem; Clauss, Coulibaly, Witsel, Nkounkou; Ngoumou, Diop; Wahi
Unavailable: Moise Bombito (Injured), Mendy (Injured), Abergel (Injured)
Questionable: Sanson (Injured)
Auxerre vs Nice prediction
This is an early season six-pointer and it could well be that both sides perform in quite a desperate manner as they both search for their first victory of the Ligue 1 campaign. Auxerre have conceded 11 goals in three matches and appear to be a complete mess at the back, but Nice, albeit with Elye Wahi up-front, don’t really have much to punish them and so a lower scoring, low quality encounter seems a decent bet for this one on Sunday.
Auxerre vs Nice tip: Under 2.5 goals
