Lille vs Nice Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 French Ligue 1
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Nice cannot move up or down from their position of fifth but Lille are trying to hold off Brest in the top three and the UEFA Champions League spots this weekend.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 19th May, 2024 - UK – 20:00 / US EST – 15:00 / US PST – 13:00
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: This match will be televised live on TNT Sports in the UK. / This match will be televised live on beIN Sports in the US.
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: This match will be able to be streamed live via the TNT Sports app in the UK. / This match will be streamed live via Fanatiz in the US.
LILLE PREVIEW: LAST HURRAH FOR PAULO FONSECA
With an easy on the eye style of football combined with a good defensive record whereby they have kept over 20 clean sheets across all competitions so far this season, Lille have enjoyed a really impressive campaign but the former Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk boss Paulo Fonseca may well be departing the club at the end of this season.
The Portuguese manager is heavily linked with the vacant managerial position at Olympique de Marseille this summer but he can leave Stade Pierre-Mauroy by getting them into the top three and the UEFA Champions League spots this weekend, where they currently sit, narrowly above Stade Brest on goal difference.
NICE PREVIEW: FINISHING OFF IN FIFTH
The surprising INEOS-led appointment of the inexperienced Francesco Farioli appeared to be an absolute masterstroke at first as they looked set to challenge for the title down at the Allianz Riviera. However, their defensive style of football, which has produced very few goals at either end, has eventually undermined that pursuit.
They instead head into the final day of the 2023/24 Ligue 1 campaign sitting outside of the top four and the UEFA Europa League spots. Their 33 matches so far this season have consisted of a combined total of just 65 goals as they come into this one on the back of a 2-1 defeat at home to a much-changed Paris Saint-Germain side in midweek.
LILLE TEAM NEWS: INJURIES THROUGH THE SPINE
There are a few injury concerns for this weekend’s clash with Nice as goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier is unavailable alongside former Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti. Adam Ounas and Yusuf Yazici are also both unavailable, too.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Mannone; Santos, Yoro, Diakite, Ismaily; Bentaleb, Andre; Zhegrova, Gomes, Haraldsson; David
UNAVAILABLE: Chevalier (Injured), Yazici (Injured), Ounas (Injured), Umtiti (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
NICE TEAM NEWS: DIOP & BARD UNAVAILABLE
There are a couple of absentees for this weekend’s long trip to the north of France as midfielder Sofiane Diop is unavailable due to injury. As well as that, defender Melvin Bard is going to miss this one with a suspension.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Bulka; Lotomba, Todibo, Dante, Perraud; Sanson, Rosario, Thuram; Cho, Moffi, Boga
UNAVAILABLE: Bard (Suspended), Diop (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
LILLE VS NICE PREDICTION
There was a time this season where it appeared this one would have been a shootout for the top three but Nice’s second-half of the season but paid to that level of competitiveness. Instead it is a Lille side with home advantage looking to get back into Europe’s elite club competition up against a Nice side that have already achieved their season’s goal. Backing Lille to get over the line looks the way to go here.
LILLE VS NICE TIP: LILLE TO WIN
