Ligue 1 returns this Friday when Lyon host Nice in their last league game before the World Cup begins.
Venue: Parc Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon)
Key Statistics
Lyon have lost just one league game at home this season (W5, D1).
They have conceded just five at home this season.
They have kept just one clean sheet in their last nine games.
Nice are unbeaten in their last six games (W3, D3).
They have scored 2+ goals in three of their last four games.
The visitors are unbeaten in their last four away games (W2, D2).
But the 14 goals they have scored in Ligue 1 this season is the fewest of the top 14 teams in the league.
In Ligue 1, 64% of all matches have seen both teams score – the highest rate among the top five European leagues.
Lyon’s Karl Toko Ekambi has scored more goals against Nice in Ligue 1 than any other club (eight from nine meetings).
Head to head
Nice have five wins in their last nine games against Lyon who have four wins in the same period.
Latest performances in all competitions
Lyon: L-W-W-L-D
Nice: W-D-W-W-D
Lyon
Lyon will look to get back to winning ways when they welcome Nice to Groupama Stadium on Friday.
The hosts come into this tie sitting seven points adrift of the European places after an underwhelming season that has seen Lyon win 20 points from the 42 points available so far (W6, D2, L6).
Their poor league placement is largely because of their away performances, with only relegation-battling Nantes registering fewer than their four away points in Ligue 1 so far (W1, D1, L5).
But a return to Groupama Stadium, where Lyon have lost just once in league football this campaign (W5, D1), may provide the much sought-after comforts of home.
Much of that success has been built on great defensive performances, as no Ligue 1 team has conceded fewer than Laurent Blanc’s side, who have shipped in just five home league goals in 2022/23.
Possible Lyon starting line-up
Anthony Lopes; Jérôme Boateng, Castello Lukeba, Johann Lepenant; Malo Gusto, Houssem Aouar, Maxence Caqueret, Thiago Mendes, Nicolas Tagliafico; Moussa Dembele, Alexandre Lacazette.
Injured: Corentin Tolisso
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Nice
While Nice have enjoyed a fairly better season than Lyon by standards, they still come into this tie sitting in the ninth position, one place and one point behind their hosts, Lyon.
The visitors endured their worst nine-game start to a top-flight campaign in more than a decade at the start of the season (W2, D2, L5). But they have since bounced back to pick up points in the last five rounds (W3, D2), bookended by a 1-0 home win against Brest at the weekend.
But a lack of goals could hold them back, as their 14 goals is the fewest of the top 14 teams in Ligue 1, and that has produced tight results that have seen just one of their 14 Ligue 1 fixtures settled by a margin of two or more goals.
However, playing away from home won’t bother Lucien Favre’s men as they have picked up 58% of their Ligue 1 points on their road trips (W3, D2, L2) and are in a minority of sides performing better on the road than at home.
Having not lost in their last four away games (W2, D2) they will travel to Lyon confident of getting a win and continuing their decent head-to-head record in their last eight league visits to this venue (W3, D2, L3).
Possible Nice starting line-up
Kasper Schmeichel; Youcef Atal, Jean-Clair Todibo, Dante, Melvin Bard; Hichem Boudaoui, Aaron Ramsey, Mario Lemina, Bilal Brahimi; Gaëtan Laborde, Nicolas Pepe.
Injured: Marcin Bulka
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Lyon 1-2 Nice
