The French Ligue 1 resumes this weekend, with top-four-chasing OGC Nice hosting league leaders PSG on Saturday.
Venue: Allianz Riviera (Nice)
Key Statistics
Nice have won their last three homes games in all competitions.
They have kept three clean sheets in their last three games.
The hosts have the best defence in Ligue 1 this season having conceded 21 goals.
Nice are the only side yet to concede 2+ first-half goals in Ligue 1 this term.
Paris Saint-Germain have won just one of their last five away league fixtures (D3, L1).
The visitors have won the last four meetings at this venue, including the last three by a three-goal margin.
They have scored 56 goals in Ligue 1 this season. No side has more goals.
Head to head
PSG have won ten of the last 15 head-to-head meetings between both sides. Nice have one win in those 15 games. But they have not lost to PSG in two previous meetings this season.
Latest performances in all competitions
Nice: W-D-W-L-W
PSG: W-L-W-W-W
Nice
After a series of poor results, Nice have gotten back to good form.
The hosts lost back-to-back games against Clermont and Lyon in the league last month. But since then, they have followed up with two wins and a draw in their last three games.
Their last outing was in the Coupe de France where they beat Versailles 2-0 to book their place in the tournament’s final.
In the league, they are currently sitting in third place, one point behind second-placed Marseille. A place in next season’s UEFA Champions League remains their priority this term and they look ready to achieve that.
Given that they are the only side to avoid a league defeat at Parc des Princes and also the only side that has kept a clean sheet against PSG over two competitive meetings this season, the Eagles will go into this tie confident of getting a good result.
Meanwhile, there is some good news for Nice as Dante and Justin Kluivert are both set for returns after missing out on their side’s midweek semi-final victory because of suspension. However, Robson Bambu and Jordan Amavi will both miss out through injury, while Youcef Atal’s inclusion is also doubtful.
Possible Nice starting line-up
Walter Benitez; Jordan Lotomba, Jean-Clair Todibo, Dante, Melvin Bard; Hicham Boudaoui, Morgan Schneiderlin, Pablo Rosario, Justin Kluivert; Amine Gouiri, Kasper Dolberg.
Injured: Robson Bambu and Jordan Amavi
Doubtful: Youcef Atal
Suspended: None
PSG
Paris Saint-Germain will look to get their first win of the season over Nice in three tries when they travel to Allianz Riviera on Saturday.
The visitors are top of the league table and currently enjoy a 15-point cushion at the summit.
But they will face a tough test against third-placed Nice who have restricted them from scoring in their last two meetings this season.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men recently suffered a minor bump in the road as they were shocked by a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Nantes, although bounced back well to register a 3-1 win over Saint Etienne last time out – their fifth league victory in six outings.
They will now look to pick up a straightforward win here ahead of their must-win Champions League second leg tie in Madrid in midweek.
Meanwhile, Pochettino will be without Kylian Mbappe for this tie as the Frenchman is out after accumulating too many yellow cards. But the good news is that Marco Verratti is back from his own suspension. The Italian has been hit with a further one-match ban for his outburst towards a referee, but that suspension has been pushed back to next weekend’s meeting with Bordeaux.
Also, Leandro Paredes, Ander Herrera, Sergio Ramos are out with injuries.
Possible PSG starting line-up
Gianluigi Donnarumma; Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Abdou Diallo, Juan Bernat; Danilo Pereira, Idrissa Gueye, Georginio Wijnaldum; Mauro Icardi, Angel Di Maria, Neymar.
Injured: Leandro Paredes, Ander Herrera, Sergio Ramos
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Kylian Mbappe
Prediction
Nice 2-1 PSG
