Lens vs Nice Match Analysis & Prediction
01/02/2023 11:00 pm
Title-chasing Lens will be looking to maintain their perfect home record in Ligue 1 when they welcome Nice to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Wednesday night.
Having won all 10 of their home league matches this season, second-placed Lens find themselves just three points behind Paris Saint-germain, with Nice languishing in 10th place.
Lens extended their unbeaten run to 12 matches across all competitions with a 1-1 draw against Troyes on Saturday, through an 88th-minute equaliser from Adrien Thomasson.
Franck Haise’s side have now lost just one of their 20 league matches this season, picking up 13 wins and six draws along the way, with their sole defeat coming against Lille back in early October.
Lens have been especially strong on home soil this season, claiming maximum points at Stade Bollaert-Delelis, and they have also conceded just seven Ligue 1 goals at home in 2022-23.
Haise’s side have only let in 14 goals in the league all season, meaning that they boast the best defensive record in the division, having conceded one goal fewer that PSG.
Nice sacked head coach Lucien Favre following a shock Coupe de France defeat to third-tier opposition in early January, with Didier Digard stepping up to manage the team on an interim basis.
However, the club’s hierarchy might consider handing Digard the job a full-time basis before too long, as Nice have taken seven points from a possible nine since the managerial change, meaning they now sit in the top half of the Ligue 1 table.
After beating Montpellier 6-1 in Digard’s first game in charge, the Eagles posted a goalless draw with Reims before claiming a hard-fought 1-0 win over Lille last time out.
Given that just five sides have scored fewer goals than Nice this season, Digard will be eager to improve the team’s attacking output, despite the fact that just the top three sides have conceded fewer goals than the Eagles in 2022-23.
Lens vs. Nice Head to head
In the 31 previous meetings between these two teams, Lens have claimed 10 victories while Nice have won six, and they have drawn in 15. Nice have scored 24 goals and conceded 28 in the process.
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23/08/2020Nice2Lens1Ligue 1
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23/01/2021Lens0Nice1Ligue 1
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22/12/2021Nice2Lens1Ligue 1
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10/04/2022Lens3Nice0Ligue 1
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29/12/2022Nice0Lens0Ligue 1
Lens Team News
Lens are still without forward Adam Buksa and midfielder Jimmy Cabot due to ankle and knee injuries respectively, while goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez also remains sidelined with a knee injury.
Farinez would therefore struggle to displace Brice Samba in goal, as the former Nottingham Forest man has kept nine clean sheets in 20 league appearances this season.
Lens's Last 5 Matches
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07/01/2023Linas-Montlhery0Lens2Coupe de France
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11/01/2023Strasbourg2Lens2Ligue 1
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14/01/2023Lens1Auxerre0Ligue 1
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22/01/2023Brest1Lens3Coupe de France
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28/01/2023Troyes1Lens1Ligue 1
Nice Team News
Nice will be without injured goalkeeper Marcin Bulka on Wednesday through a shoulder injury, meaning Kasper Schmeichel will retain his spot in the starting lineup.
Nicolas Pepe is also expected to miss the trip to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis through a knee injury, as the former Arsenal winger was not included in the squad for Sunday’s victory over Lille.
Nice's Last 5 Matches
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02/01/2023Rennes2Nice1Ligue 1
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07/01/2023Le Puy Foot1Nice0Coupe de France
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11/01/2023Nice6Montpellier1Ligue 1
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15/01/2023Reims0Nice0Ligue 1
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29/01/2023Nice1Lille0Ligue 1
Lens vs. Nice: Odds and Predictions
Main Prediction
1X2: 1
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