Verdict: Both teams to score
Best Odds: 2/3
Bookmaker: Dachbet
With their Ligue 1 status up in the air, Nice will be desperate to claim a first-leg advantage when they travel to St. Etienne on Tuesday night.
St. Etienne
Starting with the hosts, while St. Etienne might have suffered public play-off heartbreak last season, Philippe Montainer’s side are desperate to go one-step further this time around. Dragging themselves past Rodez last week as they secured a nail-biting penalty shootout victory, the Greens will know the importance of claiming a first-leg advantage when they return to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Tuesday night. Signing off their regular-season adventure with a sensational performance as they stormed their way to a 5-0 romp against Amiens on May 9th, St. Etienne will be dreaming of a repeat display here. Pencilled in as a standout contender here, Montainer’s side will be excited by their continued dominance on home soil. In fact, the former Toulouse boss has seen his squad win seven of their last eight showdowns in front of their own supporters – a run that stems back to January 31st.
St. Etienne Team News
Dealing with what has become a stacked injury list, St. Etienne will once again be unable to call upon the likes of Nadir El Jamali, Florian Tardieu and Portuguese defender Chico Lamba here. However, missing out against Rodez last week after serving a one-match suspension, Augustine Boakye could be handed a full recall.
Returning from his own respective muscle issue earlier in the month, Julien Le Cardinal will start at the heart of St. Etienne’s defence. Claiming 14 Ligue 2 strikes this season, Georgian international Zuriko Davitashvili will shoulder plenty of Les Verts’ goalscoring threat.
Nice
As for the visitors, enduring what has been a record-breaking rut this season, Nice have rightfully come under a huge amount of public scrutiny. Last seen suffering Coupe de France heartbreak at the hands of Lens as they fell to a 3-1 loss in the capital, Claude Puel’s side face a remarkable battle in the race to keep hold of their Ligue 1 status and avoid an infamous relegation. Including a 2-1 defeat against Auxerre earlier in the month, the Eagles failed to claim a single win from any of their final eight consecutive top-flight appearances. Likewise, failing to register a single Ligue 1 victory on their travels since the middle of March, Tuesday’s guests travel to St. Etienne will the weight of the world on their shoulders. However, it is worth highlighting, Puel’s downbeat squad have won all of their previous five straight meetings against Les Verts by an aggregate score of 20-4.
Nice Team News
Yet to make a single appearance across any competition so far this calendar year, Canadian international Moise Bambito remains on the sidelines with a long-term leg injury. Likewise, not seen over the past five weeks, former Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele is not expected to feature here.
Despite notching just five Ligue 1 strikes this season, Eintracht Frankfurt loanee Elye Wahi will spearhead Nice’s charge on Tuesday night. Despite being set to turn 43 in October, veteran defender Dante will start at the back and partner academy graduate Antoine Mendy.
St. Etienne vs Nice Key Factors to Consider
- Nice have won all of their previous five showdowns against St. Etienne by an aggregate score of 20-4.
- However, the Eagles failed to claim a single win from any of their final eight consecutive Ligue 1 appearances.
- Nice have not registered a single top-flight victory away from the Allianz Riviera since returning from March’s international break.
- St. Etienne have seven of their last eight showdowns in front of their own supporters – a run that stems back to January 31st.
- Four of St. Etienne’s last five matchups on home soil have finished with over 2.5 goals.
Conclusion
Watching Nice suffer Coupe de France heartbreak against Lens last week as they eventually fell to a 3-1 loss at the hands of Lens, Tuesday’s guests find themselves at the heart of a public nightmare. On the brink of what would be an infamous Ligue 1 relegation, the Eagles will have the weight of their world on their shoulders. Meeting a St. Etienne squad who have won seven of their last eight showdowns at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Nice should be bracing themselves for another stern examination in midweek.
Verdict: Both teams to score
Best Odds: 2/3
Bookmaker: Dachbet