Nice vs Bordeaux Predictions

Patrick Vieira managed to get the pressure off his back last Sunday as his team ended a six-match winning streak by beating Reims 2-0 at home. Nice were aided by Moussa Doumbia’s early red card but the win will still be a welcome gift for the team that have struggled as of late. Nice have been poor at both ends of the pitch over the last few weeks with their most recent win bringing their first clean sheet of the season and it being their first match where they’ve managed to score twice in the league since September.

This win has carried Nice up to 12th but the lower-middle portion of the table remains tight and they could easily find themselves around the relegation zone if they don’t keep this momentum going. Nice had only scored one goal in the three games prior to the Reims win but generally they have been very good at creating chances, just not finishing them. Their real problem has been at the back as they have conceded the second most chances in Ligue 1 this season. They did manage to keep it tight in their last match but this was against the drawn second worst attacking team in the league so they mustn’t assume that their defensive issues are behind them.

Bordeaux have been much more solid than Nice in recent weeks as they have won three of their last five games. They will come into this match with a bit of swagger following their triumph in le Derby de l’Atlantique last week as they beat local rivals Nantes 2-0. It was a very tight game and Bordeaux were probably lucky to survive some of Nantes’ onslaughts but nevertheless les Girondins now sit a very respectable 6th.

Bordeaux remain rather weak defensively despite their lofty league position as their two clean sheets in their last two matches are just their second and third of the season. These two clean sheets also came against two of the four worst attacking teams in the league. Bordeaux will be the visitors for this one but they have generally been very good on the road this campaign with them holding the second most points away from home (10 from a possible 18).

Nice may have won last week but we feel they aren’t out of the woods just yet and could struggle again here. Nice’s home record over their last five games has been two losses, two wins and a draw but with a great away side like Bordeaux coming to the Allianz Riviera it will be difficult for les Aiglons. The last five clashes between these sides have been tight with Nice winning four of them but each win was by just the one goal margin so we’re backing Bordeaux to win this fixture for the first time since 2016. Both teams aren’t great at the back so we’re expecting this one to finish 2-1 to the visitors.