Nice vs Krasnodar Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Nice and Krasnodar will play out a dead rubber on match day 6 of the Europa League group stages, however, the lack of prize at stake should not prevent an entertaining game and potentially a lot of goals.

Ligue 1 leaders Nice haven’t fully committed to this year’s competition and will be glad that they can now focus on domestic affairs after their elimination was confirmed on match day 5.

Thursday’s match at Allianz Riviera should provide boss Lucien Favre with further opportunity to give game time to his fringe players. However, the hosts may well try and put on a show in this one having been swept aside by opponents Krasnodar 5-2 in the reverse fixture back in September.

Nonetheless, with Nice facing off against PSG in a Ligue 1 title six pointer on Sunday, Les Aiglons will almost definitely field a highly inexperienced side devoid of any key players – and that should make life tough for them here against a solid Krasnodar outfit who have nothing to lose having already qualified for the last 32.

Igor Shalimov’s side have performed creditably in the tournament so far and secured their place in the knockout phase with a 1-1 draw against Salzburg a fortnight ago.

Their aforementioned 5-2 hammering of Nice was really a catalyst to their success and the Russian’s will fill the runners-up spot n Group I behind Schalke regardless of Thursday’s result.

Currently 5^th in the Russian Premier League after 16 games, Shalimov may also leave some of his best players out here to assess his squad. However, the visitors will be confident of heading into the next round in style having scored at will when the teams last met.

Nice have conceded 10 in total across their five group ties so far and we fancy that trend to continue, with the hosts also likely to contribute in front of goal at some point.

It’s easy to lean towards Krasnodar in terms of the full time result. However, match betting is rarely a smart idea in circumstances like this so we’ll go for over 3.5 in the goals market instead, with a 2-3 victory for the Russians a speculative pick in terms of the correct score.