Nice vs Lille Predictions

• Nice have lost just four of their 21 Ligue 1 games under Didier Digard.
• Lille failed to win any of their final five Ligue 1 away games last season, losing 1-0 twice.
• Gaetan Laborde has scored six goals in his last eight competitive appearances.

Nice to defy underdog status

After a difficult start to the season, Nice found a new lease of life after Didier Digard’s appointment in January, losing just four of their 21 Ligue 1 games under his tutelage to cement a top-half finish and they look good value to start the season with a win against Lille on Friday.

Les Aiglons won both encounters with Lille last season and, despite a difficult pre-season, they don’t deserve to be underdogs against a visiting side that failed to win any of their last five away games last season.

Laborde can make the difference on Friday

Lille scored just one goal in that run and lost 1-0 on two occasions, while they also lost 1-0 away to Nice back in the early days of Digard’s management of the club, so I’m backing a home win alongside another 1-0 scoreline.

Anytime goalscorer punters should look to Gaetan Laborde. The Nice forward scored 13 Ligue 1 goals last season and bagged six goals in his final eight competitive appearances of the season. He scored the only goal of the game in Nice’s win over Lille in January and can punish the visitors again.