Wednesday’s Ligue 1 slate includes a fascinating battle between second-place Nice and streaking Lens, which has dropped just two points across the previous five rounds of action.
Nice has been one of the best defensive teams in Europe this season, and bookmaker Betfred offers odds at 2.63 for the team to register its 11th clean sheet of the campaign. Meanwhile, the odds are at 3.30 for Lens to keep the hosts from scoring.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 19th, 7:00 P.M. (EST)
Nice’s form has taken a turn for the worse lately, with the team suffering its first two defeats of the season this month, but only Inter Milan (7) has conceded fewer goals than Nice (9) in the top five European leagues in 2023-24. On home turf, the Eaglets have conceded just twice in eight games.
Francesco Farioli saw his side go 3-1 down to Le Havre at the weekend, and the team took a 1-0 loss against Nantes on Dec. 2, but Nice has remained unbeaten at home. There have been five wins and three draws for the home side at the Allianz Riviera, and Nice has won four home outings in a row.
Lens has been unbeaten at home and away in Ligue 1 since Sept. 24. A 2-1 home triumph against Toulouse sparked an 11-game unbeaten streak, which includes seven wins and four draws. Over the last five weeks, Lens has been nearly perfect in league outings, winning four games and conceding in just one outing.
With six players boasting multiple goals for the league campaign, Franck Haise’s side is very difficult to keep in check, and the team’s recent improvement at the back will offer hope of another top-three finish in the league. Currently, Lens is sitting only seventh in the table after having a miserable start to the season.
Nice’s hopes mostly rely on the backline and goalkeeper Marcin Bułka. The 24-year-old has recorded 10 clean sheets in 16 games with an outstanding 80.5 save percentage. Back in September, in a match-up against PSG, Bulka became only the third goalkeeper in Ligue 1 to save two penalties in a single game. It’s very tough to beat him, and Lens can’t waste too many chances on Wednesday if Les Sang et Or wants to close out 2023 with a big result.
A winning effort would mark Lens’ first away victory over Nice since 2006. The side from Northern France failed to score in this match-up last season, and it has been an uncomfortable fixture for the team for years. Over the last seven head-to-head clashes, Lens has won just once.
