Two teams at opposite ends of the Ligue 1 table meet this weekend as Champions League hopefuls Nice welcome relegation-threatened Montpellier HSC for a matchweek 23 encounter.
The hosts sit third with 40 points from 11 wins, seven draws and four losses, while the visitors remain rooted to the foot of the standings, having collected just 15 points (4W, 3D, 15L).
Match preview
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Nice built on their home victory against Lens by securing a second successive win, travelling down to beat Le Havre 3-1 last weekend.
That response was exactly what they needed after a shock Coupe de France exit at the hands of fourth-tier Stade Briochin, which capped off a dismal spell of one win in six matches across all competitions.
With momentum back on their side, Francesco Farioli's men, holding the final direct Champions League spot on goal difference ahead of Monaco, will aim to strengthen their top-three standing with another vital victory this weekend.
Adding to their motivation, the Eaglets are on the brink of a landmark achievement, as they aim for a milestone win in what will be their 1,200th home match in Ligue 1 (643 wins, 298 draws and 258 losses), becoming just the seventh team to reach this tally.
That ambition is reinforced by their dominance at Allianz Riviera, where Nice have won seven of their 10 league games this season and remain one of only two sides still unbeaten on their turf, alongside leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
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Montpellier, on the other hand, find themselves back in familiar struggles, having suffered defeats in each of their last three games.
After snapping a six-game winless streak — comprising two draws and four losses — with back-to-back 2-1 victories over Marseille and Toulouse, Jean-Louis Gasset's men appeared to have turned a corner, but their resurgence was short-lived.
Since then, they have endured consecutive 2-0 defeats against Lens and Strasbourg before being humbled 4-1 by Lyon in their latest outing.
Now seven points adrift of safety, Montpellier are running out of time and must find a way to change their fortunes, starting with Sunday's trip to Nice, or they risk seeing their 16-year stay in the top flight come to an end.
Despite their struggles, the visitors can take confidence from their recent success in this fixture, having secured a 2-1 win in their last visit to Allianz Riviera before playing out a 2-2 draw in this season's reverse fixture in December last year.
Team News
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Nice manager Franck Haise will be forced into a defensive reshuffle, with Melvin Bard suspended after picking up two yellow cards in his last outing, paving the way for Youssouf Ndayishimiye to fill in defence.
The hosts are also expected to be without Terem Moffi, Morgan Sanson and Pablo Rosario, all of whom remain sidelined due to injuries.
For Montpellier, Becir Omeragic is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery for a serious meniscus issue.
Modibo Sagnan is also unavailable due to suspension after accumulating too many yellow cards over the past 10 games, meaning Bamo Meite is likely to fill in at the back.
Meanwhile, Nikola Maksimovic, Christopher Julien, Glenn Ngosso and Issiaga Sylla remain out as they continue their recovery from long-term injuries.
Nice possible starting lineup:
Bulka; Bombito, Dante, Ndayishimiye; Clauss, Boudaoui, Santamaria, Abdi; Guessand, Laborde, Cho
Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:
Lecomte; Tchato, Meite, Mouanga, Sainte-Luce; Ferri, Fayad, Chotard; Savanier; Coulibaly, Delort
We say: Nice 3-1 Montpellier HSC
Nice are clear favourites heading into this encounter, boasting impressive form and a formidable home record, while Montpellier's away struggles and leaky defence suggest a straightforward win for the hosts.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
