Toulouse v Nice
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Sunday 7th August – 2:00PM KO
Toulouse are expected to be competitive upon their return to Ligue 1, having won the second tier last season. Nice, meanwhile, are eyeing the top three under Lucien Favre, who has a reputation for building strong attacking sides.
On paper, there is some promise for goals in this game. Toulouse have struggled defensively this summer and have been involved in a number of high-scoring friendlies, including a 3-3 draw against Osasuna and a 5-4 win over Montpellier, which was actually played over three 45 minutes halves. These are headline-grabbing results, but perhaps closer to reality is the 1-0 loss they had against Clermont last weekend.
It is also notable that leading scorer from last season Rhys Healey is not fully fit and extremely unlikely to start, while there are questions still hanging over the future of star midfielder Branco van den Boomen.
Nice, meanwhile, have been involved in a string of lower-scoring games this summer as they struggle to kick into top gear. Their last couple of results were a 1-1 draw with Roma and a 1-0 win over Torino, and they did not score more than a single goal in a pre-season match this summer.
On top of that, the conditions promise to be difficult to play any fast-paced attacking football, the type of which is usually associated with goals. Even early in the day, the temperature in the south west of France is forecast to get up to around 30C, which will make it tough for the players who are untested in competition so far this season.
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Prediction: Under 2.5 Goals, 1.90 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Marseille v Reims
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Sunday 7th August – 7:45PM KO
Marseille is a club where there is always a degree of volatility, and that is certainly the case this summer. OM seemed primed to build on a second-placed finish from last term but have seen head coach Jorge Sampaoli leave to be replaced by Igor Tudor, who is set to employ a vertical style to the team. The new boss, though, has made a slow start while fans have been disappointed by an apparent lack of ambition in the transfer window. Meanwhile, ongoing questions over the future of academy product Bamba Dieng are doing little to help the mood.
Reims could be a nightmare season opener for Marseille. They are a team that OM are expected to overcome, yet in recent years the visitors have a surprisingly strong record against the Provence side. They are undefeated in their last four trips to the Velodrome, drawing three of these. Oscar Garcia’s side are well placed to make life difficult for their hosts in this match, too.
Although new signing from Arsenal Folarin Balogun is set to line up for Reims in this game, the focus is likelier to be on their defence, which has only conceded two goals in its last four matches in Marseille. Thomas Foket misses out, but it looks in strong enough nick.
OM’s attack, meanwhile, has been disjointed over the summer. They were easily beaten at home last weekend by AC Milan and have been shut out three times in their last four matches – including friendlies against English Championship sides Norwich and Middlesbrough. This is not a team that goes into the season opener with any great sense of optimism.
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Prediction: Reims Double Chance, 2.40 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
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