Brest vs Nice Prediction & Betting Tips - Ligue 1

Prediction published on 04/02/2024, 03:02  by Joseph King in Ligue 1 Predictions

Matchday 20 in the French Ligue 1 sees third-place Brest hosting second-place Nice. Two teams exceeding expectations so far this season, the winner of this matchup would receive a huge boost to their chance of securing Champions League football next season. Brest’s 35 points has them leading fourth-placed Monaco by one point and trailing Nice by three points. For second-place Nice, they find themselves trailing leaders PSG by six points.

Brest have been one of the surprise teams across all of Europe as they currently sit third in the French top flight. After finishing 17th, 11th and 14th in the last three seasons, many would have expected a mid to bottom-mid table finish for them once again. However, manager Eric Roy has his team overachieving as they try to keep up the pace for a top three finish. Les Pirates have a 10-5-4 record on the season and are 5-3-1 in front of the home fans. It’s been the defensive form of Brest that has been perhaps the most impressive. They’ve gone from conceding 54 goals last season to only 17 with less than half of the 2023/24 campaign remaining. The hosts earned a fantastic point against PSG on the road in their most recent fixture. Brest came back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to earn a 2-2 draw. 

Nice are having a similarly impressive season with their 11-5-3 record putting them three points ahead of their opponents today. Young manager Francesco Farioli has his Nice squad firing on all cylinders but, like their opponents, it’s been on the defensive side where they have truly shined. Les Aiglons have the best defensive record in Ligue 1 with only 11 goals conceded in their 19 matches played. They’ve been almost impenetrable when playing on home soil with an unbeaten 7-3-0 record and only two goals allowed. On the road, however, they’ve experienced a few struggles, losing three and drawing two of their nine matches.