Our prediction for this Ligue 1 match:
Nantes
Match Time & Date:
20/05/2023
17:00
Prediction: 1-0
Montpellier
Stade de la Beaujoire will host Saturday’s Ligue 1 game between Nantes and Montpellier, the two teams who shared the spoils with Toulouse and Lorient respectively. Les Canaris are eyeing their first league win since February 12, 2023 and a triumph over Montpellier should see them escape the relegation zone. Midfielder Pedro Chirivella misses out with injury, but he should be the only absentee in the home team.
La Paillade, on the other hand, head into the match following a 1-1 draw with Lorient. Montpellier have already secured the elite division survival, which is probably the main reason why we are going to bet on the hosts this time out. Forward Elye Wahi is banned for the match, whereas all Leo Leroy, Wahbi Khazri, and Beni Makouana are out of contention through injuries. Faitout Maouassa should sneak into the starting XI after scoring as a substitute in the last league fixture.
Highlighted Player (Alban Lafont):
Alban Lafont is a French goalkeeper who plays for Ligue 1 side Toulouse. Born in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Lafont joined AS Lattoise youth school at the age of nine and he stayed at the academy until 2014 when he moved to Toulouse.
The 193-cm-tall goalkeeper has established himself as a first-choice goalkeeper at Toulouse and it has to be noted that he made 36 appearances for the club in the 2016/2017 season, keeping 10 clean sheets in the process. Due to his dual citizenship, Alban Lafont is eligible to represent both Burkina Faso and France on international stage, but he has yet to play for the African team.
Alban Lafont represented les Tricolores at youth level and, no doubt, there is a bright future ahead of the talented shoot-stopper who was born on January 23, 1999. The rising star has a contract with Toulouse which expires on June 30, 2020.
Highlighted Team (Montpellier):
Over the years Montpellier have established themselves as a mid-table side in French Ligue 1. Montpellier are considered one of the youngest clubs in France as they were founded in 1974, but it has to be noted that a number of high-profile footballers played for the club in the past. French football legend Laurent Blanc played for Montpellier from 1981-1993 and he scored 76 goals in 24 appearances in the league for the club. Eric Cantona, Roger Milla, Carlos Valderama and Olivier Giroud played in Montpellier’s colors as well, but Pascal Baills is the player with most appearances for the club (429).
La Paillade did remarkably well to win the Ligue 1 trophy in 2012 and that is considered the club’s biggest success. Montpellier won Coupe de France on two occasions (1929, 1990), with the team beating FC Sete and FC Paris respectively in the title games. The team welcome their rivals at Stade de la Mosson and the capacity of the stadium is 32.900. In 1999 Montpellier won the UEFA Intertoto Cup.
