Our prediction for this Ligue 1 match:
Nice
Match Time & Date:
11/08/2023
21:00
Prediction: 0-0
Lille
Nice and Lille face each other at Allianz Riviera in the inaugural game of the 2023/2024 Ligue 1 season. Les Aiglons did not enjoy a successful preseason, with the team failing to win the last three warm-up games and, as a result, the bookies see them as underdogs in Friday’s clash. There are no injury worries in the home team ahead of the season opener. New signings Terem Moffi and Jeremie Boga are likely to make their Nice debuts against Lille.
Les Dogues, on the other hand, head into the match following a goalless draw with Premier League side Brentford. Lille seem to be more of a team than Nice, but seeing that Francesco Farioli’s men are tough to beat at home, we are tempted to put our money on draw. This will be a perfect opportunity for Lille new recruit Hakon Arnar Haraldsson to prove his worth.
Highlighted Player (Dante):
Dante is a left-footed defender who was born in Salvador, Brazil on 18 October, 1983. The 189-cm-tall centre back, who is capable of playing as a left back as well, started his senior career at Juventude. After making 53 appearances for the club between 2002 and 2004 he moved to Ligue 1 outfit Lille.
He played for Belgian sides Charleroi and Standard from 2006 to 2009 and on 27 December, 2008 he signed a contract with Borussia M’gladbach for an undisclosed fee. After impressing with the Fohlen in the 2011/2012 Bundesliga campaign he moved to Bayern Munich at the end of the season and it has to be noted that he scored three goals in 83 league appearances for FCB.
In 2015 he signed a contract with fellow Bundesliga team Wolfsburg and he played 24 league games for the Wolves in the 2015/2016 season. In 2013 he won the Champions League trophy with Bayern Munich and he lifted the FIFA Confederations Cup with Brazil the same year.
Highlighted Team (Lille):
Lille have been playing an important role in French football ever since they were founded in 1944. Les Dogues won their first domestic trophy in the 1945/1946 season.
Lille did well to win their second Ligue 1 title in 1954 and 57 years later they lifted their last domestic title. Les Douges finished the 2010/2011 season in top position in the standings, eight points clear of second-placed Olympique Marseille and it has to be noted that Lille attacker Moussa Sow won the Golden Boot (25 goals).
Lille are one of the two teams that managed to win three consecutive Coupe de France trophies (1946, 1947, 1948), but they have yet to clinch the Coupe de la Ligue title. Les Dogues faced PSG in the 2015/2016 Coupe de la Ligue trophy, but les Parisiens proved to be a big catch for Frederic Antonetti’s team in the title game.
Lille play their home matches at Stade Pierre-Mauroy and the capacity of the stadium is 50.186. The venue was opened in August, 2017 and the construction cost €282 million.
