Nice and Strasbourg will take to the field for the first time in 2026 with a meeting at the Allianz Riviera on Saturday evening.
Both teams cleared Coupe de France hurdles last time out, with Nice edging Saint-Etienne 2-1 and Strasbourg matching that score against Dunkerque.
Contents
- 1 Nice vs Strasbourg prediction: Narrow victory for visitors
- 2 Most recent H2Hs: Nice will hope to continue unbeaten run
- 3 Nice preview: Hosts plagued by a host of absentees on AFCON duty
- 4 Strasbourg preview: How will Les Bleu et Blanc cope with managerial uncertainty
- 5 Player to watch – Joaquin Panichelli
Nice vs Strasbourg prediction: Narrow victory for visitors
Key stats
- Nice's victory over Saint-Etienne marked their first win in 10 matches, with the other nine ending in defeat.
- Despite scoring first last time, Nice have now conceded first in five of their past seven games and have trailed at half time in six of those.
- Strasbourg, by contrast, are unbeaten in four outings and have picked up three wins, a run that gives them momentum for Saturday's fixture.
- From a disciplinary perspective, five of the past seven away games have seen fewer than five bookings, and just one of Nice's last seven matches has reached that mark, underlining the notable lack of cards in both teams' recent fixtures.
Correct score prediction: Nice 1-2 Strasbourg
Nice earned a much-needed reprieve in their final 2025 outing. However, defensive issues remain for a team now 10 games without a shutout.
Consequently, Strasbourg are favoured to edge their hosts and begin the year positively.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Strasbourg tipped to heap further pressure on Nice
- HOME: 9/5 (2.80) – 35.7%
- DRAW: 12/5 (3.40) – 29.4%
- AWAY: 29/20 (2.45) – 40.8%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Nice have lost each of their last six Ligue 1 matches, making them slight underdogs at home for Saturday's game, with a 35.7% chance of winning.
Claude Puel is faced with immediate pressure to deliver a win on his second managerial debut for the hosts.
Meanwhile, Strasbourg will aim to justify their narrow favourite tag, motivated by hopes of European qualification, and see this match as a key opportunity to strengthen their position.
Liam Rosenoir's men return to league play after back-to-back cup wins and must improve after earning one point from the last 12 available.
For more from the upcoming matches, today’s free football betting tips look at some of the best picks.
Most recent H2Hs: Nice will hope to continue unbeaten run
After completing a league double over Strasbourg in the 2023-24 campaign, Nice picked up four points from a possible six across both of last season's meetings to extend their unbeaten streak in this fixture off the back of a five-game winless run prior.
France Ligue 1 12/04/25
Strasbourg
Nice
France Ligue 1 24/11/24
Nice
Strasbourg
France Ligue 1 28/04/24
Strasbourg
Nice
France Ligue 1 03/09/23
Nice
Strasbourg
France Ligue 1 13/05/23
Strasbourg
Nice
Nice preview: Hosts plagued by a host of absentees on AFCON duty
Nice have as many as five players currently unavailable due to their involvement in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.
Senegal duo Antoine Mendy and Yehvann Diouf are joined by Mohamed Abdelmomem, Ali Abdi, and Hicham Boudaoui.
Elsewhere, Youssouf Ndayishimiye is nursing a knee problem, while Tom Louchet is suspended.
Predicted lineup: Dupe (GK), Clauss, Bah, Oppong, Bard, Vanhoutte, Ndombele, Cho, Sanson, Jansson &Diop
Nice's last five matches:
- Nice 2-1 Saint-Etienne (Coupe de France)
- Lens 2-0 Nice (Ligue 1)
- Nice 0-1 Braga (Europa League)
- Nice 0-1 Angers (Ligue 1)
- Lorient 3-1 Nice (Ligue 1)
Strasbourg preview: How will Les Bleu et Blanc cope with managerial uncertainty
Following Enzo Maresca's recent dismissal as Chelsea manager, Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenoir has emerged as the favourite to take the reins at Stamford Bridge.
Given the work Rosenoir has done since arriving, Strasbourg will be devastated if they have to part ways with the 41-year-old, but Saturday's visitors will need to forge ahead regardless.
Predicted lineup: Penders (GK), Omobamidele, Doukoure, Hegsberg, Moreira, Mourabet, Barco, Amo-Ameyaw, Enciso, Panichelli & Nanasi
Strasbourg's last five matches:
- Strasbourg 2-1 Dunkerque (Coupe de France)
- Strasbourg 3-1 Breidablik (Conference League)
- Strasbourg 0-0 Lorient (Ligue 1)
- Aberdeen 0-1 Strasbourg (Conference League)
- Toulouse 1-0 Strasbourg (Ligue 1)
Player to watch – Joaquin Panichelli
Profitting from Emmanuel Emegha's absence, Panichelli has led the line for most parts of the current campaign and boasts nine goals from 16 Ligue 1 matches.
However, the Argentinian is without a league goal since October, when he netted in five straight matches across all competitions.
Still, Panichelli remains a handful to deal with, and a return to the score sheet this weekend would not be surprising.