This weekend in Ligue 1, Nice will host Lille at the Allianz Riviera in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. Nice come into the game in poor form, having won only one of their last five matches in Ligue 1. They have been particularly poor in attack, scoring only 22 goals in all games. They are currently 10th in the Ligue 1 table and will be looking to ramp up the pressure to climb the ladder. Lille have been in good form, as they are unbeaten in their last five, with three wins and two draws. They are currently sixth in the table and will be eager to close the gap to the top. Both teams have very strong attacking units, with Nice boasting the likes of Nicolas Pepe and Andy Delort, while Lille have Jonathan David, the one-man army, in their ranks. We now look at the stats of the two teams that could help in predicting the outcome of the match.
Comparison of the teams’ performances
The viz above shows the percentile rank of both teams’ stats compared to each other as well as to other teams in Ligue 1. It can be seen that Lille has better overall stats than Nice in most departments. Notably, the hosts have the upper hand in terms of shots, xG, final third entries, and xGA. Alternatively, there are a couple of departments where the visitors have superior stats, such as recoveries, but are at par in terms of entries into the opponent’s penalty area.
Lille have won ten, drawn four, and lost five of their 19 Ligue 1 matches thus far. They have scored 35 goals, averaging 2.09 xG per match. Their defence has let in 25 goals with an xGA rate of 1.32. The team averages 14.4 shots per game with a 37.5% accuracy rate. Additionally, the team averages 58.6% possession per match.
Meanwhile, Nice have a poor record of six wins, seven draws, and six losses. They have netted 20 goals, averaging 1.42 xG per match. Their defence has let in 22 goals with an xGA rate of 1.01. Nice’s players take 10.74 shots per match with a 40.2% accuracy rate. In terms of possession rate, they keep 51.12% ball possession on average per match.
Attacking efficiency
The two visuals above compare both teams on the basis of positional play and counter-attacks. The visitors hold a slight advantage for counterattacks, with 19% efficiency against the hosts’ 16%. Lille creates 31.89 positional attacks on average and takes shots from 37.9% of such plays. Meanwhile, Nice creates 25.74 positional attacks per match, with 27% of them resulting in shots.
Alternatively, Lille launches 2.26 counterattacks per match, with 49.1% of these attacks ending in shots. Meanwhile, Nice launches 1.37 counterattacks on average, with 23.4% of them ending in shots. We can expect the visitors to keep more possession and create more chances while the hosts adopt a more agile and efficient approach to their attacking moves in this fixture.
Difference in pressing
The two visuals above compare both teams on the basis of pressing efficiency and defensive duels. As we can see from the first visual, Lille are ranked third on the list with 49% pressing efficiency and is ranked in the top 66.6 percentile for a high press success rate. Meanwhile, Nice are ninth with 41% efficiency in pressing and have a 28.5 percentile rank for a high press success rate.
The second visual represents the ranking of teams in Ligue 1 based on their percentage of defensive duel wins. It can be seen that Lille and Nice are ranked first and second, respectively, in the league for successful defensive duels. Lille have a 58% win rate in defensive duels, and Nice, on the other hand, have a 57% success rate. On average, the home team attempts 60.51 defensive duels and makes 40.89 interceptions versus 64.11 defensive duels and 39.63 interceptions per 90 for Lille.
Key players
Jonathan David is pumping goals for Lille and is a crucial part of their attack. In the 2022–23 French Ligue 1, Jonathan David played 18 matches. David has 27 shots on target from a total of 53 and has scored ten goals (10.72 xG). David averages 22 passes per game, has an 84% pass completion rate, and has four assists. All of his goals have come from inside and around the six-yard box, along with a few attempts on goal from outside the box. He averages 2.99 shots per 90 minutes with 52% accuracy.
Nicolas Pepe is a winger for Ligue 1 club Nice. In the French Ligue 1 season 2022/23, Nicolas Pepe has played 11 matches (plus two as a sub). He has 14 shots on target from a total of 29 and has scored six goals (4.51 xG). Nicolas Pepe averages 32 passes per match with a pass completion rate of 83% and zero assists.
Team news
Nicolas Pepe and Ross Barkley each had a brace for Nice when they defeated Montpellier, with the other goals coming courtesy of Khephren Thuram and Andy Delort. Marcin Bulka has a sore shoulder, while Youcef Atal is not expected back until the end of the month from his ankle injury.
Barring any injury issues, Fonseca may be prepared to name the same Lille starting 11 that started last time out in Ligue 1. Timothy Weah is an alternative in the final third should Fonseca opt for fresh legs, as is Andre Gomes in the middle of the pitch.
In conclusion, this weekend‘s Ligue 1 match between Nice and Lille is sure to be a thrilling contest. Both teams have strong attacking units and will be looking to get the three points. With both teams in need of points, it promises to be an exciting game, and all eyes will be on the Allianz Riviera to see who can come out on top.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
