Ligue 1 Predictions, Round 7

SCORES

Raphaël: 47

Luke: 43

Bastien: 51

Guest leaderboard:

Alex Barker: 7

Julien Laurens: 7

Game of the week: AS Monaco v OGC Nice, Sunday 16:15 (UK)

Monaco go into this one with a boost of confidence. Their draw against Manchester City, although not a win, was their best performance of the season so far. They looked more solid defensively and were more direct in their attacking when they did have the ball. It was a point that came at a cost, however, with Vanderson the latest to succumb to injury. He must undergo medical tests but he will likely be out for several weeks at the very least. Then there is the case of Paris Brunner, who is also carrying a knock. Adi Hutter hopes to have him available, but the Monaco manager admitted that he is not expecting any returning players. There are currently eight players sidelined, and Monaco remain without a midfield.

However, they will go into this game as favourites. Nice are struggling to kick into gear and have just two wins in their last nine games in all competitions. They drew against Paris FC at the weekend and looked pretty uninspired when they were on the ball. They must also contend with an incredibly difficult trip to Istanbul to face Fenerbahce on Thursday. Not only are their chances of taking anything from this game slim, but it is a long journey that will probably also impact their freshness against Monaco on Sunday. With club captain Dante, such a key figure, continuing to struggle from a knee injury and perhaps absent from this derby, the odds feel stacked against Franck Haise’s side. 

Raphael’s Ligue 1 predictions

• Paris FC 2-2 Lorient
• Metz 0-2 Marseille
• Brest 1-2 Nantes
• Auxerre 1-1 Lens
• Lyon 2-1 Toulouse
• Le Havre 0-1 Rennes
• Monaco 3-0 Nice
• Strasbourg 3-1 Angers
• Lille 2-3 PSG

Luke’s predictions

• Metz 1-3 Marseille
• Monaco 2-0 Nice
• Lille 1-3 PSG
• Paris FC 0-0 Lorient
• Brest 2-1 Nantes
• Auxerre 1-1 Lens
• Lyon 1-0 Toulouse
• Le Havre 1-1 Rennes
• Strasbourg 2-0 Angers

Bastien’s predictions

• Paris FC 1-0 Lorient
• Metz 0-2 Marseille
• Brest 2-1 Nantes
• Auxerre 0-1 Lens
• Lyon 2-1 Toulouse
• Le Havre 1-1 Rennes
• Monaco 1-0 Nice
• Strasbourg 2-0 Angers
• Lille 1-2 PSG