Lille Can Clinch UCL on Final Ligue 1 Matchday
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Jonathan David Going for 20 Goals
If Lille defeat Nice Sunday on the final Ligue 1 Matchday, Les Dogues will almost certainly finish in third place. Unless Lille win by three goals fewer than Brest do at Toulouse, a Lille victory would mean automatic Champions League qualification.
Nice are tricky customers though and have the league’s best defensive record. As Lille’s Jonathan David looks to increase his tally to 20 league goals, we’ll cover the Lille vs Nice odds. While Nice are locked into fifth place in the Ligue 1 standings, third or fourth place are possibilities for Les Dogues.
Lille vs Nice Game Info
Game: Lille vs. Nice
Location: Stade Pierre Mauroy, Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France
Date & Time: Sunday, May 19th, 3:00 p.m. ET
Lille vs Nice Matchup Head-to-Head:
Nice are unbeaten in their last three games vs. Lille and Les Aiglons have lost just two of the last eight meetings. In the Ligue 1 reverse fixture, Nice took a lead through Gaetan Laborde in the first half but Lille’s Bafode Diakite scored a stoppage time equalizer in a 1-1 draw.
The pregame Lille vs. Nice odds priced a draw at +250. Nice are on a five game scoring streak vs. Lille and Les Dogues haven’t managed a home win vs. Nice since 2021.
Lille Missing Starting Keeper
Lille leapfrogged fourth-placed Brest in the Ligue 1 table with a 2-1 win over Nantes last Sunday. Jonathan David scored both of Les Dogues’ goals in the first half and Edon Zhegrova squandered a good chance to go up 3-0.
Nantes got a goal back in the second half and after Lille keeper Lucas Chevalier got injured, backup Vito Mannone made a key save to secure an important three points.
If Lille lose on Sunday, even a draw from Brest would mean Les Dogues finish in fourth. Lille will stay play in the Champions League if they finish in fourth but they’d start out in the Third Qualifying Round. With 19 goals, Canadian striker David ranks second in the Ligue 1 player stats only behind Kylian Mbappe.
Mannone will start in place of Chevalier, who is out with a meniscus problem, on Sunday. The Italian keeper hasn’t made a Ligue 1 start since last season, when he was playing for Lorient. Yusuf Yazici and Adam Ounas are also expected to miss Sunday’s match. Heading into this one, Lille have won three of their last four home matches.
Nice’s Champions League Dream Shattered
Nice’s Champions League dream was still alive heading into Wednesday’s rescheduled match vs. Paris Saint-Germain. However, Nice fell 2-1 and will either play in the Europa League or Europa Conference League next season.
Bradley Barcola scored and provided an assist for PSG as Mohamed-Ali Cho could only grab a consolation goal for Nice. To make matters worse, defender Melvin Bard picked up a straight red card and will miss the season finale at Lille.
Although they rank as the best defense in the Ligue 1 team stats this season, Nice have conceded at least twice in two of their last four games.
Marcin Bulka has kept clean sheets in over half of the matches he’s started this season and 40-year old defender Dante has been superb. Still, Nice are vulnerable when playing on the road.
Les Aiglons have a 6-5-5 record away from home this season. Along with Bard, forward Sofiane Diop is out for Sunday’s match. While Bard has played 32 times this season, Diop hasn’t scored a goal. Terem Moffi leads Nice with 11 goals this campaign but the Nigerian striker has scored just once in his last six appearances.
Lille vs Nice Matchup Analysis & Odds
With all still to play for, at least for Lille, the Lille vs Nice odds price Les Dogues as -150 favorites. Although Lille have just one win in their last five games vs. Nice, the stakes have never been higher. Finishing in third and playing among Europe’s elite next season would be a big achievement for Paulo Fonseca and Lille.
The Ligue 1 odds also list Nice as +435 underdogs and a draw at +310. A draw would still be enough for Lille to finish in third if Brest don’t win on Sunday. Bettors can take Lille -0.5, -1 at -125 odds or Nice +0.5, +1 at -105.
Nice have scored in five straight Ligue 1 games and in their last five meetings vs. Lille. Here, Nice over 0.5 goals displays -185 odds. Still, Nice have conceded just 0.8 goals per game this season and under 2.5. 3 goals show -120 odds in what is a massive match for Lille.
For odds, sports betting analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
