PSG vs Nice 16/03/20

16 March 2020

Encouraged by the Champions League elimination of Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain will look to continue their dominance of French football when they lock horns with Nice at the Parc des Princes this weekend.

Runaway Ligue 1 (L1) leaders have racked up four successive league home victories going into this clash, scoring over 3.5 goals in each, although conceding at least two twice in the process. The reigning champions have not only picked up more L1 home wins than any other side so far (12), but ten of those successes have yielded a margin of at least two goals. PSG’s free-scoring home form has its merits, with Thomas Tuchel’s men bagging 44 league goals at the Parc des Princes on an average of 3.14 goals scored per L1 home fixture. Even if they concede the opening goal here, as they’ve done in just three of 14 L1 games at this venue, the Parisians may end up winning, as they won two of three previous such matches (L1).

Meanwhile, the visitors, who have suffered six defeats in their last nine top-flight trips to Paris (D3), can take some confidence from the fact they’ve avoided defeat in five straight L1 trips ahead of the kick-off (W1, D4). Each of those five matches has featured under 2.5 goals, with three of their four draws during that stretch coming via the same 1-1 scoreline. Indeed, for Nice, goals have been at a premium when away from home this season. They’ve managed only 13 goals in as many league road trips thus far, scoring over 1.5 on just four of those occasions. Particularly vulnerable before the break, ‘Les Aiglons’ have shipped 67% of their total L1 away goals in the first half of play (12/18).