PSG vs Nice

Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 title defense continues at the Parc des Princes against Nice.

After a bumpy start to his managerial career in Paris, Luis Enrique has galvanized his new-look PSG side, going from back-to-back draws in the opening two Ligue 1 rounds to two consecutive wins by 3+ goals ‘to one.’ PSG’s resurgence has coincided with Kylian Mbappe’s return to the fold, with the elite forward already assuming control of the Ligue 1 scoring charts with five goals. A third successive win would fire ‘Les Parisiens’ to the top of the table, even if only briefly, but it’s not a foregone conclusion. Despite avoiding defeat in 12 straight league H2Hs on home turf since 2009 (W8, D4), the reigning French champions have alternated between winning (4) and drawing (3) across their last seven meetings with Nice in Paris, including a 2-1 win in this corresponding fixture in 2022/23.

On the other hand, Nice wouldn’t mind sharing the spoils, which has become a trademark of Francesco Farioli’s early regime in the French Riviera. Before putting two unanswered goals past Nice en route to a 2-0 home victory on the stroke of the international break, the visitors had drawn their opening three league matches, with two of them yielding an identical 1-1 scoreline. Low scoring has been a common theme in Nice’s early days under Farioli’s stewardship, with each of their four league games this season featuring under 2.5 goals. First halves have been particularly underwhelming, with only two goals scored before the break, highlighting the potential for a cagey start. But that could play into Nice’s hands, considering they’ve only managed one shutout on their last 11 league visits to Paris.