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Sunday sees Nice face off with Reims at the Allianz Riviera on the opening weekend of the 2021-22 Ligue 1 campaign.
Nice will be hoping to improve on last season’s ninth place finish, while Reims will be looking to climb higher than last term after finishing in 14th.
But with both sides seeing managerial changes during the summer of 2021, this feels like a game in which anything could happen.
Nice vs Reims Head-to-Head
Nice’s 2020-21 campaign was an up-and-down one. After a sticky patch saw them drop all the way to 16th in February, they lost just three of their final 12 matches to climb back up to a respectable ninth-place finish.
However, the summer brought a big managerial change. Adrian Ursea left the club and has been replaced by Christophe Galtier – the man who took Lille to the Ligue 1 title in 2020-21.
Add in a number of summer transfers and Nice fans will be forgiven for being largely hopeful coming into this season.
Meanwhile, Reims have also seen a managerial change after David Guion announced he would be leaving the club at the back end of the 2020-21 campaign.
Oscar Garcia – formerly of Watford, RB Salzburg and Celta Vigo – is now in charge. He’ll be hoping to improve on Reims’ poor form, as they won just one of their final 10 games last season.
This may prove tricky, though, as last season’s top scorer Boulaye Dia has now been sold to Spanish side Villarreal.
Nice form guide (competitive games only): W-L-W-L-W
Reims form guide (competitive games only): L-D-L-L-L
Nice vs Reims Team News
Nice
Midfielder Alexis Claude Maurice is a doubt for Christophe Galtier’s side, as he is still recovering from a broken foot.
Injured: None
Doubtful: Alexis Claude Maurice
Suspended: None
Reims
Reims have not reported any injuries and their squad should be at full strength for this match.
Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Nice vs Reims Predicted XI
Nice predicted XI (4-4-2): Walter Benitez, Youcef Atal, Jean-Clair Todibo, Dante, Hassane Kamara, Lucas Da Cunha, Pablo Rosario, Khephren Thuram, Justin Kluivert, Kasper Dolberg, Amine Gouiri
Reims predicted XI (4-3-3): Predrag Rajkovic, Fode Doucoure, Wout Faes, Yunis Abdelhamid, Ghislain Konan, Moreto Cassama, Marshall Munetsi, Xavier Chavalerin, Nathanael Mbuku, Hugo Ekitike, Mathieu Cafaro
Nice vs Reims Prediction
Nice will be hopeful of getting off to a flyer this season and this could be a good opening game for them.
Reims finished last season in bad form. They’ve lost a highly regarded manager and sold their best striker, Boulaye Dia.
Meanwhile, Nice have strengthened in the summer and under the guidance of Christophe Galtier, they should open their campaign with a win.
Prediction: Nice 2-0 Reims
