Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Europa League match.
Nice's poor start in the Europa League group stage leaves them with only two points as they head into a crucial home game against Rangers. They’re the favourites for the upcoming encounter, despite their significant squad issues and the Scottish side's extensive experience in European competitions, making it unlikely to be an easy contest for the French team.
OGC Nice
Apart from the injured Morgan Sanson, Terem Moffi, Antoine Mendy, and Ali Abdi, Nice will also be without Sofiane Diop and Moïse Bombito for the next round of the Europa League due to suspensions. In their game against Twente (2:2), the team heroically came back from 0:2 down, although they could have avoided such a deficit—their defence faltered too often, leading to 1.06 xGA and six shots on target. The 3-4-3 formation does not suit Nice's stalwart central defender, Dante Bonfim, as the former Bayern Munich player finds it hard to keep pace at the age of 41.
Rangers
Just two years ago, Rangers were on the brink of winning the Europa League final, only to fall short against Eintracht Frankfurt (1:2 after a penalty shootout). Currently, the Scottish side are just two points from the top-8 zone, and their away draw with a formidable Olympiacos (1:1) demonstrates the character of the players. In Greece, they created more xG (1.16-0.71) and had more shots on target (6-2), so the less consistent Nice pose less of a threat.
OGC Nice vs Rangers Prediction
There's a compelling bet on a Rangers goal. Nice have yet to keep a clean sheet in the Europa League, and the attack from the Glasgow side gives no cause for concern.
