Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Coupe de France match.
It’s clear that Stade Briochin won’t be pleased with Nice’s strong form, as Nice have suffered very few defeats this season. After an underwhelming Europa League group stage campaign that saw them miss out on the top 24, Nice will be eager to make a statement in the Coupe de France—where a deep run could offer a real shot at silverware.
Stade Briochin
Currently competing in National 2, the fourth tier of French football, Stade Briochin are well off the pace in their domestic league. To put it into perspective, Bordeaux—who lost their professional status in the summer—are 10 points ahead of them. In the Coupe de France, luck played a role in their victories: against Le Havre (1:0), Stade Briochin benefited from the poor finishing of the Ligue 1 side (5-4 in shots), while against Annecy (2:1 on penalties), their opponents needed just 0.24 xG to score.
OGC Nice
After a win over Marseille (2:0) and a draw with Toulouse (1:1), Nice remained in the Ligue 1 top five, trailing the top three by just three points. They play the attacking football expected from them, consistently creating chances (39 league goals, third-most in Ligue 1). The attacking duo of Evann Guessand and Gaëtan Laborde has been in fine form, combining for 16 goals and 6 assists in the league. Against Bastia (1:0) in mid-January, their backup goalkeeper, Rémy Riou, made three key saves to secure the victory.
Stade Briochin vs OGC Nice Prediction
A win over Stade Briochin would take Nice one step closer to long-awaited silverware. Nice will not let this opportunity slip, and against a fourth-tier side, the visitors should win comfortably.
