LIGUE 1 PREDICTIONS | Round 16 – Top-flight action returns following winter break | OneFootball

Ligue 1 Predictions, Round 16

GFFN editor-in-chief  Luke Entwistle and GFFN’s  Raphaël Jucobin face off in our Ligue 1 predictions competition. It’s three points for a correct score, two points for a correct score difference, and one point for a correct result. Who will come out on top at the end of the season?

SCORES

Raphaël: 87

Luke: 98

Game of the week: OGC Nice v Stade Rennais, Friday 20:00 (UK)

Form somewhat goes out of the window as Ligue 1 football makes its return this weekend. For Nice, that certainly isn’t a bad thing. Franck Haise’s side were in desperate need of a break. They have benefitted from it. Their diminished squad is bolstered by the returns of Mohamed Ali-Cho, Hicham Boudaoui and club captain Dante. Nice still aren’t at full strength, far from it, but the returns of the trio represents a huge boost to Haise who once again has some options across the lines.

They will have to make a difference because the level shown by Le Gym prior to the winter break was not befitting of a team fighting for European football. They drew against bottom side Montpellier and only scraped past lower-tier Corsican side Corte on penalties in the Coupe de France.

They come up against a Rennes side that were also out of sorts heading into the short winter break, which lasted just a fortnight. Despite finishing with a win against Angers, they had won just one of their last five before that. That has forced Rennes to be active in the transfer market, even at this early stage, as they look to avoid another season without any form of European football. Seko Fofana, who was imperious in his final season at Lens before heading to Saudi Arabia, has returned to Ligue 1 for a €20m fee. It is a marquee signing and one that Les Rennais will hope can turn around their season. He will be looking to make an immediate impact against Nice.

Raphaël’s full predictions

Luke’s full predictions

GFFN | Luke Entwistle