Nice vs Schalke Match Betting Preview

OGC Nice welcome Schalke O4 to the Allianz Riviera on Thursday as the French side kick off their Europa League campaign for the 2016/17 season.

OGC Nice Betting News

OGC Nice will be excited to get their European adventure underway this week, having beaten Marseille 3-2 last weekend.

Mario Balotelli scored twice for the French side on his debut, helping them on their way to a massive win, lifting them up to 2nd in the table, with just goal difference keeping them below Monaco in 1st.

OGC Nice manager Lucien Favre changed to a 3-5-2 formation in the weekend’s fixture in order to accommodate Balotelli and he could stick with that system here.

It remains to be seen how much rotation is applied to the starting XI and how highly Favre will  prioritise the Europa League this season.

Notably, Mickael Le Bihan, Maxime Le Marchand, Walter Benitez and Gautier Lloris are not options on Thursday.

Schalke 04 Betting News

Schalke 04 meanwhile have had nearly had a full week’s rest for this match having played Bayern Munich last Friday

They did lose that match however, with the Bundesliga champions rolling them over in a comfortable 2-0 victory. That loss left Schalke 04 in 17th with two consecutive losses in the German top-flight.

In terms of team news for the German outfit Schalke have good options in midfield and attack and could rotate their squad on Thursday to give the likes of Max Meyer, Breel Embolo and Johannes Geis a start.

Elsewhere, Fabian Giefer, Astuto Uchida, Coke and Donis Avdijaj are all ruled out through injury.

OGC Nice vs Schalke 04 Match Prediction

Nice are unbeaten in 13 UEFA home games (W10 D3), a run stretching back to a 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid in the 1956/57 European Cup. Schalke, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last six European away games. All factors point to a draw in this intriguing clash.

Match Betting Tip: Draw @3.25 at Bet365

 

: Posted in Europa League • Date: 17.09.2016