Vitesse host French Ligue 1 side Nice at the GelreDome next week, with the home side searching for their first Europa League win of the season at the final opportunity of asking. Despite the fact that the Dutch side have little more than pride to play for, Nice will still be making the trip anticipating a competitive clash, despite having already qualified for the knockout phase of the competition already.
Europa League – GelreDome, Arnhem – Thursday 7th December – 20:05 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 13/5 at William Hill |
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Lazio
NiceMatch Preview
Having already won three of their five Group K matches in the Europa League this season, Nice will be looking to qualify in style when they travel to Holland to take on struggling Vitesse next week. Having already defeated the Eredivise side earlier on in the campaign, the Ligue 1 outfit are the undoubted favourites to claim another three points on the road next week. Despite little riding on the clash, the encounter is still set to attract a large amount of interest. For those still unsure of who to back ahead of kick-off, be sure to check out our top betting tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Vitesse Team News & Form
Vitesse come into this match off the back of an important win over Den Haag in the Dutch top-flight over the weekend, a result which leaves them sixth in the standings. Meanwhile, despite earning an impressive draw away at group leaders Lazio in Europe last week, Vitesse have struggled to make any sort of impact on the competition as of yet, collecting just two points from their five matches. Manager Henk Fraser is likely to name a strong starting eleven for the match against Nice, with the likes of Luc Castaignos and Tim Matavz having performed well so far this season.
Nice Team News & Form
Nice were thumped 5-0 by Lyon in Ligue 1 over the weekend, leaving Lucien Favre’s side 18th in the standings. Having finished third last season, this is a substantial loss of form, with only a few victories in Europe giving their fans something to shout about. Having already qualified for the knockout phase of the competition and with no chance of catching Lazio at the top of Group K, manager Favre may well choose to rest some of this star names, meaning that the likes of Mario Balotelli and Jean Michael Seri could miss out.
Head to Head
Nice’s 3-0 win over Vitesse in France earlier on in the season was the first ever competitive meeting between the two clubs, meaning that few conclusions can be made surrounding their head-to-head record.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Despite having not won any of their opening matches in Group K, their status as the home team next week means that it is Vitesse who are the favourites for victory with the majority of bookmakers. Those looking to back the home side for the win for can take advantage of odds of 5/6 from William Hill, while Nice are priced at 9/5 with Ladbrokes.
Top Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on both teams scoring during the 90 minutes in the Ukraine, which is available at a price of 8/15 with Ladbrokes ahead of kick-off.