Lorient vs Nantes Prediction 18 July 2026
🔊 The match between Lorient and Nantes will be an important step in pre-season preparation for both sides. Lorient are getting ready for the Ligue 1 campaign and continuing to build their game under the new head coach. For Nantes, this one matters just as much - after relegation from the top flight, the club is going through a major rebuild ahead of life in Ligue 2, where the main goal will be getting back up.
Head-to-Head
The last official match between the two sides took place on 31 January 2026 and ended 2-1. Here's how the stats looked that day (Lorient were the home side):
- possession: 57% vs 43%;
- corners: 1 vs 4;
- fouls: 12 vs 18;
- yellow cards: 4 vs 5;
- shots on target: 4 vs 2.
📊 The most recent meeting between the sides came just recently in Ligue 1 and ended in a 2-1 win for Lorient. Generally, these two don't tend to produce high-scoring affairs - most matches have gone with one or two goals. The 2023 match is the exception, when eight goals were scored between them. That said, both teams finding the net in this fixture is fairly common.
Head-to-head statistics Lorient - Nantes
Lorient Team Overview
Their last official match was played on in a Club Friendlies fixture - Concarneau at home, Lorient as the visitors. The match ended 1-2.
Match stats (Lorient vs Concarneau):
- possession: 54% vs 46%;
- corners: 2 vs 3;
- fouls: 6 vs 11;
- yellow cards: 1 vs 0;
- shots on target: 5 vs 3.
Lorient are starting a new chapter under Alexandre Dujeux, who has been tasked with rebuilding the team's style of play after several departures and getting the squad ready for the new Ligue 1 season. In preseason, he's been working on finding the right balance between defensive solidity and a more aggressive approach going forward, gradually moving away from a back three toward more attacking setups. The first friendly ended in a 2-1 win over Concarneau, with Yvon Mvogo, Laurent Abergel and Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Dieng still at the core of the squad.
The summer preparations are also being used to bring younger players into the mix and test new tactical combinations. Defensively, there's still work to do - late in last season, Lorient were conceding regularly even when the attack was holding up its end.
Match Results: Lorient
Nantes Team Overview
The visitors' last official match was played in the Club Friendlies tournament (home side, Fleury 91, away side, Nantes). The match ended 0-5.
Match stats (Nantes vs Fleury 91):
- possession: 56% vs 44%;
- corners: 2 vs 5;
- fouls: 10 vs 13;
- yellow cards: 0 vs 1;
- shots on target: 7 vs 0.
This has been one of Nantes' tougher summers in recent years. After relegation to Ligue 2, the club changed direction, overhauled the squad and brought Michel Der Zakarian back as manager - tasked with getting them back up. Pre-season started well enough with a 5-0 win over Fleury 91, but the story dominating the last few days is the situation around striker Mostafa Mohamed.
The Egyptian forward hasn't been seen at the club for over three weeks and isn't responding to contact. Der Zakarian said publicly that the coaching staff don't know where he is, and the club has stopped paying his wages. With his future still unclear, Nantes are building their attack around Mattis Abline - and the rest of the squad have been told to focus on nothing but pre-season preparation.
Match Results: Nantes
Prediction for the 1st half
Head-to-head matches:
- Total encounters - 17;
- First-half wins for the home side (at home) - 1; for the visitors (away) - 2; number of draws - 5;
- Average first-half total: 0.82;
- Today's home team averages 0.29 goals in the first half, while the away team scores 0.53.
Prediction on Outcome
Head-to-head:
- played - 17;
- home wins - 2, away wins - 11, draws - 4.
- Lorient are unbeaten at home in 9 matches in a row (Friendlies, clubs).
- Lorient are unbeaten in 8 of their last 9 matches (Friendlies, clubs).
Prediction on Total
Head-to-head (average total):
- home team - 0.94, away team - 1.71;
- in head-to-head matches - 2.65;
- both teams scored: all time - 10 times; at the home team's ground - 4 times.
- Lorient have conceded in 11 matches in a row (Friendlies, clubs).
- Lorient have conceded at home in 7 of their last 8 matches (Friendlies, clubs).
- Nantes have scored in 11 of their last 12 matches (Friendlies, clubs).
Prediction on Both Teams To Score
Head-to-head:
- played - 17;
- both teams scored all time - 10 times;
- at the home team's ground - 4 times.
- Lorient have scored and conceded in 8 of their last 9 matches (Friendlies, clubs).
- Lorient have scored and conceded at home in 7 of their last 8 matches (Friendlies, clubs).
⭐️ Editor's Prediction
Both teams arrive at this match with different objectives, but the case for goals at both ends is fairly convincing. Lorient have conceded in 11 consecutive friendly matches, and at home they've kept just one clean sheet in their last eight such games. Nantes, meanwhile, have scored in 11 of their last 12 friendly matches.
Given those numbers - and the fact that these two regularly trade goals when they meet - the most appealing option here is Both Teams To Score - Yes.
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Betting Tips: Lorient - Nantes
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