Nice vs Saint Etienne Prediction 29 May 2026
🔊 Can Nice secure their place in France’s top flight? On Friday, the Eagles host Saint-Étienne in the decisive second leg of the Ligue 1 relegation play-off. Saint-Étienne, who competed in Ligue 2 last season, held Nice to a draw in the first leg, leaving everything to play for at Allianz Riviera. Dive into our in-depth analysis and prediction for this crucial clash.
Head-to-Head
📊 In recent years, Nice have dominated this matchup, stringing together five consecutive wins over their rivals ahead of this season’s playoff encounters. However, the most recent clash at Saint-Étienne’s ground ended in a goalless draw, leaving neither side with a clear advantage heading into the two-legged tie.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Nice Team Overview
⚫ At the start of the season, few could have imagined that Nice-competing in the Europa League-would find themselves battling for survival in France’s top flight. The crisis that unfolded during the first half of the Ligue 1 campaign lies squarely with the club’s management: their delayed decision to change head coach sparked a rift between players and supporters, ultimately leading to a mass exodus from the squad.
🔴 Nice’s lackluster transfer strategy failed to offset these departures, and Les Aiglons slipped into the relegation zone. A poor run of form at the business end of the campaign left Claude Puel’s side finishing 16th and facing a relegation playoff against Saint-Étienne. In the first leg away from home, Nice offered little in attack-registering zero shots on target and posting a dismal expected goals (xG) figure of just 0.24.
Match Results: Nice
Saint Etienne Team Overview
🟢 Saint-Étienne are well-positioned to secure promotion to the top flight-they need just one win against an opponent they’re more than capable of beating. Given the Greens’ performances throughout this campaign, few doubted they would clinch direct promotion to Ligue 1. However, a poor finish to their Ligue 2 season saw Philippe Montanier’s side drop to third and settle for a playoff spot.
⚪ In the first leg against Nice, Saint-Étienne managed just 45% possession. For most of the match, Montanier’s men focused on disrupting their opponents’ attacks, but offered virtually nothing going forward: not a single shot on target and a lacklustre expected goals tally of just 0.11. Overall, the Greens looked uninspired, and it remains unclear what they can rely on to get over the line.
Match Results: Saint Etienne
Latest news
Nice
📄 The aftermath of the incident involving Nice supporters in Paris ahead of the French Cup final has now been revealed. A total of 65 people were detained following the riots, with 15 charged with aggravated assault-these individuals are currently under judicial supervision. The club is set to face a fine, though the exact amount has yet to be disclosed.
Saint Etienne
❌ Saint-Étienne may be without forward Irvin Cardona for the upcoming match, as his participation remains in doubt. Cardona featured for 67 minutes against Nice last time out before picking up an injury, and it’s still unclear whether he’ll recover in time. Midfielder Mahmoud Jaber and defender Chico Lamba are both ruled out for the rest of the season due to injuries and will not be available to help the team.
🟨 Yellow Card Prediction
The upcoming match will be officiated by Ruddy Buquet. Over his last 100 matches, Buquet averages 3.63 yellow cards per game, with 23 fouls committed on average. This season, Nice are picking up 2.0 yellow cards per match, while Saint-Étienne receive 1.7. Both sides have kept their bookings relatively low this campaign, so we suggest backing under 4.5 total yellow cards at odds of 1.59*.
⚽️ Goals Prediction
Nice have averaged 1.1 goals per match across all competitions, while Saint-Étienne boast a much higher figure at 1.9. Matches involving these two sides tend to be high-scoring affairs: the hosts see an average of 2.7 goals per game, with the visitors at 3.0. Given these numbers, a bet on over 2.5 total goals at 1.99* looks like a solid option.
🚩 Corners Prediction
This season, Nice average 5.4 corners per match, with Saint-Étienne close behind at 5.0. Both teams frequently win set pieces from the corner flag and their stats are slightly above the Ligue 1 average. That makes over 9.5 total corners at odds of 1.82* a reasonable prediction.
*Odds are approximate and may vary between bookmakers.
Editors’ Prediction
Both sides played it safe in the previous match, showing little willingness to take risks. Now, with everything on the line, they have no choice but to push forward and find the net if they want to win the tie. Expect a completely different contest this time around-far more open and attacking than what we saw just a few days ago. We anticipate plenty of action in the final third and recommend backing over 2.5 goals. Our predicted scoreline: a 2-1 victory for the home side.
Betting Tips: Nice - Saint Etienne
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Comparison of Teams Stats
Other predictions
