On Friday evening at Stade Louis II, Monaco and Nantes will kick off the new Ligue 1 season.
Monaco was unable to challenge for the Ligue 1 title last season due to a poor start to the season. They want to get it right from the start in the 2021/22 season, starting with a home match against Nantes.
If we consider that their opponents barely avoided relegation in the previous season's competition, the hosts begin the game as big favorites.
Monaco finished third in the previous season, earning a spot in the UEFA Champions League Qualifications. After a 2-0 away win in the qualifier against Sparta Prague three days ago, they enjoyed a strong start to the competitive season.
In May, Nantes had to play Toulouse (the third-placed Ligue 2) in the relegation playoffs. After losing 0-1 at home in the reverse fixture, they were only able to proceed due to the away goal rule (2-2 on aggregate).
Nantes lost numerous key players from last season's squad without finding suitable replacements, and the team is anticipated to struggle even more this season.
In the previous season in Ligue 1, Monaco was lethal in front of their home crowd, scoring 43 goals in 19 league games at Stade Louis II. On the first day of the season, they host one of the division's worst clubs, and we can only expect a home win.
We would urge you to avoid handicap bets here because Monaco just had a tough game against Sparta Prague three days ago, and they have only defeated Nantes by one goal difference in each of their last four head-to-head meetings.
Prediction: We predict Monaco to win this match
Tip: Monaco to Win