'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Nantes take on Auxerre in a Ligue 1 game at the Stade de la Beaujoire this Sunday. Nantes hardly got their season off to a bang last weekend. Their 0-0 draw with Toulouse was the only goalless match on Ligue 1's opening weekend, and so they'll be hoping for much better this Sunday.
Newly-promoted Auxerre, meanwhile, pulled off the opening weekend's biggest upset. They defeated Nice 2-1 thanks to a 94th-minute goal from new signing Lasso Coulibaly.
Can last season's Ligue 2 champions produce another shock here, or will Nantes kickstart their season?
Nantes vs Auxerre Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
The last time these sides faced off was in 2023, with Auxerre coming out on top in a 2-1 win. Overall, recent results between them have been largely mixed, with three wins for Nantes, two for Auxerre, and one draw in their last six meetings.
Trending
At the Stade de la Beaujoire, however, Nantes' record against Auxerre is extremely good. They are undefeated in 10 of their last 11 matches at home against this weekend's opponents.
Nantes' 0-0 draw with Toulouse last weekend extended their winless run in Ligue 1 to six games. The last time they won a match was on 14 April, a 0-1 victory over Le Havre.
Auxerre largely ran away with Ligue 2 last season, losing just six times and finishing six points ahead of their nearest rivals Angers. Most impressively, they only conceded 36 goals.
Nantes, in contrast, only narrowly avoided the drop to Ligue 2 last season. They finished in 14th place, but were only four points above eventually-relegated Metz, and they also scored the second-fewest goals in the competition.
Nantes vs Auxerre Prediction
Auxerre will come into this game with plenty of momentum after their dramatic opening weekend win over Nice. Will they be able to follow it up with another win here, though?
It's debatable. Nantes certainly did not thrill in their opening fixture but they did at least look solid, and their recent record against Auxerre is a strong one.
A lot could depend on the first goal. If Auxerre can start the scoring, it might be hard for Nantes to get back into the game. Overall, though, a draw seems to be the most likely result.
Prediction: Nantes 1-1 Auxerre
Nantes vs Auxerre Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Draw.
Tip 2: Both teams to score - Yes (It's highly unlikely that this game will end with no goals as Nantes' previous one with Toulouse did).
Tip 3: Nantes to score the first goal - Yes (Given their home advantage, we can expect Nantes to open the scoring, but Auxerre are no strangers to finding a late goal).
