Nice vs FC Koln Prediction and Odds | Conference League Sept 8

Nice vs FC Koln Betting Preview

FC Koln has qualified for European competition for the first time in five years and they will kick off their Europa Conference League campaign in France against a struggling Nice squad. WagerTalk soccer handicapper Kevin Dolan shares his thoughts on Thursday’s clash between Nice and Koln.

Thursday, September 8	Europa Conference League Betting Notes
Nice:	+145
FC Koln:	+175
Draw:	+240
Total:	2.75 Goals (Odds Above Courtesy of DraftKings)
Game Time:	12:45pm ET / 9:45am PT

Nice vs FC Koln Analysis

FC Koln has kicked off their Bundesliga campaign with an undefeated five-game run to start the season and will look to carry that solid form into Thursday’s Europa Conference League clash against Nice over in the Allianz Riveria.

Koln enjoyed a 4-2 victory over Wolfsburg this past weekend, so the German squad should be full of confidence ahead of this one.

After a top-five finish in French Ligue 1 last season, Nice has regressed somewhat to start the year, claiming just one win all season with zero wins at home.

The two sides haven’t met in European competition since 1973, with both teams splitting a pair of wins in that series.

Koln’s High-Scoring Road Form

Koln is off to its best start domestically since the 2016-17 season, avoiding defeat in every matchup so far over their opening five games.

On the road, however, the Billy Goats have had to overcome some rough moments, with 4+ goals being scored in eight of their last 13 league games away from home.

Nice May Look To Rotate

While a solid run in Europe would no doubt build some confidence inside Lucien Favre’s camp ahead of what has been a difficult league campaign so far, the priority has to be French Ligue 1 right now. With a very winnable game coming up against AC Ajaccio this weekend, Favre may well look to target that game over this one as he looks to rebound quickly in the league.

Nice vs FC Koln Prediction

Both teams are favored to progress from this group, so neither will want to risk losing this game outright by being reckless and potentially missing out on qualification from the group later down the line.

With this being FC Koln’s first big European game since 2017, we expect them to start out cautious here despite their good form, and manager Steffen Baumgart would probably see a point on the road as a solid result to kick off their European campaign in this one.

This game will also present a good opportunity for Lucien Favre to tinker with his rotation as all of his big summer transfers have failed to click into a cohesiveness unit just yet to start the year.

Overall, we’re expecting a tight game in this one and like the value on the outright draw at +240 in Thursday’s matchup between FC Koln and Nice over in the Europa Conference League.

Stoppage Time | Champions League Match Day 1 Betting Preview

The group stage of the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League tournament kicks off on Tuesday, September 6. Join Carmine Bianco, Kevin Dolan, Pavlos Laguretos and Nick Borrman for Stoppage Time as we preview this week’s biggest matches across Europe.

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Meet the Author

‘The sharpest sports mind in Ireland’ is how one prominent newspaper dubbed Kevin Dolan after he became the first foreigner ever to win the World Series of Handicapping tournament back in 2015. “The Irishman” made his start wagering on GAA, football, soccer and boxing, all to immense success. Since becoming a professional bettor, he has since lit up the sports betting scene in the U.S. and abroad, winning two handicapping awards and writing a best-selling book on sports handicapping named ‘The Complete Guide to Sports Betting’.

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