Nice vs Real Sociedad: Alexander Mostovoy's Bet

The Europa League is kicking off in its new format, similar to the Champions League, but here, the competition level is not as high. There aren't many strong teams in this tournament. Today, we have Nice facing Real Sociedad, with both teams starting the season on different notes.

Nice has had an inconsistent start to the season. In the last Ligue 1 campaign, the club surprised many, particularly in its early matches. However, any hopes for a title challenge this season seem distant for the Eagles. Frank Ezza's squad has dropped points a couple of times against relatively weaker teams, suffering a 1-2 loss to Auxerre, a 1-1 draw with Toulouse, and the anticipated 0-2 defeat to Marseille. On a brighter note, Nice did secure two convincing wins, notably a 4-1 victory over Angers and an impressive 8-0 thrashing of newcomer Saint-Étienne.

While Nice has already played a range of matches, the situation is far bleaker for Real Sociedad. The team has managed just one win since the start of the season, a narrow 1-0 against Espanyol. In their other outings, the White and Blues struggled, alternating between losses and draws. They even faltered against equal or weaker rivals, losing 1-2 to Rayo Vallecano, 1-2 to Alavés, and 0-1 to Mallorca. The squad has also recorded two unnecessary draws, leaving them low in the La Liga standings.

Overall, the outcome seems clear to me. Nice is in significantly better shape compared to Real Sociedad. The White and Blues are currently preoccupied with their struggles in the league, making the Europa League a lesser priority.

My bet is a victory for Nice at a score of 2-1, with odds of 9.20