Nantes hosting Metz on Sunday smells like a trap game, but it shouldn't be. Metz sits 17th in Ligue 1 with just 24 points, having lost five of their last six matches. Their last win came on March 10th against Clermont Foot. Nantes, 14th with 31 points, hasn't exactly been tearing it up either, dropping four of their last five, including a 3-0 shellacking by Montpellier last week.
The key matchup? It's all about who controls the midfield battle between Nantes' Florent Mollet and Metz's Lamine Camara. Mollet has been quiet recently, but he's got the creative spark Nantes needs to break down a bunkered-in Metz side. Camara, on the other hand, is a ball-winner who can disrupt passing lanes and spark counters.
Look, this is not going to be a classic. Both teams are desperate, but Nantes has slightly more quality and the home crowd. They'll grind out a result. Nantes wins, 1-0.
Predictions are for entertainment purposes only. Not gambling advice.