This Friday, OGC Nice hosts Stade de Reims, kicking off the 31st day of Ligue 1. As the championship enters the final stretch, the Eagles aim to continue their good form seen in recent weeks. All the pre-match information for this encounter can be found here.
Capitalize on that win in Paris! One week after defeating the league leader on their home turf for the first time this season (1-3), OGC Nice is set for another match this Friday at the Allianz Riviera (kick-off at 9 PM). The Nice team is in the race for Europe and cannot afford any slip-ups against increased competition. As a reminder, the Gym is in the 6th place of Ligue 1 with three games left in the season. The Eagles are just two points behind the podium, making the Champions League quite achievable for Moïse Bombito and his teammates.
To achieve this, the goal is simple: secure three victories in the last three outings of OGC Nice this season. On paper, the Gym will face opponents ranked lower than them in the standings (Reims, Rennes, and Brest). In short, all conditions are set for an exciting end to the season. In the first leg, Nice easily won on the Reims pitch (4-2). Gaëtan Laborde notably stood out, scoring a double during the match.
The Gym loses two defenders in five days
This is the bad news of the week for OGC Nice. Mohamed Abdelmonem and Youssouf Ndayishimiye are out for the rest of the red and black season. The first suffered a cruciate ligament rupture last Friday during the match at Parc des Princes. After a challenging adaptation, the Egyptian international was finally performing well. However, the misfortune did not stop there. This Thursday, the Eagles announced that the Burundian international suffered the same injury, during a training session.
This injury will keep the two Côte d’Azur defenders off the pitch for several months. Franck Haise loses crucial elements of his defensive sector. However, the Côte d’Azur coach might rely on the return of Dante. After a two-week break, the Nice captain has resumed collective training and is in contention for a place in the squad. But the Brazilian’s physical condition may raise some questions.
On the other side, Stade de Reims is actively fighting for survival. Samba Diawara‘s team occupies the 13th position in Ligue 1, five points ahead of the playoff team, Le Havre. If successful on the French Riviera on Friday, the Rémois would secure their spot in the elite of French football for next season.
Probable line-ups:
Nice: Bulka – Mendy, Bombito, Bard – Clauss, Sanson, Boudaoui, Abdi – Bouanani, Laborde (C), Boga
Reims: Diouf (C) – Buta, Okumu, Gbane, Kipré, Akieme – Atangana, Koné – Ito, Siebatcheu, Nakamura
