Tomorrow at 5 p.m., OGC Nice travel to the Parc des Princes with a clear ambition: to prove they have what it takes to trouble Paris Saint-Germain. Buoyed by an impressive run of ten points from a possible twelve against Monaco, Lyon, Rennes and Lille, the Gym approach this clash as confident outsiders — even if injuries and fatigue are beginning to weigh heavily on bodies and minds alike.
Franck Haise is not one for theatrics. He knows these occasions too well to fall into the trap of grand promises. But between the lines, his message is unmistakable: Nice will not go to Paris merely to make up the numbers.
“We know we’re going to suffer against Paris, that’s obvious. But everything depends on how you suffer.”
There will be no retreat for ninety minutes. Haise wants his players focused, capable of defending intelligently, “playing out cleanly” and being “dangerous in transition”. In short: endure, but also strike whenever the opportunity arises.
Franck Haise: “Four matches in ten days, it starts to take its toll”
The Nice coach offered no excuses, but the reality is undeniable. “This is our fourth match in ten days. I already have seven or eight players unavailable…”
The tone is calm, almost resigned. The faces are tired, but not defeated. Salis Abdul Samed and Charles Vanhoutte have not trained with the squad and are expected to miss out. Sofiane Diop, ill, remains doubtful. Isaac Jansson took a knock against Lille. And the situation surrounding Jonathan Clauss is still unclear.
“I don’t have the capacity to field two teams today. Some players will have to keep going, others will have to step in. We deal with what we have.”
Behind this statement lies a deeper concern. Without stirring controversy, Haise issued what sounded like a warning:
“I see what players have been going through for a year and a half now. They never stop. International duty, competitions, back-to-back matches… it’s extremely difficult to manage.”
A view echoed by Ali Abdi, who also sounded the alarm:
“We play every three days. Bodies get tired, injuries pile up. It’s not an excuse, but it’s becoming too much.”
A Match Where Anything Is Possible
Against PSG, Haise is not pretending otherwise. He knows the scale of the challenge, but refuses the idea of a match decided in advance.
“We know we won’t dominate Paris, we won’t create fifteen chances, but that doesn’t prevent us from getting a result. Football might be the only sport where you can succeed even when you’re the weaker side.”
And Paris themselves are not at their sharpest. Fatigue from a congested schedule and thoughts already turning to Munich, where Bayern await on Tuesday in the Champions League, could lead to lapses in concentration.
Luis Enrique, for his part, has not underestimated Nice:
“There are things Nice do that are similar to Bayern Munich. It’s a team used to winning at the Parc. Not many teams can say that.”
Strong words — and a clear sign of respect for Franck Haise’s work and Nice’s discipline.
Memories of the Parc
Inside the Nice dressing room, one memory still lingers: the 3–1 win last April at the Parc.
“It was a special match, we did everything right,” recalls Abdi. “We managed the difficult moments, we were efficient… I hope tomorrow it will be the same.”
But caution remains:
“Paris is always a special game. You have to stay focused all the time. They can score at any second.”
On the left flank, Abdi will likely face Achraf Hakimi. A demanding duel, but without fear:
“Honestly, I don’t look at who’s in front of me. Hakimi is a great player, but on the pitch, we’ll see who’s better.”
A Disciplined Nice Side
This 2025–26 version of Nice may not be the most spectacular, but it has soul. Solid, generous and combative, it knows how to suffer together and strike in key moments. From their last four matches, the Gym have taken 10 points out of 12.
The message is clear: no arrogance, but a renewed sense of pride. In a Parc des Princes where Paris may already have one eye on Munich, Nice intend to play their hand to the fullest. Franck Haise has repeated it to his players: clarity, energy and a touch of daring. The rest, football can take care of.
