Rescheduled for Friday evening, OGC Nice welcomes Stade Rennais for the 9th round of Ligue 1. After his victory against Brest last week, the Gym wants to continue and maintain his invincibility at the Allianz Riviera. All the pre-match information for this encounter is to be discovered here.
Less than a year after his departure, he will already be making his second return to the Allianz Riviera. This Friday, Franck Haise is not arriving in unknown territory. Far from the Côte d’Azur, the former coach of OGC Nice (July 2024 – December 2025) is enjoying happy days leading the Rennes team. Almost twelve months ago, the French tactician had left the red and black ship, tired of an exhausting season – which saw the Gym save itself narrowly after going through the playoff round – at all levels. With Rennes, he had made his big return to the Allianz Riviera, last March. Facing sluggish Eagles in a negative spiral, his players had made short work of weak opposition (0-4). Time for revenge!
This Nice – Rennes match was initially scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Faced with numerous demonstrations planned for this weekend, the police prefecture – in agreement with the LFP – decided to reschedule the match to this Friday, October 30 (kick-off at 7 p.m. at the Allianz Riviera). With a rugby match being held at the same time at Arboras, a women’s handball match at the Charles-Ehrmann Halls and a concert at the Palais Nikaïa, you cannot say this was the best idea… Traffic around the OGC Nice stadium promises to be heavy and precautions for getting there become more than necessary.
No Seidu, but Clauss will be there
More scare than harm for the French international, who had to leave the pitch after an ankle injury against Brest. While a sprain had long been feared, it was not as serious. The OGC Nice fullback was able to return to training on Wednesday. Barring surprise, he should be able to hold his place for this match against Rennes. His fellow winger, Ali Abdi, remains too tight. While the Tunisian defender has also returned to group training, he still needs to improve his fitness before considering a return to action.
Alidu Seidu will be out of the squad, and this is certain: the medical joker of OGC Nice cannot take part in this match for administrative reasons. Loaned by Rennes, the Ghanaian international cannot play this match against the club to which he is still under contract. Finally, Sofiane Diop could benefit from his thunderous entry against the Brest team to regain the starting spot of Gauthier Hein, who was too neutral in the Gym’s recent outings.
On the other side, Stade Rennais occupies 2nd place in Ligue 1, six points ahead of Nice and just one point behind the leader, Paris Saint-Germain. The Bretons have more than succeeded in their season start. Their big unknown concerns the presence or absence of their number nine, Esteban Lepaul. The leading scorer of the French championship is suffering from an ankle injury and missed his team’s last two outings. Irony of fate or not, Franck Haise has brought back his traditional 3-5-2 system from his hat for over a month in Brittany. A system that he had tried to anchor at all costs on the Côte d’Azur. Without success, and this may have signaled the end of his Nice adventure.
Probable lineups:
Nice: Diouf – Abdelmonem, Ndayishimiye, Mandza – Clauss, Boudaoui, Witsel (C), Nkounkou – Diop – Amoura, Wahi
Rennes: Lemaître – Aït Boudlal, Cresswell, Rouault – Frankowski, Thomasson, Rongier (C), Szymanski – Dia, Al-Tamari.
NicePremium is a free, independent local news outlet.
Help us keep going by supporting our work from €5 per month.
