This Saturday, OGC Nice hosts FC Nantes as part of the 4th day of Ligue 1. After a challenging start to the season in terms of results, the Gym will be expected to step up in front of their supporters. Discover all the pre-match information here.
OGC Nice had two weeks to get their heads back on track. Due to the international break, Franck Haise was able to work in-depth with his group, missing several internationals (Charles Vanhoutte, Djibril Coulibaly, Juma Bah, among others). Now it’s time for the return of Ligue 1 for the Gym, before the start of a hectic calendar for the Aiglons, who will play no fewer than 16 matches across all competitions by the end of November. Melvin Bard and his teammates need to react after an extremely difficult start to the season. This requires a good performance against Nantes this Saturday (kickoff at 5 PM at the Allianz Riviera).
As a reminder, OGC Nice is currently experiencing results that are far from outstanding. The team of Franck Haise—who extended his journey with the Azurean club this week—has only won one match this season against Auxerre. Apart from that, the club from the French Riviera has only experienced defeats. Just before the break, the Nice team stumbled on the field of HAC, after ninety disappointing red and black minutes, being outplayed in desire and spirit.
Dante returns
This Saturday, Nice supporters might see two new faces on the Allianz Riviera pitch. The last two summer signings for Nice, Tiago Gouveia and Charles Vanhoutte, are expected to be part of the red and black squad. The Portuguese player offers an additional asset for Franck Haise thanks to his versatility. He can play as a right winger but also as a wing-back. On his side, the Belgian midfielder might lack some coordination with his new teammates. For the first time in his career, he was called up by the Red Devils during the break and even celebrated his first cap with Belgium. His arrival on the French Riviera was thus logically postponed.
Another good news for OGC Nice is the return of Dante. Recovered from a knee injury, the captain of the Aiglons should start this match. The Brazilian’s reinforcements can only be beneficial for the red and black defensive sector. On the absentee side, Tanguy Ndombele, Ali Abdi, Djibril Coulibaly, Moïse Bombito, Mohamed-Ali Cho, Youssouf Ndayishimiye, and Mohamed Abdelmonem are still on the injured list at Nice.
On the opposing side, FC Nantes is experiencing the same start to the season as Nice in terms of points. The Canaries have one win and two losses in three matches. The men of Luis Castro are, however, coming off a victory before the break, against AJ Auxerre (1-0), marking the first three points of the Nantes season.
Probable lineups:
Nice: Diouf – Oppong, Dante (C), Bard – Clauss, Vanhoutte, Boudaoui, Gouveia – Jansson, Carlos, Boga
Nantes: Lopes – Amian, Awaziem, Tati, Cozza – Leroux, Coquelin (C), Lepenant – Benhattab, Mohamed, Abline.
