OGC Nice – Lille: ending the home curse

OGC Nice hosts Lille this Sunday at the Allianz Riviera (5:15 PM), with the obligation to recover from a more than disappointing start to the season. The Eagles have not won at home in the league for nearly eleven months, it was already against LOSC.

After four games without a win and sitting in last place in the standings, Olivier Pantaloni took advantage of the week to refocus his squad, without questioning the general spirit. “They want to do well, however, I think there is an awareness regarding the intensity and commitment we must put into a match. We have good players, we don’t yet have a good team“, analyzes the manager. 

He also mentions the need to develop “catalysts” within the dressing room. Like Laurent Abergel, currently injured, these are players capable of lifting the group through their daily behavior: “Today, we don’t necessarily have that kind of character in the dressing room. But there is a willingness to bring that to the whole group.“

Ndayishimiye and Diouf, confidence maintained

Particularly singled out since the start of the season, Youssouf Ndayishimiye and Yehvann Diouf nonetheless retain the confidence of their coach. On the defender, Olivier Pantaloni mentions a real sense of responsibility: “He is aware of his mistakes and has a strong will to correct them. He made his mea culpa in front of his teammates, I feel he’s very eager for revenge.” 

On his goalkeeper, who is more shaky with the ball at his feet, he simply calls for more clarity: “We’re asking him to do things that hadn’t been asked of him before, it’s up to him to have the right understanding of the situation so he doesn’t put himself in difficulty and so he can play in a more relaxed, more relaxed manner.“

Alidu Seidu officially a Nice player 

While Moïse Bombito and Antoine Mendy remain long-term absentees, Nice officially announced Friday night the signing of Alidu Seidu on loan from Stade Rennais. 

A versatile profile who, beyond his football abilities, has impressed the staff on a human level. “We received excellent feedback regarding his mentality. Despite his young age, he can be a leader in the dressing room, and we greatly need that. We’re talking about having more reference players in the group, he can be one“, says Olivier Pantaloni.

Mohamed Abdelmonem seeking redemption

Present at the press conference, Mohamed Abdelmonem extensively discussed his period of absence, marked by a serious injury and difficult adaptation to Europe: “It was very hard, one of the worst periods of my life. But that’s behind me now, I’m trying to regain my strength and be ready to help the team.” 

The Egyptian defender also mentioned his role as big brother to his young teammate Junior Mandza: “I have great confidence, I exchange a lot with him about how he sleeps, eats… I’m sure he’ll go very far.” 

He concludes with a message directly addressed to the Nice fans: “Stay with us, we need you, we are a family. We will give our all to climb the standings.“

Lille, a memory to revive 

The Gym faces the last opponent it beat at home in the league, on October 29, 2025 (2-0). A memory that the Eagles will need to draw on against an LOSC with well-identified characteristics. “It’s a team that has very little possession, but which is very vertical, with a lot of precision. They project quickly forward and are dangerous in transitions“, describes Olivier Pantaloni.

To counter them, Nice will need to use the ball better: “We have a possession-based team, unfortunately sterile. We still struggle to find those acceleration zones, due to the slowness of our circulation. It will be up to us, through our willingness to possess the ball, to cause them problems.“

Willy Delajod will be the referee for this match at the Allianz Riviera, this Sunday at 5:15 PM. 

Probable lineups

OGC Nice: Diouf – Abdelmonem, Ndayishimiye, Mandza – Clauss (C), Witsel, Coulibaly, Nkounkou – Hein, Wahi, Amoura

Lille OSC: Özer – Santos, Ngoy, Alexsandro, Perraud – André (C), Bentaleb – Mbappé, Haraldsson, Bakwa – Ueda.