This Friday, the Gym faces Stade Rennais as part of the 16th round of Ligue 1. The Aiglons want to start 2025 with a win. All pre-match information can be found here.
The Gym is back! This Friday, the Niçois begin the first match of a busy January schedule. OGC Nice starts with a home game against Rennes (kick-off at 9 p.m.), before playing four away games across all competitions. A challenging schedule awaits Franck Haise’s team in the first month of 2025.
The teammates of Tanguy Ndombele are seeking a new victory after some mixed performances before the end-of-year break. As a reminder, OGC Nice drew against the last-placed team, Montpellier, before winning on penalties to eliminate Corte in the French Cup’s Round of 64. A victory for the red and black would temporarily bring the Gym back into the Top 5 of the championship.
Jonathan Clauss suspended, several returns hoped for
Regarding the squad, Franck Haise remains without a significant portion of his group. Terem Moffi, Morgan Sanson, Jeremie Boga, and Victor Orakpo are still injured. Additionally, Yaël Nandjou and Jonathan Clauss will also not participate in this match. The young defender is serving a one-match suspension after his expulsion in the French Cup. As for the French fullback, he is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards in recent Nice outings.
However, after some difficult weeks, there are a few positives to highlight. In recent days, several players have returned to training with the group. This includes Mohamed Ali-Cho, Antoine Mendy, and Youssouf Ndayishimiye. They are now in contention for a spot to play in this match.
The first half of the season was tough for Rennes, who are currently 12th in Ligue 1. The Bretons have even experienced a coaching change a few weeks ago. Jorge Sampaoli replaced Julien Stéphan, who was dismissed by the management. Rennes could rely on their first summer signing, Seko Fofana, whose transfer to Brittany was confirmed this Wednesday. According to Ouest-France, the former RC Lens player could be eligible to play in this match.
The probable lineups:
Nice: Bulka – Louchet, Bombito, Rosario (C), Bard – Ndombele, Boudaoui, Diop – Bouanani – Laborde, Guessand
Rennes: Mandanda (C) – Hateboer, Ostigard, Faye – Assignon, James, Matusiwa, Truffert – Blas, Kalimuendo, Grønbæk
