This Thursday, OGC Nice hosts Sporting Braga for the 6th matchday of the Europa League. After a very catastrophic start to the competition, the Aiglons’ last hopes for qualification are extremely slim. Facing the Portuguese club, the Gym is obliged to react. All the pre-match info for this encounter is to be discovered here.
Seven defeats in their last seven outings, across all competitions, OGC Nice is going through a deep crisis at all levels. On and off the field, nothing is going right for the Gym. Franck Haise’s men are no longer advancing, as seen in the recent loss to Angers (0-1) this weekend. Without the support of their most loyal fans – who have decided to boycott the Allianz Riviera until further notice – Charles Vanhoutte’s teammates once again failed in their match, a nasty habit that repeats itself far too often this season.
In line with their difficult campaign in Ligue 1, the Aiglons cannot rely on the Europa League to pull their heads above water. After five matchdays, the red and black record could not be more catastrophic. OGC Nice has five defeats (AS Roma, Fenerbahçe, Celta Vigo, Freiburg, Porto) and hasn’t scored a single point in the competition. Logically, the Niçois occupy the last position in the mini-championship. Mathematically, the Gym still has the opportunity to qualify for the playoffs, but the hopes are extremely slim and reduced to almost nothing. In search of their first European victory for over two years now, the Niçois must show a reaction, a burst of pride, on the occasion of this reception of Braga (kickoff of the match this Thursday at 18:45 at the Allianz Riviera).
Should Franck Haise sacrifice the Europa League?
Facing a match with low sporting stakes, the coach of OGC Nice might be tempted by a turnover in his starting eleven. Jérémie Boga and Terem Moffi will not be part of the game. Both strikers’ injury rest has been extended, and they will also not play against Lens on Sunday. Besides these two players, Franck Haise remains without Dante, Youssouf Ndayishimiye, Moïse Bombito, and Mohamed Abdelmonem, who are injured.
On his side, Tanguy Ndombele might finally get more playing time after several months of absence. Interesting during his appearance against Angers last weekend, the midfielder adds a welcome touch of creativity and technique to the red and black midfield. “Tanguy brings real precision. Physically, how long he can last in a match is another question. But he made a very good entry. And he will have the chance to gain more playing time against Braga,” hinted Haise after the defeat on Sunday.
On the other side, Braga occupies the 7th place in the Europa League. At two-thirds of this mini-championship, the Portuguese are still in the running to secure direct qualification for the round of 16 of the competition. If the club were to take the three points on the Côte d’Azur, they would come closer to their goal. In their last European match, Carlos Vicente’s players shared points with the Glasgow Rangers (1-1).
The probable lineups:
Nice: Dupé – Mendy, Oppong, Bard – Louchet, Abdul Samed, Sanson, Gouveia – Diop, Carlos, Cho
Braga: Hornicek – Arrey-Mbi, Lagerbielke, Niakaté – Gomez, Gorby, Moutinho, Martinez – Victor, Navarro, Horta
