OGC Nice travels to the field of Paris Saint-Germain, the French champion, but in turmoil in recent weeks after being eliminated from all remaining competitions. A season’s end without stakes from which Nice could benefit, as PSG seems to have already finished their season.
Nice has not won at the Parc des Princes for 10 years. Embarked on a bad run (with Paris having lost 3 of their last 4 Ligue 1 matches (1 win), as many as in their previous 52), the French Champions have never bitten the dust on their home turf. They’ve only conceded one draw since the start of the championship, with 15 wins and a whopping 58 goals scored (against just 9 goals conceded).
And yet, a few more stats can shed light on the Nice scenario. The wind is blowing a bit more in Nice’s sails. On one hand, Nice has won 3 of their last 5 top-tier games (1 draw and 1 loss), as many as in the past 10 (3 draws and 4 losses). On the other hand, Paris has conceded 14 goals in their last 5 league games, as many as in their previous 26.
Sent off in the Coupe de France final against Rennes (SRFC win on penalties), Kylian Mbappé received a 3-match suspension. His sanction took effect following the match against the Bretons. After Montpellier (PSG lost 3-2), he will miss the visit from Nice and Paris’s trip to Angers.
THE PARISIAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Aréola, Buffon
Defenders: Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Kurzawa, Bernat, Dagba, Mbe Soh, Zagre
Midfielders: Paredes, Verratti, Draxler, Diaby, Nkunku, Alves
Forwards: Neymar, Di Maria, Cavani
THE NICE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Benitez, Clémentia
Defenders: Burner, Atal, Sarr, Herelle, Boscagli, Dante
Midfielders: Tameze, Lees-Melou, Danilo, Makengo
Forwards: Srarfi, Saint-Maximin, Ganago, Sacko, Jaziri, Le Bihan
THE REFEREE
Frank Schneider will officiate the clash against Paris Saint-Germain. The 39-year-old Alsatian will be assisted by Djemel Zitouni, Nicolas Henninot, and Sylvain Palhies.
