In one of the games of the weekend in Ligue 1, top-four hopefuls Nice and Lille lock horns at the Allianz Riviera on Sunday afternoon.
Both are currently on six-game unbeaten runs domestically, and were held to draws on home soil in Europe during the week.
Match preview
© Imago
On paper, Nice will have been more disappointed at being held on the continent, as they are unable to get their Europa League campaign up and running at present, with the 2-2 draw with Twente on Thursday meaning they are still waiting for their first win in the competition.
Placed in context though, it was a very good point for Franck Haise's side, considering the position they found themselves in.
Nice were 2-0 down, and after pulling a goal back, were then reduced to 10 men when Sofiane Diop was sent off, but the man disadvantage did not deter them, as Mohamed-Ali Cho netted a late leveller to salvage a point.
It also saw OGC add to their European tally, after being thumped by Lazio and surprisingly defeated away to Ferencvaros in their last two, but it does extend a worrying run of just one win in 13 Europa League games, where they have lost 10, and remain down in 31st, level on points with debutants RFS.
Domestic form is much better though, as Nice look like the biggest threat of breaking into the top four at present, sitting just two points back in fifth.
Back-to-back wins which saw Haise's men end Monaco's unbeaten start before seeing off Champions League dark horses Brest last weekend has moved them handsomely up the table, with Evann Guessand the key man, scoring in both games.
Draws have been commonplace for Nice this season though, especially at home, where four of their six games have ended level, and this is a fixture that is no stranger to a deadlock either.
Over the last 20 years, no fixture has ended level more often than this one, with 18 draws played out between the sides, including both last season.
Nice won home and away during the 2022-23 campaign, but that represents their only home win against Lille in five attempts.
© Imago
Therefore, Lille will fancy their chances at extending their unbeaten run across all competitions to 10 games, after they proved trouble for another European giant in the Champions League in midweek.
After beating Real Madrid at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on matchday two, the Lille faithful were dreaming of adding the scalp of Juventus, but after leading at half time through Jonathan David, Dusan Vlahovic's penalty saw the game end 1-1.
Winning seven points from a very difficult run of games against Real, Atletico Madrid and Juventus suggests Lille are fancied to make the knockout stage, and currently sit 14th in the 36-team standings.
Bruno Genesio's men look good value to return to Europe's top-tier again next season based on their start in Ligue 1 too, where Lille are in the top four with 18 points, having lost just twice in their 10 games so far.
Away form in particular has been impressive, as Lille are averaging two points-per-game on the road, and have conceded only once in five matches, having now kept three straight clean sheets.
Team News
© Imago
There was plenty of rotation in the Nice side for their clash with Twente on Thursday, as Guessand, Jeremie Boga, Jonathan Clauss, and the saviour Cho were all kept on the bench, with those four all expected to start.
Youssoufa Moukoko and Gaetan Laborde will be pushing to start in attack, but neither fully impressed when given their chance in midweek, and after Diop's sending off, a whole new front three could be deployed.
Antoine Mendy is doubtful for the hosts, and they will definitely be without Hichem Boudaoui, Morgan Sanson, Terem Moffi and Mohamed Abdelmonem.
After keeping David and Edon Zhegrova on the bench for the trip to Atletico, stating that derby against Lens was more important, Lille boss Genesio had both in from the start against Juve, and their stunning form continued, as the two linked up for the opening goal.
Unlike Nice, Lille were at full strength, so a similar XI could be seen here, especially if Andre Gomes fails a late fitness test.
Ismaily is closing in on a return from a knee injury, but fellow defenders Samuel Umtiti, Thomas Meunier and Tiago Santos head up a long injury list that also includes Hakon Arnar Haraldsson, Nabil Bentaleb and Remy Cabella.
Nice possible starting lineup:
Bulka; Ndayishimiye, Bombito, Dante; Clauss, Rosario, Ndombele, Abdi; Cho, Guessand, Boga
Lille possible starting lineup:
Chevalier; Mandi, Diakite, Alexsandro, Gudmundsson; Andre, Bouaddi, Angel Gomes; Zhegrova, David, Sahraoui
We say: Nice 1-1 Lille
The most drawn Ligue 1 fixture of the last 20 years looks devilishly difficult to predict once again, with both clubs on impressive unbeaten runs domestically, and pushing for the top four.
Genesio has never beaten Haise as a manager in five previous meetings, and while Lille will certainly be competitive, it is tough to separate the two, and yet another draw between these sides looks on the cards.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
