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Nice
Europa League | League Stage
Nov 7, 2024 at 5.45pm UK
Allianz Riviera
FC Twente logo

Nice
vs.
FC Twente

Preview: Nice vs. FC Twente - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Thursday's Europa League clash between Nice and FC Twente, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Two sides struggling at the start of the league phase of the Europa League meet on the South Coast of France on Thursday, when Nice host FC Twente.

Neither side are yet to taste victory after three matches and will find themselves playing catch up if that extends beyond the halfway point.


Match preview

Nice's Tanguy Ndombele on September 25, 2024© Imago

Few teams have made as underwhelming a start to the league phase of the Europa League than Nice, who have played some excellent football domestically under Franck Haise, but cannot translate that into this competition.

After a positive result on matchday one against Real Sociedad, where Nice drew 1-1 and could have won if Alex Remiro did not deny Evann Guessand from the penalty spot, things have quickly gone downhill.

A trip to the Italian capital ended woefully, as Nice were thumped 4-1 by in-form Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, before they fell to a concerning 1-0 defeat in Hungary to Ferencvaros.

That has extended a worrying run of form that has seen Nice lose 10 of their last 12 Europa League matches, so Haise will hope an upturn of form domestically can be the catalyst to improving results on the continent.

OGC are unbeaten in six Ligue 1 games, and have won back-to-back matches since the debacle in Budapest.

Haise saw his young side end Monaco's unbeaten start to the season, before they went away to Champions League dark horses Brest and won 1-0 over the weekend, with Guessand netting in both victories, moving them up to fifth.

While Nice's UEL record is hardly inspiring, Twente's is even more disheartening heading into this one, as the Dutch side are winless in 10 in this competition.

Joseph Oosting, head coach of FC Twente on September 17, 2024© Imago

The draw at Old Trafford against Manchester United and former Twente manager Erik ten Hag on matchday one felt like a win, but they have been unable to back that up since.

There has been some misfortune involved though, as a 1-1 draw with Fenerbahce was not a bad result by any means, before an early red card to goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall against Lazio saw them fall to a 2-0 defeat.

That leaves Twente as the only team currently on two points, down in 28th, so manager Joseph Oosting will know that even though their fixtures get kinder on paper further down the line, they need points on the board sooner rather than later.

This fixture is set to be another difficult one for the Enschede club though, as they have lost on four of their last five visits to France, but the exception was their most recent trip here against Marseille, where they won 1-0 in 2009.

The away side bring good form domestically into this one too, as they have also won consecutive games since losing on matchday three - winning 5-0 over Heracles, and nicking a 1-0 victory away at Willem II - ending a four-game winless run in the process.

Nice Europa League form:


Nice form (all competitions):


FC Twente Europa League form:


FC Twente form (all competitions):



Team News

Twente's Sam Lammers celebrates scoring against Manchester United on September 25, 2024© Imago

Pablo Rosario's late red card in the defeat to Ferencvaros two weeks ago means Nice will be without their Dutch midfielder for this encounter, with Tanguy Ndombele likely to come into the side after a recent return from injury.

Midfield remains an area of concern though, as Hichem Boudaoui and Morgan Sanson are sidelined with hamstring and ankle injuries respectively, while Terem Moffi remains a long-term absentee up front.

Twente goalkeeper Unnerstall is suspended after he was sent off early on against Lazio, so 37-year-old Przemyslaw Tyton is set to deputise after coming off the bench to fill the void against the Italians.

Younes Taha is out until 2025 with a broken leg, but the visitors were able to welcome Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Mitchell van Bergen back from injury over the weekend, and both are likely to start in attack alongside Sam Lammers, who has scored in back-to-back games.

Michal Sadilek was named in a matchday squad for the first time this season in the win over Willem II, as the Czech midfielder has been missing since picking up a cruel injury on the eve of Euro 2024, and this game could be the perfect opportunity to build his match fitness.

Nice possible starting lineup:
Bulka; Mendy, Bombito, Abdelmonem; Clauss, Ndombele, Ndayishimiye, Abdi; Guessand, Laborde, Boga

FC Twente possible starting lineup:
Tyton; Van Rooij, Hilgers, Bruns, Salah-Eddine; Regeer, Vlap, Steijn; Lammers, Van Wolfswinkel, Van Bergen


SM words green background

We say: Nice 2-1 FC Twente

Both sides are looking to end woeful runs in the Europa League, as Nice have lost 10 in 12 and Twente are winless in 10, but both come into the game on the back of two straight league wins.

Nice's young attacking talent is exciting on the eye, and with a quality manager in the dugout and home advantage, they will be fancied to take their first three points of the league phase here.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




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Who will win Thursday's Europa League clash between Nice and FC Twente?

Nice
Draw
FC Twente
Nice
0.0%
Draw
0.0%
FC Twente
0.0%
0
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League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Lazio33009
2Spurs33009
3Anderlecht33009
4Ajax32107
5Frankfurt32107
6Midtjylland32107
7Galatasaray32107
8Bodo/Glimt32107
9Lyon32016
10Rangers32016
11Olympiacos32016
12FCSB32016
13Fenerbahce31205
14Porto31114
15Slavia Prague31114
16Real Sociedad31114
17Roma31114
18Hoffenheim31114
19AZ31023
20Man Utd30303
21Plzen30303
22Ferencvaros31023
23Elfsborg31023
24Malmo31023
25Braga31023
26Besiktas31023
27FC Twente30212
28Union SG30121
29PAOK30121
30Ludogorets30121
31Nice30121
32RFS30121
33Athletic Club00000
34M. Tel Aviv30030
35Dynamo Kiev30030
36Qarabag30030


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