After suffering a second defeat in their previous three Ligue 1 fixtures this past weekend, Nice return to Allianz Rivera on Wednesday for a date with Lens.
Les Aiglons were beaten 3-1 at Le Havre on Saturday, putting them five points behind the league-leaders Paris Saint-Germain, while Lens are inching closer to a European place, sitting seventh following a 2-0 triumph over Reims.
Match preview
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A slow start cost Le Gym a chance to close the gap atop the standings this past weekend, as they remain just two points above arch-rivals Monaco for second.
Their five goals conceded in their previous three domestic affairs are one more than this side allowed in the opening 13 matchdays of the campaign, giving up three on Saturday for the first time in this competition since August 28, 2022 (3-0 defeat to Marseille).
To beat a side as sound defensively as Les Aiglons have been in 2023-24, drawing first blood appears to be the key, with the only two defeats suffered by Nice this season occurring when they were behind 1-0.
Wednesday will be their final league fixture at home this season, where Francesco Farioli has seen his side win four successive matches, while going unbeaten domestically at Allianz Rivera since April 23, 2023 (2-1 loss to Clermont).
They have not suffered consecutive defeats in Ligue 1 since April 2023, when Nice lost three successive times that month, scoring just once over that stretch.
Le Gym have never lost a Ligue 1 fixture versus Lens at Allianz Rivera, with their last home defeat against them occurring in December 2007 when they played their home games at Stade du Ray (2-1).
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After surviving some early scares on Saturday, Les Sang et Or benefitted from a miscommunication between Reims goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf and his defenders, allowing the home side to take the lead minutes before the interval.
When leading at the half in Ligue 1 this season, Lens have triumphed four times while losing only once, and they have not lost a competitive fixture when ahead or even after 45 minutes since suffering a 3-2 defeat versus Brest in their opening domestic encounter of 2023-24.
Lens have scored a goal or fewer in every away game played in Ligue 1 or the Champions League since that defeat to Brest, failing to find the back of the net in five of their previous six matches in all competitions as the visiting team.
That said, Lens have been sharp defensively outside of Stade Bollaert-Delelis in this competition, posting five successive clean sheets away from home.
Franck Haise's side are starting to settle into a groove domestically, unbeaten in 11 consecutive Ligue 1 affairs after beginning the new campaign with defeats in four of their opening five games.
Historically, Les Sang et Or have drawn first blood in three of their four visits to Allianz Rivera, losing 2-1 in those three instances, with the other result ending in a 0-0 draw last season.
Team News
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Nice were without Youcef Atal last weekend through suspension, while Jean-Clair Todibo received a straight red card in the latter stages of their match against Le Havre, meaning he will not be available for this contest.
Neither Sofiane Diop nor Khephren Thuram are expected to return to the fold before the New Year, suffering from a broken toe and knee injury, respectively.
A 91st-minute strike by Tom Louchet was a mere consolation in their match versus Le Havre, as Marcin Bulka has conceded more goals in his last three league fixtures (five) than in the 10 before that.
Wuilker Farinez is back training with Lens, though he and Jimmy Cabot are still expected to miss more time with ACL issues, while Deiver Machado is eyeing a return from a groin strain in late December.
Jonathan Gradit and Nampalys Mendy are unlikely to return until early January because of a calf and thigh injury, respectively.
Wesley Said has scored in back-to-back domestic home fixtures, putting home his team-leading fourth of the campaign last weekend, with Oscar Cortes netting for the first time this season and Brice Samba collecting his eighth clean sheet, two fewer than Bulka for the league lead.
Nice possible starting lineup:
Bulka; Lotomba, Dante, A. Mendy, Perraud; Boudaoui, Sanson, Balde; Laborde, Guessand, Claude-Maurice
Lens possible starting lineup:
Samba; Khusanov, Danso, Maouassa; Aguilar, El Aynaoui, Diouf, Frankowski; Costa, Fulgini; Said
We say: Nice 1-1 Lens
After such a solid start to the campaign, Nice are struggling to handle the pressure of being near the top of the table, and although they have been sharp defensively at home, Lens are in great form, and we believe they will be able to earn a point on Wednesday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
