Preview: Nice vs. Ajaccio - prediction, team news, lineups

Les Aiglons ran out 3-1 winners over Marseille at the weekend, while their visitors' bright start against Nantes counted for nought in a 2-0 defeat.

Match preview

Young managers taking Ligue 1 by storm has been the theme of 2023, as 30-year-old Will Still leads Reims on a magnificent unbeaten run, and the appointment of 36-year-old Didier Digard to the Nice hotseat has breathed new life into the Riviera outfit.

Some expected a trip to an in-form Marseille side to be a step too far for Nice, but with their hosts pre-occupied with thoughts of Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France, Digard's side took full advantage to strike through Billal Brahimi, Gaetan Laborde and Sofiane Diop in a resounding win.

Ruslan Malinovskyi's effort proved to be only a consolation for Marseille, as Nice extended their winning run in the top flight to three games and their unbeaten run to five - Digard has taken 13 points from 15 on offer since replacing Lucien Favre in the dugout.

Whether the hosts' improved fortunes is just a classic case of the new manager bounce remains to be seen, but Les Aiglons are enjoying the moment while it lasts and have surged back up into European contention - now eighth in the table and six points off the top five.

With Europa Conference League matters not taking precedence until next month, Nice can purely focus on their continental charge in Ligue 1, and they welcome Ajaccio to the Allianz Riviera having avoided defeat in each of their last six top-flight home games.

Despite giving Nantes a good run for their money early doors and rattling the crossbar through Cyrille Bayala, Ajaccio's efforts against Les Canaris were ultimately in vain, as the Coupe de France champions struck twice in the second half for a straightforward win.

Evann Guessand drew first blood on the 64-minute mark before L'Ours left-back Ismael Diallo stuck out an arm to beat away a goalbound strike in stoppage time - seeing red for his troubles - but Ludovic Blas gave Benjamin Leroy no chance with a postage-stamp penalty.

Olivier Pantaloni could take credit from his side's vigour in the opening exchanges, but an 18th defeat of the season leaves Ajaccio mired in relegation danger, currently 18th in the table and one point adrift of the safety of 16th spot, which is currently occupied by Troyes.

Pantaloni's side opened February in ideal fashion by beating basement side Angers 2-1, but their loss versus Nantes was a fifth defeat in six since the turn of the year for Ajaccio, who only have three Ligue 1 goals to their name in that time.

A solitary goal from Andy Delort - now on the books at Ajaccio's recent conquerors Nantes - gave Nice a 1-0 win over Pantaloni's men in September, making it four games without a win or goal for L'Ours against their hosts since a 1-0 triumph in August 2012.

Nice Ligue 1 form:

L

W

D

W

W

W

Ajaccio Ligue 1 form:

L

L

L

L

W

L

Ajaccio form (all competitions):

L

L

L

L

W

L

Team News

Nice new boy Terem Moffi made his debut for Les Aiglons against Marseille, who he was expected to move to at one point during a long-running January transfer saga, playing 73 minutes before reportedly coming off with a knock.

Moffi is expected to lead the line here regardless, but Arsenal loanee Nicolas Pepe (knee) is one of three absentees for Les Aiglons, who are also without Youcef Atal and Marcin Bulka due to hamstring and shoulder injuries respectively.

Brahimi should come into Digard's thinking for a start after coming off the bench to score his first Ligue 1 goal at the weekend, but the hosting coach should see no reason to alter a winning formula, especially with Nice enjoying an eight-day break befoe their following match against Reims.

Having channelled his inner goalkeeper against Nantes, Ajaccio left-back Diallo will serve a suspension here for that straight red card, while captain Vincent Marchetti has also been hit with a one-game ban for an accumulation of yellow cards.

However, Marchetti came off injured just before the half-hour mark against Nantes, although the severity of his issue is unclear, while Diallo's spot at left-back ought to be filled by Mickael Alphonse.

Thomas Mangani, Yoann Touzghar, Youssouf Kone and Mathieu Coutadeur make up the rest of the visitors' absentees for Friday, where 19-year-old Paolo Lebas will likely deputise in the engine room for the suspended and injured Marchetti.

Nice possible starting lineup:

Schmeichel; Lotomba, Todibo, Dante, Bard; Ramsey, Ndayishimiye, Thuram; Laborde, Moffi, Diop

Ajaccio possible starting lineup:

Leroy; Youssouf, Gonzalez, Avinel, Alphonse; Bayala, Lebas, Barreto, Chabrolle; Belaili, El Idrissy

We say: Nice 3-0 Ajaccio

Struggling for goals, without their captain and vice-captain and facing a reinvigorated Nice side, this contest has all the makings of a bad day at the office for Ajaccio.

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