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

The visitors know they need a miraculous set of scorelines in their favour to qualify for Europe this season.

Match preview

With Rennes and Monaco in the hot seat to take the Europa Conference League spot in Ligue 1, Lyon look like they will have to settle for a second consecutive season with no European football.

For the improbable to happen, Lyon must win and hope the two sides above them lose, while also needing a nine-goal swing in their favour over Rennes.

With Rennes facing a lowly Brest outfit, and Laurent Blanc's men travelling to Nice, big scorelines in their favour appear unlikely.

Results have been remarkably better under Blanc compared to Peter Bosz, but it was just too much of an insurmountable task to get Lyon into Europe, especially after Toulouse's Coupe de France success took one of the league positions away.

Blanc has been unlucky though, as he has led Lyon to seven wins in their last nine games, picking up 37 points in the second half of the season, only second to Paris Saint-Germain's 38.

OL have also shown fine form on the road, especially since the World Cup, as no side in Ligue 1 has lost fewer than their two in 11 games away from home in that time.

Nice head into this encounter with nothing to play for after their European dreams evaporated due to some poor form during March and April.

A defeat in the Europa Conference League quarter-finals to Basel hardly helped confidence either, as it effectively ended their season.

Didier Digard's appointment as manager initially gave the side a huge lift, going unbeaten in his first 14 games in charge, so clubs on the hunt for a new manager may be taking note.

Form has tailed off though, especially here at the Riviera, winning just one of their last seven home games.

After a seven-game winless run though, Digard's men have responded well, by winning three of their last five.

Nice Ligue 1 form:

L

W

W

L

D

W

Lyon Ligue 1 form:

L

W

W

L

W

W

Team News

Nicolas Pepe and Aaron Ramsey will both miss out here for Nice and may well have played their last games for the club, while Youssouf Ndayishimiye is also absent with injury.

With big interest in the two from clubs across Europe, it could be the last appearances for both Jean-Clair Todibo and Khephren Thuram in a Nice shirt here, with the latter currently a doubt due to injury.

Gaetan Laborde is one player expected to stay though, and he has been involved in eight of Nice's last 12 goals, scoring six and assisting twice.

Lyon are expected to be without defensive duo Dejan Lovren and Sinaly Diomande for this season finale.

Moussa Dembele is also injured and could be departing, while Malo Gusto will play his last game for the club before going back to Chelsea this summer.

Alexandre Lacazette will hope to finish the season with the Ligue 1 Golden Boot, starting the day on 27 goals - just one behind Kylian Mbappe.

The ex-Arsenal man has seven goals in his last four games and also boasts a fine record against Nice, scoring eight in eight career appearances against their upcoming opponents.

Nice possible starting lineup:

Schmeichel; Lotomba, Todibo, Dante, Bard; Barkley, Boudaoui, Diop; Laborde, Moffi, Brahimi

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Lopes; Gusto, Boateng, Lukeba, Tagliafico; Barcola, Caqueret, Tolisso, Jeffinho, Cherki; Lacazette

We say: Nice 1-2 Lyon

Lyon have been one of the best sides in France during 2023, and even though they will fancy their chances to win here, it will surely not be enough to claim a spot in Europe.

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