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

The visitors head to the Stade Auguste-Delaune II knowing they are now fighting for the top five rather than the top three, whilst their hosts sit fairly content in mid table.

Match preview

Reims have had a middling season, but one that will produce a better finishing position than they managed this time last year.

After two stunning seasons under David Guion where they finished eighth and then fifth upon their return to the top tier, they dropped to 14th last campaign.

12th place is now the worst they can finish, with 11th a possibility if they can win this weekend and Brest above them fail to do so.

Momentum is certainly on their side after they extended their impressive run on the road with a 2-1 win away against a Saint-Etienne team with far more to play for last time out, making it four wins from their last six away matches.

They will now return to their own turf, with the next visitor a more formidable opponent, but one who will have taken a heavy blow to morale last weekend.

Nice welcomed Lille to the Allianz Riviera knowing that a victory could keep them in contention for second position and would keep them in the fight for the podium.

All seemed to be going well as Justin Kluivert put his side in front with a nice half-volley just after the half-hour mark and Les Aiglons went into the changing rooms at half time having moved up from fourth to third in the provisional table.

That invaluable final Champions League spot would slip from their grasp, though, as Monaco turned things around in their match against Brest, and Jonathan David grabbed a 10-minute brace on the South coast.

As Christophe Galtier's side fought desperately for an equaliser - if not a winner - Timothy Weah applied salt to the wounds with a third in stoppage time to confirm that Nice's dreams would be left in tatters.

A win for Strasbourg saw Les Aiglons not only drop out of the top three but, in fact, drop out of the top five - they will enter the final game in sixth, behind Le Racing on goal difference and with the best they can now hope for a spot in the Europa League if fourth-placed Rennes also slip up.

Reims Ligue 1 form:

Nice Ligue 1 form:

Nice form (all competitions):

Team News

The hosts have a fair few injuries to deal with - Moussa Doumbia, Ghislain Konan, Moreto Cassama, Jens Cajuste and Anastasios Donis will all be absent for this match.

Mitchell Van Bergen, though, is now fit and should return at least to the bench, potentially featuring during the match at some point.

Whether or not Galtier will choose to mix things up and freshen up a starting XI that took a considerable mental hit last weekend is hard to predict.

What is certain is that he will again be missing Youcef Atal and Alexis Claude-Maurice, the pair ending the season in the treatment room as expected.

Amine Gouiri will look to finally end his 15-game goal drought, having endured another frustrating match against Lille, coming close numerous times but never finding the net.

Reims possible starting lineup:

Rajkovic; Busi, Faes, Abdelhamid; Foket, Munetsi, Matusiwa, K Doumbia, Locko; Zeneli, Toure

Nice possible starting lineup:

Benitez; Daniliuc, Todibo, Dante, Bard; Kluivert, Rosario, Lemina, Brahimi; Gouiri, Delort

We say: Reims 0-1 Nice

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