Paris v. Nice: The preview
Men's football•
Join us as we take a closer look at Saturday's visitors to the Parc des Princes: OGC Nice.
Damien Mittereau
After a difficult start to the season on both the national and continental stage, Le Gym have hit their straps and picked up momentum on the domestic front in recent weeks. The Aiglons who drew 2-2 at Monaco just before the international break (2-2), have picked up three big wins: vs. Lyon (3-2), Rennes (1-2) and LOSC (2-0) in midweek to ease to within two points of the top three.
Paris Saint-Germain picked up just a point from their midweek trip to Lorient (1-1) and were not able to build on their 3-0 win at Brest, but with Lens, Marseille and Lyon also dropping points, the Parisians remain top of the league with 21 points.
2 – Nice have scored at least two goals in each of their last four league games (9 in total).
3 – Paris Saint-Germain have lost just 3 of their last 38 Ligue 1 home games, a league-best over the period. But 2 of those defeats came against Nice.
115 – With 115 high ball recoveries, Paris are the leaders in the category across Europe's top 5 leagues while Nice have the fewest in Ligue 1 (39).
Bard, Diop, Boga… the opposition strengths
Franck Haise and his team are likely to line up in a 5-4-1 with ex-Reims goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf between the posts. With Youssouf Ndayishimiye, Mohamed Abdelmonem and Moïse Bombito all injured, the versatile Antoine Mendy could play alongside youngsters Kojo Peprah Oppong and Juma Bah, who is on loan from Manchester City.
Though he could fill a gap in the middle, Melvin Bard is more likely to start at left wing-back. The Nice captain, who is set to be preferred to Ali Abdi, should see France international Jonathan Clauss on the opposite flank rather than Tom Louchet. In midfield, the duo of Salis Abdul Samed and Charles Vanhoutte has earned coach Haise's confidence in recent weeks.
Morgan Sanson and Hicham Boudaoui could find themselves in the starting XI while ex-Lyon and France international Tanguy Ndombélé could make an appearance off the bench despite not having played a minute yet this season. On the right, Jérémie Boga will be a threat, and is favourite to start ahead of Portugal U21 international Tiago Gouveia. On the left, the in-form Sofiane Diop - who has six goals and an assist in L1 this season - will also be one to watch.
The summer signing from Rapid Vienna and scorer of his first Nice goal against Lille, Sweden U21 international Isak Jansson, is another option, as is Mohamed-Ali Cho, who is available again. The France U21 international could start as centre-forward with Terem Moffi still sidelined by injury, but former Basel forward Kevin Carlos could also play.