NICE LOOKS TO BUILD ON EUROPA LEAGUE FORM AGAINST STRUGGLING NANTES

PARIS (Interstat) — Two French clubs heading in opposite directions meet Sunday when Nice visits Nantes in a Ligue 1 match at La Beaujoire-Louis Fonteneau.

The match kicks off at 15:00 local time (1400 GMT) on Jan. 25, 2026.

Nice (10-8-5) arrives with momentum from European competition, having secured a 3-1 victory over the Netherlands’ Go Ahead Eagles in a UEFA Europa League playoff on Thursday. That followed a 2-1 extra-time win against Switzerland’s Basel three days prior. However, their domestic form has been inconsistent, with a 5-1 loss at Toulouse on Jan. 17 highlighting their struggles.

Nantes (6-5-12) is mired in a difficult spell, coming off a 2-1 home defeat to Paris FC on Jan. 18. Their season has been marked by defensive frailty, conceding three or more goals in six of their last ten matches across all competitions. A bright spot was a 2-0 win at Marseille on Jan. 4, but such results have been rare.

The recent head-to-head record favors Nice. The teams played to a 1-1 draw at Nice’s Allianz Riviera on Oct. 5, 2025, but Nice won the prior meeting 1-0 at home on Sept. 13, 2025.

A key narrative will be Nice’s squad management, as it faces a quick turnaround before a Europa League knockout round first-leg trip to Bulgaria’s Ludogorets on Thursday. Nantes, without European commitments, has had a full week to prepare.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the projected final score is a 1-1 draw.

For Nice, the match begins a critical period featuring league clashes with Brest and Monaco following their European trip. Nantes, hovering near the relegation zone, faces a vital run of fixtures against fellow strugglers Lorient and Lyon after this contest.

Nantes will be without defender Jean-Kévin Duverne (hamstring) and midfielder Pedro Chirivella (suspension). Nice reports no new injury concerns, though forward Terem Moffi is questionable after exiting Thursday’s match early.

The referee will be François Letexier.