Following their respective advancements to the next stage of the Coupe de France, LOSC Lille and OGC Nice return to their league ambitions. It is likely that both contenders for a top-four finish will apply significant pressure on each other on Friday—neither side wants to drop points to a rival.
Lille’s victory over Marseille (2:1 after penalties) in the cup match marked their 20th unbeaten performance in a row. They are deservedly in the top five, despite enduring squad issues all season—main defender Gabriel Gudmundsson is the latest to be sidelined, which could favour a more open, end-to-end game. Since early September, in 10 home matches, Lille have seen both teams score in eight encounters.
Nice’s first campaign under Franck Haise has had its ups and downs. However, they are currently on an upswing, boasting a four-match winning streak and scoring seven goals in 180 minutes in the league this month. The form of Nice’s talisman Gaëtan Laborde is outstanding—the 30-year-old forward has accumulated 5+1 in his last seven games. On the downside, Nice have conceded 14 goals in nine away Ligue 1 matches—the worst record among clubs with at least 10 points.
In November, Lille and Nice scored against each other for the fourth time in their last five meetings (2:2). It seems likely that the fiery attacks of both teams will once again break through the defences.
