Lille hoping to finish in third place ahead of 4th-placed Brest.
LOSC Lille vs
Nice
In a thrilling season finale, LOSC Lille host OGC Nice at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, battling for a coveted third place finish in Ligue 1 as they look to secure back-to-back victories and stave off competition from Brest.
LOSC Lille
Lille picked up a crucial 2-1 win against Nantes last time out, allowing them to leapfrog Stade Brestois for 3rd place. A quick brace from Jonathan David [8’, 11’] ensured the Mastiffs took all three points, despite a consolation goal from Matthis Abline [54’] for Nantes in the second half.
Currently, Lille have 58 points [16W, 10D, & 7L] and hold a +2 goal difference advantage over fourth-placed Brest, who also have 58 points. This weekend, they welcome Nice for the final game of the season, hoping to achieve back-to-back league wins [WLWLW] for only the second time this calendar year.
Given their slim goal difference advantage, Paulo Fonseca’s team aims to secure a convincing victory to enhance their chances of ending the season in third place, particularly if Brest also secures a win in their game against Toulouse. However, Lille have won just 21% [9/42] of their Ligue 1 games against Nice in the 21st century, a percentage only lower against PSG [19%] in the same period.
Furthermore, the hosts have won just two of their last 15 home games against Nice. Despite these concerning numbers, Les Dogues are determined to secure maximum points this weekend. Milan’s managerial target, Paulo Fonseca, is expected to stick with the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, with Jonathan David leading the attack.
Nice
Nice will finish in 5th place, irrespective of the outcome of Sunday’s season finale. The visitors have 54 points (15W, 9D, and 8L) and are four points above 6th-placed Lens (50 points) and four points below 4th-placed Brest (58 points).
A 2-1 defeat to PSG on Wednesday ended Nice's five-game unbeaten run (DWDWL). "Well done to the players and the fans," Francesco Farioli said in the 10-man Nice vs. PSG post-match press conference. Nevertheless, Les Aiglons aim to finish the season on a high note.
Having won in their last two league visits to Lille, Nice could win on three such consecutive trips. Farioli’s men have won six of their last eight final matches (6W, 1D, and 1L), scoring at least three goals in five of those six matches.
A 4-3-3 formation is expected from Francesco Farioli, with Mohamed-Ali Cho, Terem Moffi, and Jeremie Boga in attack. Meanwhile, Melvin Bard is suspended following the midweek red card against PSG.
