Preview: Lorient vs Nice - prediction, team news, lineups

Making their first quarter-final appearance at the Coupe de France in 10 years, Lorient will square off with Nice at Stade du Moustoir in Brittany on Wednesday.

A 2-0 win over Paris FC in early February sent Les Merlus into the last eight, while the southern French club stormed back to defeat Montpellier 3-2.

Match preview

It has been smooth sailing for Lorient at the Coupe de France thus far, with the newly promoted side winning their three matches played thus far by a combined margin of 12-1.

Another triumph on Wednesday would mark the first time they get to the semi-finals of this tournament since 2016, when they were eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the final four (1-0).

Olivier Pantaloni’s men are unbeaten in their last 11 matches played across all competitions at Stade du Moustoir, without a single home defeat this year.

In three of their five appearances in the last eight this century, Lorient have advanced, defeating Ajaccio 3-0 in their only prior Coupe de France quarter-final home outing in the 2000s.

Four of their last five goals scored in the tournament this season have come in the second half, while they have not conceded once in the final 45 minutes.

They are unbeaten in four of their previous five home meetings with Nice, including a 3-1 win last November in Ligue 1 action.

Throughout this edition of the Coupe de France, Nice have often been pushed to the limit, but to their credit have persevered each time.

That is a far cry from what they have shown domestically or in Europe in 2025-26, losing seven of their eight Europa League fixtures in the League Phase, while winning just one of their previous 14 Ligue 1 fixtures (4-1 versus Marseille).

In the round of 16 of this competition, Claude Puel saw his side come to life in the nick of time, scoring three goals with fewer than 20 minutes remaining, to erase a 2-0 deficit, with the winner coming in the 98th minute.

This week they can make the semi-finals of this tournament for the second time this decade, while the club have gone on to win six of their previous seven Coupe de France quarter-final outings.

Nice have lost their last three competitive games played away from home, failing to score in either of those games, though their only triumph versus a Ligue 1 side this year came on the road versus Nantes in January (4-1).

Only once this season have they beaten a top-flight team from Brittany, defeating Rennes 2-1 at Roazhon Park last October.

Lorient Coupe de France form:

Lorient form (all competitions):

Nice Coupe de France form:

Nice form (all competitions):

Team News

Due to a knock, Isaak Toure and Kan Guy Arsene Kouassi will be questionable for Lorient in this upcoming quarter-finals encounter.

Noah Cadiou netted the winner for them in their round of 16 fixture last month, while Moustapha Mbow gave them some insurance in the latter stages with an own-goal.

We expect Isak Jansson to miss another match for Nice on Wednesday with a knee injury, while Sofiane Diop will be suspended.

Kail Boudache, Antoine Mendy and Diop all scored late versus Montpellier in the last 16, with the latter netting in the dying stages, cancelling out the two strikes from the Ligue 2 club, one of which was an own goal by Kojo Peprah Oppong.

Lorient possible starting lineup:

Mvogo; Silva, Talbi, Meite; Le Bris, Karim, Cadiou, Avom; Pagis, Makengo; Dieng

Nice possible starting lineup:

Dupe; Clauss, Oppong, Dante, Abdi; Sanson, Vanhoutte; Cho, Boudache, Ndombele; Carlos

We say: Lorient 1-1 Nice(Lorient advances on penalties)

Lorient have consistently found ways to win throughout the campaign, and we believe that momentum and confidence will serve them well against a side like Nice that have struggled in critical moments all season.

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