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

Nice will fight to secure Ligue 1 survival when they welcome Metz to the Allianz Riviera for the last match of the season on Sunday.

The hosts occupy the relegation playoff place going into the final day, behind 15th-placed Auxerre on goal difference and one point behind 14th-placed Le Havre.

Match preview

Nice's 24-year stay in Ligue 1 is under serious threat of coming to an end, with the Eagles occupying the relegation playoff place going into the final day of the season.

Just a year after finishing fourth in 2024-25, Nice disastrously find themselves 16th in the standings with just 31 points from 33 fixtures, after seven wins, 10 draws and 16 defeats.

Only the 18th-placed visitors have conceded more than Nice's 60 goals this season, while their return of 37 goals scored has left them with a goal difference of -23.

As a result, Nice trail 15th-placed Auxerre on goal difference, while they are one point behind 14th-placed Le Havre and three adrift from 13th-placed Angers.

Nice, therefore, must better the final-day result of either Auxerre or Le Havre to avoid the relegation playoff and secure their top-flight status, while a victory coupled with an Angers defeat and a four-goal swing in goal difference would also guarantee survival.

Claude Puel's men head into Sunday's game in far-from-favourable form, having lost three and drawn four of their last seven Ligue 1 fixtures - including a devastating 2-1 loss to relegation rivals Auxerre last week.

However, Nice will face the league bottom side on the final day, and coupled with the advantage of playing at their Allianz Riviera home, the hosts will be hopeful of picking up all three points.

Metz had their relegation from Ligue 1 confirmed following a 2-1 defeat to AS Monaco at the beginning of the month, leaving Benoit Tavenot's side with little at stake on Sunday.

The visitors have accumulated just 16 points from their 33 Ligue 1 games, recording only three wins, seven draws and suffering a considerable 23 defeats.

Metz remain without a league triumph since recording three consecutive wins between October and November - which account for all of their Ligue 1 victories this term - leaving them winless in their last 21 league games going into Sunday.

However, one of those wins was a 2-1 victory against Nice in the reverse fixture, with Gauthier Hein equalising for Metz before Habib Diallo netted an 84th-minute winner.

Despite Metz's demotion being confirmed, leaving Tavenot's men with nothing substantial at stake, the visitors will hope to replicate that result and end the campaign with a positive result.

Nice Ligue 1 form:

L D D D D L

Nice form (all competitions):

D D W D D L

Metz Ligue 1 form:

D L L D L L

Team News

Nice will be without Everton Pereira (injury) and Melvin Bard (suspension) on Sunday, while Moise Bombito and Mohamed Abdelmonem are both doubtful to feature.

A back five of Jonathan Clauss, Antoine Mendy, Abdulay Juma Bah, Kojo Peprah Oppong and Ali Abdi could start, while the hosts will look to Sofiane Diop, Mohamed Ali Cho and Morgan Sanson in forward areas.

Meanwhile, Boubacar Traore, Joseph Mangondo and Nathan Mbala are all ruled out through injury for Metz.

Diallo, who scored the winner against Nice earlier in the season, could replace Mbala in the front four, alongside Giorgi Tsitaishvili, Gauthier Hein and Giorgi Kvilitaia.

Nice possible starting lineup:

Diouf; Clauss, Mendy, Bah, Oppong, Abdi; Sanson, Boudaoui, Samed, Diop; Cho

Metz possible starting lineup:

Sy; Kouao, Sane, Yegbe, Sarr; Gbamin, Deminguet; Kvilitaia, Hein, Tsitaishvili; Diallo

We say: Nice 2-0 Metz

Nice, boosted by the home crowd, will have plenty of motivation to secure three points in an attempt to secure their top-flight survival.

Although Metz won the reverse fixture, they remain winless since November in the league and have just one away win this term, leading us to expect another defeat and a crucial three points for Nice.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.