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

Nice will look to draw a line under a bruising end to 2025 when they welcome Strasbourg to the Allianz Riviera for their first Ligue 1 fixture of the new year, hoping a change in leadership can ignite a long-overdue revival.

The Eagles parted company with Franck Haise after closing out last year on a damaging losing streak, turning instead to a familiar face by appointing Claude Puel on Monday for his second spell in charge of the club.

Match preview

Nice come into this contest in urgent need of renewal after a miserable sequence of nine consecutive defeats across all competitions, six of which came in Ligue 1, dragged them into serious difficulty.

A narrow 2-1 Coupe de France victory over Ligue 2 side Saint-Etienne finally brought that run to a halt, but the result did little to mask the depth of the crisis.

The Eagles ended the year with the worst five-match league form in the division, a downturn that ultimately proved terminal for Haise’s tenure.

Club officials have now placed their trust in Puel’s experience, tasking him with stabilising a side hovering uncomfortably close to danger, just five points clear of the relegation play-off spot.

However, home form offers little immediate comfort heading into this clash, as Nice have lost four of their last five league matches at the Allianz Riviera, making this a stern assignment for a new manager seeking an instant lift.

There are, however, historical reasons for optimism, with the Eagles unbeaten in their last four league meetings with Strasbourg and have yet to lose a home league game this season when scoring first.

Whether Puel can quickly restore that sense of control will go a long way towards defining whether this fresh start delivers the response Nice so desperately need.

Strasbourg, meanwhile, travel south with concerns of their own, with Liam Rosenior’s side winless in four Ligue 1 outings, a run that has seen them slip away from the European places after a promising start to the campaign.

Still, there are grounds for cautious encouragement in the visitors’ camp, as Le Racing closed out 2025 unbeaten in four matches across all competitions, winning three of those and continuing to show defensive resilience, adding two more clean sheets to take their seasonal total to nine.

That solidity has underpinned much of their success, with six of Strasbourg’s seven league victories this season coming without conceding a goal.

Away from home, though, form has been harder to find, with Strasbourg winless in five league matches on their travels, and while three of those defeats came by the narrowest of margins, they have yet to recover in any away fixture this season after conceding first.

Nice Ligue 1 form:

Nice form (all competitions):

Strasbourg Ligue 1 form:

Strasbourg form (all competitions):

Team News

Nice face a lengthy injury and availability list as Puel prepares for his first match back in the dugout.

Mohamed Abdelmonem and Youssouf Ndayishimiye are sidelined with knee injuries, while Moise Bombito remains out with a leg problem.

Hichem Boudaoui, Yehvann Diouf, Antoine Mendy and Ali Abdi are all away on international duty, further reducing Puel’s options.

Tom Louchet continues to serve a suspension following his red card against Angers, while Jeremie Boga and Terem Moffi remain doubtful.

Strasbourg will be without Sofiane Sow, who is nursing a knee injury, while Guela Doue and Mamadou Sarr are absent on international duty.

In addition, Emmanuel Emegha is also unlikely to feature, and Rabby Nzingoula is a doubt for the visitors.

Nice possible starting lineup:

Dupe; Clauss, Bah, Peprah, Bard; A. Samen, Sanson, Ndombele; Diop, Kevin, Cho

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:

Penders; Amo-Ameyaw, Doukoure, Omobamidele, Chillwell; Moreira, El Mourabet, Barco; Enciso, Nanasi; Panichelli

We say: Nice 1-2 Strasbourg

Nice begin life under new management hoping for an immediate uplift, but Strasbourg look well equipped to spoil the occasion.

The visitors have shown greater cohesion and consistency in recent weeks, while Nice are still searching for fluency and confidence after a difficult run.

With Le Racing comfortably sitting deep and exploiting transitions, they can frustrate the hosts and strike at key moments, and we expect a tight contest due to this, but one that tilts in visitors’ favour.

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