Preview: Nice vs Saint-Etienne - prediction, team news, lineups

With their top-flight status in jeopardy, Nice will welcome Saint-Etienne to Allianz Riviera on Friday in the second leg of that Ligue 1 relegation playoff tie.

The opening leg between these two on Tuesday produced a 0-0 result, leaving it all up in the air in this upcoming fixture.

Match preview

From a place in Europe this past season until now it has been a huge fall from grace for Nice, who are on the verge of dropping down into Ligue 2.

That would be a huge disappointment for a side that finished in the top five of Ligue 1 in two of the past three top-flight campaigns.

Claude Puel’s men are winless in their last six matches across all competitions, failing to find the back of the net in two of those previous three instances.

A defeat on Friday would mark the first time this century that the club from southern France drop down into the second tier of French football.

They went unbeaten in their last three Ligue 1 outings at home but did not win a single top-flight encounter at Allianz Riviera this year.

Les Aiglons have won their last three home games against Saint-Etienne across all competitions, eliminating them from the Coupe de France last December 2-1.

After a season away from the top-flight, Saint-Etienne are oh so close to returning to Ligue 1 for the first time since 2024-25.

To get there, they will have to do something they have not done in Ligue 2 since February, win a match away from home.

Philippe Montanier’s men lost their final two affairs as the visitors in that competition, while netting a goal or fewer on those previous four such occasions.

Defensively, this team is looking solid at the moment, failing to concede in their previous three matches played across all competitions.

Their last playoff match away from home ended in a 1-1 draw against Auxerre in 2022, while they dropped down into Ligue 2 after a shootout defeat in the decisive match of that tie on home soil.

Les Verts have only beaten Nice once at Allianz Riviera this decade, claiming a 1-0 triumph against them in 2021.

Nice Ligue 1 Playoffs form:

Nice form (all competitions):

Saint-Etienne Ligue 1 Playoffs form:

Saint-Etienne form (all competitions):

Team News

Due to a lower leg issue, Moise Bombito is doubtful for this match, Mohamed Abdelmonem has a muscle strain and Everton Pereira is out because of an ankle injury.

Yehvann Diouf only had to make one save in the opening leg of this tie to collect a clean sheet between the sticks.

On the Saint-Etienne side, Paul Eymard has a broken foot, Mahmoud Jaber is recovering from surgery and Florian Tardieu should be available despite a sore calf.

Nadir El Jamali is unlikely to feature with a knee injury, and Gautier Larsonneur has yet to concede for them in their two playoff contests.

Nice possible starting lineup:

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

Saint-Etienne possible starting lineup:

Larsonneur; Pedro, Le Cardinal, Bernauer, Appiah; Gadegbeku, Kante; Moueffek, Davitashvili, Boakye; Stassin

We say: Nice 0-0 Saint-Etienne (Saint-Etienne wins on penalties)

The pressure is on Nice to get a result in this game, and although they had an impressive Coupe de France run, we believe their nerves will get the better of them on Friday.

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