Ligue 1 | Gameweek 25

Mar 9, 2025 at 7.45pm UK

Allianz Riviera

Nice vs Lyon

Match preview

The hosts go into the game in good form, having only lost once in the league in 2025 and having won seven of their last 10 Ligue 1 matches.

The title race in France is almost certainly over, with Paris Saint-Germain currently the runaway leaders of Ligue 1 with a 13-point lead.

Although the race at the top is not as tight, the gap between the other clubs is much smaller, with just six points separating second-placed Marseille and fourth-placed Monaco.

Sandwiched between the two are Nice, who have 46 points and are chasing Marseille in second.

Nice have been strong at both ends of the pitch this season and have the fourth-best defensive record in the division, conceding just 28 goals in 24 games.

At the other end of the pitch, they have found the back of the net in spades this term, with their 49 goals currently the third-highest tally in the division, with only PSG and Marseille ahead of Les Aiglons.

Evann Guessand scored his 10th league goal of the campaign against St-Etienne last time out, helping Nice to a 3-1 win last weekend.

Guessand has been a threat in front of goal and a creative figure for Nice this year, with his eight league assists making him the team's top scorer in both categories.

Franck Haise's side have performed well both at home and away this season, boasting the third-best home record in Ligue 1 and the fourth-best away record.

However, one of the away games they lost was the reverse fixture between these two clubs back in December, when an Alexandre Lacazette hat-trick inspired Lyon to an emphatic 4-1 victory over Nice.

They will be looking for revenge against a Lyon side who were in European action on Thursday, when they defeated Steaua Bucharest 3-1 in the first leg of their Europa League tie.

After a difficult start to 2025, former head coach Pierre Sage was replaced by Paulo Fonseca at the end of January and the club have won four of their six games since the change of management.

Fonseca has been banned from matchday duties for almost nine months after confronting referee Benoit Millot during last weekend's 2-1 win over Brest.

The Lyon boss was sent off by Millot after a confrontation with the referee, and will now be banned from his bench, dressing room and all official duties before, during and after matches until the end of November.

The visitors came from behind to beat Brest, with two goals from Lacazette turning the game in their favour.

The former Arsenal man has been in fine form when he has been fit this season and leads the team in scoring with nine goals in 21 league appearances so far.

Lyon have scored 14 goals in their five league games under Fonseca, compared to 30 in 19 games under former boss Sage, highlighting the improvement in attacking play under their new boss.

The visitors are the fifth-highest scorers in the league, with only the current top four in the division ahead of them in terms of goals scored.

Having already netted four times in the reverse fixture in December, they will feel they have a good chance of scoring this weekend.

However, Lyon have fared much better at home than on the road this year, with Fonseca's men having won just four of their 12 Ligue 1 games so far, compared to seven home victories in the same number of matches.

A win for the visitors this weekend would help them move to within four points of Nice and make the race for next season's Champions League football even more entertaining.

Recent Performance

Nice Ligue 1 form:WDWWWW

Nice form (all competitions):DLWWWW

Lyon Ligue 1 form:DLWWLW

Lyon form (all competitions):LWWLWW

Team News

The hosts have a number of injury concerns ahead of the game, with Terem Moffi (ACL) a long-term absentee.

Elsewhere, Morgan Sanson is continuing his recovery from an ankle injury and is unlikely to be available for this game, while Tanguy Ndombele has been ruled out with a groin injury.

The visitors, meanwhile, have a clean bill of health ahead of the game, with Lacazette likely to lead the attack after scoring twice against Brest last time out.

The visitors will also welcome back Nicolas Tagliafico to the side after he returned from a one-match ban that ruled him out of last weekend's win.

Possible starting lineup

Nice possible starting lineup:

Bulka; Clauss, Dante, Bombito, Ndayishimiye; Guessand, Bard, Santamaria, Rosario; Laborde, Cho

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Perri; Tagliafico, Niakhate, Mata, Kumbedi; Tessmann, Matic, Tolisso, Nuamah, Fofana; Lacazette