Two mid-table teams desperate to improve their domestic fortunes in 2021 will do battle at the Allianz Riviera on Sunday afternoon as Nice play host to Bordeaux in Ligue 1.
Adrian Ursea's men played out a 1-1 draw with Metz in their most recent outing, whereas Bordeaux returned to winning ways with a 2-1 triumph over Lorient.
Match preview
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Ursea is yet to work his magic at Nice, whose chances of a second successive campaign in Europe are diminishing by the week amid their winless run.
Les Aiglons faced off against Metz in a mid-table battle last Saturday, and the game certainly had a mid-table feel about it as the two teams cancelled each other out at the Stade Saint-Symphorien, with Amine Gouiri striking from 12 yards before Metz captain John Boye equalised.
That stalemate stretched Nice's winless streak in the top flight to four matches and they can only boast one win from their last 13 across all competitions, so it will not be long before the 13th-placed Aiglons start to look over their shoulder if results do not improve.
Nice's solitary win in that run came at Nimes last month, with Ursea yet to lead his team to victory at the Allianz Riviera, where they have suffered defeat in four of their last five Ligue 1 matches since beating Nantes 2-1 on October 3.
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As is the case with Nice, Bordeaux would have aspired to challenge for the European places before a ball was kicked this season, but inconsistency has been their downfall in the first half of the campaign.
Jean-Louis Gasset's men kicked off their 2021 with a goalless stalemate at Metz but managed to return to winning ways with a 2-1 triumph over struggling Lorient last weekend, with Remi Oudin netting either side of a Terem Moffi header.
A Europa League berth is certainly not out of the question for Les Girondins, but unless the visitors can start accumulating points on a consistent basis, mid-table mediocrity would appear to be the most likely outcome for the second half of the campaign.
Gasset's men became renowned for their defensive solidity in the early stages of the campaign, and while that resilience has wavered in recent weeks, the 10 clean sheets that Benoit Costil has already kept can only be bettered by Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak (11) in Europe's top five leagues.
However, Bordeaux are currently enduring a run of 12 league games without a win against Nice, and a goalless stalemate in September's reverse fixture represented the third successive draw between the two sides.
Nice Ligue 1 form: LWLDLD
Bordeaux Ligue 1 form: LLWLDW
Team News
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Experienced midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin remains out for Nice with a calf problem, joining Danilo Barbosa, Dante and Pierre Lees-Melou in the infirmary.
However, Robson Bambu is back from suspension and should return to the defence alongside William Saliba, who has quickly become one of the first names on the teamsheet since his loan move from Arsenal.
Star striker Kasper Dolberg has had a torrid time with injuries and coronavirus as of late, but the 23-year-old came off the bench in the draw with Metz and could return to the first XI here.
Bordeaux are expected to be without inspirational playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa once again due to a thigh problem, and he joins Mehdi Zerkane in the treatment room.
Centre-back Pablo is reportedly closing in on a move to Lokomotiv Moscow, so Mexer should be welcomed back to the squad for the trip to Nice.
Gasset could opt to make a solitary change from their win over Lorient, with Josh Maja hopeful of displacing Hwang Ui-jo up top.
Nice possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Bamba, Saliba, Nsoki; Thuram; Atal, Boudaoui, Reine-Adelaide, Kamara; Gouiri, Dolberg
Bordeaux possible starting lineup:
Costil; Sabaly, Baysse, Koscielny, Benito; Otavio, Basic; Oudin, De Preville, Kalu; Maja
We say: Nice 1-1 Bordeaux
Nice will be buoyed by their recent record against Bordeaux, and the loss of Hatem Ben Arfa is sure to affect the visitors' attacking prowess. However, the hosts have been nothing short of abysmal on their own turf and could struggle to break down a dogged Bordeaux defence, but with the prospect of Dolberg and Gouiri both starting up top, Ursea's men should do enough to nick a point.
