Nice step into Sunday’s 17:15 meeting with Lille carrying a 326-day wait for a home victory, and Olivier Pantaloni has made two telling decisions before kick-off at the Allianz Riviera.
Gauthier Hein has been selected as the creative presence in the Nice side ahead of Sofiane Diop, while Axel Witsel takes over the captaincy from Jonathan Clauss. Clauss had worn the armband from the start of the campaign, but the Belgian midfielder will lead the team against Lille.
Pantaloni has otherwise resisted any major reshaping of his line-up despite Nice’s long barren run in front of their own supporters. The coach is expected to address the captaincy change after the match. Clauss’s recent conduct is understood not always to have met the standards expected from the club’s skipper.
Lille keep Giroud in reserve
Lille coach Davide Ancelotti has made few surprises in his selection. Ayase Ueda again starts at centre-forward, leaving Olivier Giroud among the substitutes.
Ethan Mbappé has been chosen on the right flank ahead of Dilane Bawka, while Basar Önal retains his place on the left after featuring in Lille’s 2-0 win at Troyes last Sunday. The visitors arrive in Nice with continuity in their attacking choices; the hosts, meanwhile, have made their leadership call before a night that could finally end a difficult home sequence.
