OGC Nice receives FC Nantes this Saturday for Day 4 of Ligue 1, after a difficult start to the season. Francck Haise’s team, which extended its contract, was motivated to bounce back after only one victory against Auxerre and several defeats. This meeting is all the more important as the club will face a busy schedule with 16 matches of all competitions by the end of November. The Nice team will also face several absences, including Tanguy Ndombele, Ali Abdi, Djibril Coulibaly and Dante, although Dante should be back for this game. In addition, two new summer recruits, Tiago Gouveia and Charles VanHoutte, are expected in the group.

FC Nantes had a similar record as Nice, with a win and two defeats in three games. The team remains on a success against Auxerre before the truce. Coach Luis Castro will have to deal with several absences, including Coquelin, Benhattab, Mohamed, Abline, and others. This meeting will therefore be a challenge for both teams, each seeking to improve their rankings and boost their season.

The international truce was rich in events for the players of the Nice GOC. Seven Niçois were called by their national selections, with mixed results. Some, like Yehvann Diouf and Antoine Mendy with Senegal, and Hicham Boudaoui with Algeria, are well positioned to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Others, such as Salis Abdul Sameed with Ghana and Juma Bah with Sierra Leone, have more complex routes. Charles VanHoutte made a beautiful first selection with Belgium, while Djibril Coulibaly participated in friendly with France -18. The next results of the World Cup playoff phase will be closely monitored in October.