USG vs Nice Preview
- Competition: UEFA Europa League.
- Date: Thursday, December 12.
- Time: 5:45 PM GMT.
- Venue: King Baudouin Stadium.
USG vs Nice will take place in the early kick-off slot in the UEFA Europa League on December 12 as the team in 24th place will host the struggling side in 35th place in the table.
The hosts will enter this match on the back of a great run of form. They are unbeaten across competitions since their 3-1 defeat to Cercle Brugge in late October, and have remained unbeaten in nine matches since. Their last five games have resulted in three wins and two draws as they look to extend this run of form. They secured a crucial 1-0 win away at FC Twente last time out and will look to carry that forward to the next game.
Nice, on the other hand, have been in a stuttering run of form of late. They have won two and drawn one of their last three games, but have also fallen to two defeats in that time. A team with a decent attack but leaky defence, they have scored eight goals in that time, but also conceded a worrying 12 goals, with both teams scoring in all these matches. They were humbled 4-1 by Rangers in their last match and will look to perform better than that.
On that note, let’s take a look at the team news from both camps.
USG Team News
Manager Sebastien Pocognoli fielded a strong lineup as his team secured a draw away at Cercle Brugge, who were the last team to defeat them. While the defenders put in a solid shift to secure the result, the team could be without Ross Sykes for the next match. He picked up an injury and had to be replaced in the last match.
Nice Team News
Manager Franck Haise will have major headaches ahead of his team’s next match. Defender Yael Nandjou’s injury in the last match adds to an ever-increasing list of players out of action. He will join Dante, Morgan Sanson, Jonathan Clauss, Antoine Mendy, Victor Orakpo and Ali Abdi, among others, as Haise will have to make do with a depleted squad.
Predicted Lineups
USG Predicted Lineup (5-3-2)
Goalkeeper: Anthony Moris (C).
Defenders: Anan Khalaili, Kevin Mac Allister, Christian Burgess, Ross Sykes, Loic Lapoussin.
Midfielders: Mathias Rasmussen, Charles Vanhoutte, Noah Sadiki.
Forwards: Promise David, Mohammed Fuseini.
Nice Predicted Lineup (4-3-1-2)
Goalkeeper: Marcin Bulka.
Defenders: Tom Louchet, Pablo Rosario (C), Moise Bombito, Amidou Doumbouya.
Midfielders: Sofiane Diop, Hicham Boudaoui, Tanguy Ndombele.
Forwards: Badredine Bouanani, Gaetan Laborde, Jeremie Boga.
USG vs Nice Head-to-Head Record
These teams would have met each other in a friendly back in July 2023 but the match was cancelled due to unexpected circumstances. This means the upcoming Europa League tie will be the first-ever meeting between USG and Nice.
Key Players to Watch
Charles Vanhoutte (USG)
Deployed at the heart of his team’s midfield, Vanhoutte is their chief creator and also leads the team with his involvement in the match. His passing ability and his vision will be crucial for USG if they are to secure a win in their next match. Vanhoutte will likely start in his favoured role and will look to make an impact with a goal contribution.
Jeremie Boga (Nice)
He came off the bench in his team’s last league outing but played very few minutes to be able to make an impact. However, with two goals already to his name in the Europa League, he will be confident ahead of his team’s next match. Boga will likely start that match as well, replacing Guessand in the starting XI.
USG vs Nice Prediction
The two teams have never met before, so there is nothing to go by from the past between these two sides. However, USG are in great form compared to their rivals and are also playing at home, so should win this game, albeit narrowly.
Prediction: USG 1-0 Nice
Where to watch USG vs Nice live?
| Country | Where to Watch |
| USA | Paramount+ |
| UK | TNT Sports |
| India | SonyLIV |
| Belgium | RTBF, Telenet, Be TV |
| France | Canal+ |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. When is USG vs Nice?
A. USG will host Nice at the King Baudouin Stadium on Thursday, December 12 at 5:45 PM GMT.
Q. Where can you watch USG vs Nice for free?
A. Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream will stream the match for free.
Q. What is the predicted score for USG vs Nice?
A. USG 1-0 Nice.
Q. What is the recent head-to-head record for USG vs Nice?
A. These two teams were supposed to play in friendly in 2023 which was cancelled, meaning the upcoming match will be the first-ever meeting between USG and Nice.