Despite an improvement in results under caretaker boss Didier Digard following Lucien Favre’s disappointing spell in charge, Nice opted not to offer him the job on a permanent basis this summer. After an electrifying start at the helm, Digard presided over a downturn in results as the Eagles ended their Ligue 1 campaign with just four wins from 13 matches (D5, L4) and fell to a disappointing UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-final exit.
The new man in the hot seat is 34-year-old Francesco Farioli, who has previously enjoyed two spells in Turkey. However, despite a summer that has involved some notable incomings and outgoings, the most important development has been that crown jewel Khéphren Thuram is still at the Allianz Riviera and is set to start Saturday’s season opener against Lille. In further good news for Nice, they have beaten their upcoming opponents three times in their last four meetings (L1).
The visitors from the north may also be pessimistic about claiming all three points, given that Nice are unbeaten in their previous four opening-day matches (W2, D2). That said, boss Paulo Fonseca will be pleased that leading in-demand marksman Jonathan David hasn’t yet departed the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, having seen fellow attacker Timothy Weah leave for Juventus. Both players got on the scoresheet as Lille emerged 3-1 victors at Nice in May 2022, the only time they have won this H2H fixture on the road in their last 11 attempts (D5, L5).
Having failed to win any of their final five away Ligue 1 games (D3, L2) last term, the Mastiffs will want to show more bite on their travels this season. That run included frustrating results against Troyes, Auxerre and Angers, who all ended up being relegated, which poses the question of whether Fonseca’s men buck their recent trend and get their campaign off to the ideal start here.
Players to watch: No player scored more than Gaëtan Laborde’s 16 goals for Nice last season – 13 of which arrived in the league – and he scored the winner in the corresponding fixture in January. Meanwhile, only Alexandre Lacazette and Kylian Mbappé netted more in Ligue 1 than David (G24) in 2022/23, a campaign that included a double in Lille’s curtain raiser against Auxerre.
Hot stat: Lille’s last five goals across three competitive matches have all come in the second half.
