Ligue 1 Review | Narrow margins end Nice’s title hopes

At the start of the season, it was hard not to get swept up in the belief that seemed to emanate from Francesco Farioli’s OGC Nice. After a victory against Clermont Foot in late October the club had finally topped the table, and whilst this only lasted for another week it suggested something hopeful; that Ligue 1 could have a title race on its hands.

Les Aiglons entered December unbeaten and had in the process defeated Paris-Saint Germain, AS Monaco, and Olympique de Marseille, on a run that had rarely looked threatened except by the occasional draw. And yet, a visit to FC Nantes was to be the beginning of the end for a title race that has slowly slipped out of sight. 

A gap of four points between Nice and PSG after the loss to Nantes has only grown since December to fourteen. And after the latest loss, to Olympique Lyonnais, the club has finally dropped from their perch in second place. 

Farioli had warned caution at the start of the season following the derby win over Monaco, “ difficulties will await us. We have to anticipate them and know how to avoid them and continue to work, as we’ve done so far, perhaps even more. ” 

How well they have anticipated and responded to these “ difficulties ” remains an ongoing negotiation, as the club suffered their third loss in a row across all competitions in their Friday night defeat away to Lyon. 

Nice had performed poorly in the game and despite having twenty shots, double the amount of their hosts, they struggled to create many meaningful chances. The club will of course point to their missed penalty call, which the technical director of refereeing, Stéphane Lannoy has admitted was a mistake.