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Strasbourg, Nice battle in match crucial in race for Europe
The battle for the European places in Ligue 1 McDonald's heats up as tomorrow will see sixth visit fourth in what is sure to be a raucous atmosphere. RC Strasbourg, the league's form team on five wins in a row will welcome OGC Nice. For Racing, the match could be a springboard in the race for the Champions League, while for Nice, failure to get a result could be all but fatal to their own European ambitions -- read on for our preview.
No moreira, no problem?
No team save leaders Paris Saint-Germain have picked up more points than Liam Rosenior's young side in 2025, with the team having conceded just eight goals in that span. That defensive prowess has been the bedrock of Racing's success, but neither have they been slouches in attack. Emanuel Emegha's combination of pace and effort have seen him net 13 goals this season, while Dilane Bakwa's return from injury last month has provided a further boost.
For this match, though, the hosts will be missing one of their most dynamic players in Diego Moreira. After a frustrating abortive loan spell with Lyon last season, he has become one of Racing's most reliable performers since joining from Chelsea in the summer. In his absence, Guéla Doué and Valentín Barco are expected to play at fullback, with a potential switch to a 3-4-3 mooted, as well as first start in several weeks for captain Habib Diarra, having returned from an ankle injury. Between their form and an always-lively atmosphere at La Meinau, Racing will be quietly confident of a result here to keep themselves in the mix for the Champions League, especially with Monaco and Marseille -- the two teams directly above them in the table -- facing off.
😤 Focused on tomorrow 😤#RCSAOGCN pic.twitter.com/vUIPwMuqxk
— Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace English (@RCSA_English) April 11, 2025
Nice in need of a win
Well situated in the top four a month ago, the visitors have had an alarming slide of late. Before the international break, they had lost at home to Lyon and then drew against Auxerre while finishing with ten men. While fitness has become less of a concern for Franck Haise's side (only Tanguy Ndombélé is absent) thanks to time over the break, their form has failed to improve, losing the derby away to Monaco and then at home to Nantes.
With Paris Saint-Germain still to play, and the team having slipped out of contention for the Champions League, getting a win here will be vital. Speaking pre-match, Haise averred that what his team has been lacking of late is a collective mindset, and that they'll need to find it if they're to have hope of a result in Alsace. T"he main challenge is to find a collective state of mind, is that we have lost the most. What I'm looking for is a sense of awareness."
Predicted lineups:
RC Strasbourg (3-4-3): Petrovic; Sarr, Omobamidele (or Sylla), Doukouré; Doué, Santos, Diarra, Barco; Bakwa, Emegha, Lemarechal (or Nanasi)
OGC Nice (3-4-3): Bulka; Ndayishimye, Bombito, Dante; Clauss, Boudaoui (or Rosario), Santamaria, Bard; Laborde, Guessand, Boga (or Diop)
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