Nice lose to Benfica and fall out of Champions League
Missing more than half a first-choice eleven and playing on the road at a tempestuous Éstadio da Luz, OGC Nice were always going to face long odds of qualifying for the playoff round of the Champions League against SL Benfica. Missing the likes of Dante, Morgan Sanson and Youssouf Ndayishimiye, as well as having recently sold Evann Guessand, Franck Haise's side had their backs against the wall, but failed to progess, despite making a valiant effort, dropping into the league phase of the Europa League.
first half
Nice were sharper from the off, playing with a marked hunger as they looked to get back into the tie, with an early shot by Melvin Bard requiring a sharp save by Anatoly Trubin. Nice were on the attack again moments later, as a ball over the top found Terem Moffi, but the Nigerian ballooned his effort over the bar (7').
This promising start was but a small respite for Les Aiglons, though, as Benfica would score with virtually their first of the match. A ball wide to Andreas Schjelderup was crossed low into the box for Fredrik Aursnes, who turned a low effort past Yehvann Diouf, all but putting the tie out of reach. (18') Aursnes then turned provider ten minutes later, setting up Schjelderup, who found the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Jonathan Clauss would hit the post just after the half-hour mark, but Nice would get no closer, and the match was 2-0 at the interval.
⏳#slbogcn pic.twitter.com/bdpGtWlLNt
— OGC Nice (@ogcnice) August 12, 2025
second half
Down but not yet out, Nice showed good enterprise after the break, with Badredine Bouanani's fine turn and shot being blocked at the last, but the visitors would come no closer too finding the goal, and lost the match by the same score as the first leg -- 2-0. One positive to come from the match was the debut of youngster Djibril Coulibaly -- the 16-year-old started in place of an ill Hicham Boudaoui in his professional debut, but hardly looked out of place.
Despite having faced long odds, Haise underscored post-match that the overriding feeling was one of frustration but of begrudging acceptance of the challenge faced, saying, "We knew before the first leg that this team was stronger than us. (Tonight) we had four players less than in the first leg. As things stand, we're too far behind a team like Benfica, a Champions League-level side."
Shaking off this pair of results, Nice will next play on the first matchday of Ligue 1 McDonald's this weekend as they host Toulouse FC at the Allianz Riviera in Saturday's late match.
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