Lyon vs Nice – News and Probable Lineups

Looking to keep their winning streak across all competitions alive at an impressive 13 matches, Lyon are set to host Nice at Groupama Stadium for a Ligue 1 fixture this Sunday evening.

Les Gones managed a slight away victory against Nantes in their previous match, while Les Aiglons drew against mid-table rivals Mônaco at home.

Match overview

Having concluded the last two seasons in sixth place, Lyon’s goal is to secure a top-three finish in Ligue 1 for the first time since the 2018-19 season, with the hosts currently enjoying a strong six-match winning streak in the league.

Les Gones continued their excellent form with a narrow victory at the bottom-placed Nantes last Saturday, where summer signing Pavel Sulc scored his 10th league goal during only his 19th appearance.

With their key República Tcheca international performing well and the team as a whole finding their rhythm, Lyon has not dropped any points in the league so far in 2026 and is positioned third in the Ligue 1 standings, trailing leaders Paris Saint-Germain by nine points.

Unsurprisingly, Paulo Fonseca’s squad has been enjoying a great run at home, with Les Gones winning all of their last eight contests at Groupama Stadium, including league, Coupe de França, and Europa League matches, dating back to November 30.

Indeed, if you look back to early November, you’ll find the last time Lyon faced defeat at their Decines-Charpieu stronghold, where they were edged out in a thrilling five-goal match by Luis Enrique’s Parisiens.

Following a disappointing first half of the 2025-26 season in the league, Nice finds themselves at risk of finishing outside the top nine of Ligue 1 for the first time since 2015; however, recent performances indicate that the visitors could be turning a corner.

In their French and continental engagements, Les Aiglons have suffered just one defeat in their last six fixtures, including their first draw of the season last weekend in a goalless encounter against Mônaco.

After a heavy 5-1 defeat at Toulouse on January 17, Nice has gone three matches unbeaten in the league (W1 D2) and currently sits 14th in Ligue 1, comfortably nine points clear of Auxerre in the 16th position.

A first clean sheet in any competition since late October is a very promising sign for Les Aiglons, who have conceded 38 goals in 21 top-tier matches this season, with only bottom club Metz (46) allowing more strikes at this point.

Despite losing three of their last four Ligue 1 clashes against Lyon, Nice have recent memories of victory in this matchup, with Melvin Bard, Sofiane Diop, and Hicham Boudaoui netting to secure a win for Franck Haise’s squad back in October.

Team News

Having received two yellow cards in the previous victory against Nantes, Lyon’s on-loan star Endrick will be suspended for Sunday’s game at Groupama Stadium.

The absence of Malick Fofana due to an ankle injury further limits Les Gones’ attacking options.

Midfielder Corentin Tolisso, who is approaching his 300th appearance for Lyon, is also a doubt because of a hamstring concern.

Nice’s Boudaoui (back), who scored his only goal of the current Ligue 1 season in the previous encounter, will miss this weekend’s match.

Former Premier League midfielder Morgan Sanson, now with the club, is uncertain to play after sustaining an ankle injury during the tie with Mônaco.

Centre-back Bard, a consistent starter when fit, is expected to return at the end of this month after recovering from a groin issue.

Lyon probable starting XI:

Grief; Maitland-Niles, Mattha, Niakhate, Abner; Tessman, Morton, North; Moreira, Karabec, Sulc

Nice probable starting XI:

Kohn; Teze, Zakaria, Kehrer; Diatta, Camara, Bamba, Adingra; Akliouche, Golovin, Balogun

With their last defeat at Groupama Stadium dating back to November 9, Lyon will be brimming with confidence as they aim to extend their record-breaking winning streak against Nice this Sunday evening.

While Les Aiglons secured their first clean sheet of 2026 last weekend, it is unlikely that they will exhibit similar defensive strength in this upcoming fixture.