The time when Nice were still able to win on the European stage seems long gone. Last time was in 2023. On 16th March, to be precise. In front of more than 20,000 fans who came to support them against Sheriff Tiraspol from Moldova, they had qualified for the quarter-finals of the Conference League.
A true achievement for a club whose last appearance at this stage of a European competition dated back to the 1959-60 season. At the time, facing the mighty Real Madrid, then four-time defending Champions League winners, Les Aiglons delivered a performance for the ages, winning the first leg 3-2 thanks to a hat trick from Victor Nuremberg. And it didn’t matter that the return leg went largely in favor of the Spaniards (4-0), the important thing was elsewhere: Nice had just tasted the thrill of the European summits.
Did they have any idea that 65 years later, this achievement would still be unmatched? Certainly not.
From hope to despair
However, in the years that followed, the Cote d’Azur club never really managed to make an impact on the continental stage. And its fans had to wait until the second half of the 2010s to see them there more regularly. And, therefore, until 2023 for OGC Nice to once again be among the last eight contenders for a European title. The symbol of renewed hope, that of (re)becoming a name that matters on the Old Continent.
But football can be incredibly cruel. And while Nice have been in the spotlight in recent seasons, the reasons for this attention are sadly notorious. So much so that the mere mention of the French club now brings a teasing smile to the lips of each and every one of its detractors.
This is indeed what a (current) run of 16 games without a win on the continental stage can provoke. And regardless of the identity of their opponents or the league they come from, the outcome is always the same for Nice. The weeks go by… and unfortunately, they all look the same. Their start to the 2025–26 Europa League campaign, marked by four defeats against four opponents from different horizons, is a perfect example of this.
Against Porto, Nice will have to rise to the challenge
And it is not the prospect of a trip to Porto on Thursday that, at first glance, would really reassure them. Leaders of Liga Portugal, Francesco Farioli’s men have only lost once this season, away to Nottingham Forest (2-0). Only Benfica and Utrecht have managed to take points off them since last August. A positive record, but one that does not prevent observers and supporters of the Azuis e Brancos from questioning their manager’s ability to develop his style of play.
“Porto started the season very promisingly, playing attractive football based on Farioli’s famous 2-3-5 formation, with lots of movement in the heart of the game, intensity, verticality and counter-pressing. It was a breath of fresh air for the club’s supporters, who had been bored for several years,” explained Alexandre Carvalho, a scout and avid follower of Portuguese football.
“Since October, however, the content has become increasingly laborious. Opponents have understood Porto’s style of play and adapted to it. The problem now is that Farioli does not seem to have a plan B, much like during his spells at Nice (which he coached to fifth place in Ligue 1 in the 2023-24 season) and Ajax. In Portugal, Porto remain superior, so the results are still coming, but on the European stage, there are signs of the team running out of steam.”
A feeling that Sofiane Diop’s teammates will obviously try to capitalise on, even if the task is bound to be difficult at a time when the internal situation at Nice is less than ideal. But it is often at times like these that the most unexpected bursts of pride occur. And that is undoubtedly what Les Aiglons will need to finally get their European season off the ground.
