Nice Suffers Heavy Defeat Against Rangers in Europa League
OGC Nice endured a difficult evening in the Europa League, suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat against Glasgow Rangers on Thursday. The Aiglons struggled defensively and were further hampered by a lengthy injury list, according to their coach Franck Haise.
“We were missing 12 players, and then a 13th after just 15 minutes (Youssouf Ndayishimiye, substituted in the 19th minute),” lamented Haise at the post-match press conference. “It was simply too much. We have to be realistic about the situation. It’s unprecedented to have so many absentees. It’s a lot to manage across two competitions. I hope we can find the strength to compete in both, and then the Coupe de France as well. We must admit that the level was too high today. We gave away several goals by making significant mistakes – that ultimately made things very difficult.”
For this match, Nice were without key players including Jonathan Clauss, Terem Moffi, Morgan Sanson, Ali Abdi, Dante, and Victor Orakpo. Moïse Bombito and Sofiane Diop were also sidelined due to suspensions.
’These Are Not Easy Times’
“We’re not in a position to string together high-level performances every three days,” continued Haise. “ The sheer number of injuries, we’re missing 13 players… These are not good times. It’s the observation I’ve made over these first five months. I hope there will be better European nights for Nice in the future.”
Despite the loss, Nice remain hopeful of Europa League progression. After five matches, the Aiglons find themselves in 35th position, but only three points separate them from the coveted playoff spot held by the top 24 teams in the competition.
“Do we still have hope of qualifying? As long as there’s a chance… Our next match (versus Union Saint-Gilloise, December 12th at 6:45 pm) will be like a final for us,” concluded Haise. “As long as there’s a possibility, I want us to give our all in this competition. After all, we only have two points from five games so far. People might say ‘he’s a nice guy,’ but hey… we’re going to keep fighting.
How did injuries impact Nice’s performance against Rangers?
## Nice Battered by Rangers in Europa League
**Interviewer:** Joining us now is European football analyst, Sarah Jones, to discuss OGC Nice’s disappointing 4-1 defeat to Glasgow Rangers in the Europa League. Sarah, a tough night for Nice. What went wrong?
**Sarah Jones:** Absolutely, a difficult night for Nice fans. They were really up against it from the start, and those injury woes were clearly a major factor. Coach Franck Haise mentioned missing a staggering 12 players, and then losing another one just 15 minutes in. It’s hard to build any momentum or defensive solidity with that kind of backline disruption.
**Interviewer:** Rangers seemed to capitalize on those defensive gaps?
**Sarah Jones:** Definitely. Rangers looked sharp and clinical, taking advantage of the space Nice were affording them. It highlights the importance of a settled backline, especially in European competition.
**Interviewer:** What’s next for Nice? How do they bounce back from this?
**Sarah Jones:** It’s a tough test of character now. They need to regroup quickly and focus on getting some key players back from injury. The Europa League is still very much in play, but they’ll need to find their defensive shape and resilience in upcoming games. This defeat, while heavy, can be a learning experience.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for your insights, Sarah.
