Sports Mole previews Thursday's Europa Conference League clash between Nice and Maccabi Tel Aviv, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Trailing by a goal from last week's first leg, Nice aim to overturn their deficit against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday and reach the group stage of the Europa Conference League.

The Cote d'Azur club only entered the competition at this playoff stage, but could be set for a quick exit if they cannot get the better of their Israeli opponents at the Stade de Nice.

Match preview

Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre before the match against Inter Milan on November 5, 2019 © Reuters

A sluggish start to the new season continued for Nice in last Thursday's first leg, as they came away from Tel-Aviv beaten 1-0 by Stipe Perica's 74th-minute strike for the home side.

After finishing fifth last term, under new Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier, Les Aiglons started the 2022-23 campaign back under the guidance of former boss Lucien Favre, and the Swiss manager's second spell at the club started with successive draws against Toulouse and Strasbourg.

Having then lost in Israel, Favre was under pressure to produce a result at the weekend against Clermont, who narrowly survived relegation in May, but Nice are now on a four-match winless streak after another 1-0 defeat, in which they finished the game with just nine men.

Several summer signings - including Aaron Ramsey, who scored on his league debut but has been largely consigned to the bench - are yet to fully settle, and Favre's men must now find their first win if they are to progress in continental competition.

Despite some impressive displays domestically, Nice bowed out at the group stage of last season's Europa League, and their ambitious owners will expect to at least reach the same point of Europe's third-tier competition this time around.

New Watford boss Vladimir Ivic on September 11, 2020 © Reuters

Like their latest Conference League opponents, Maccabi Tel Aviv re-appointed a former head coach this summer, and ex-Watford manager Vladimir Ivic has made quite an impact at the club so far.

Not only has he steered his side to victory against a well-resourced Nice side, but since returning in June, Ivic has helped them claim four wins from seven competitive matches.

Maccabi saw off both Zira and Aris Thessaloniki in the earlier qualifying rounds: beating the former 3-0 on aggregate before securing a two-goal first-leg advantage over the latter in their third round tie.

Though Aris fought back and won the second leg in Greece, Maccabi still progressed to the playoffs, and following last Thursday's European victory at Bloomfield Stadium, then went on to win 5-0 in their Israeli Premier League opener at the weekend.

The 24-time national champions finished third last term, while reaching the inaugural Conference League's first knockout stage, where they were ultimately eliminated by PSV. Having also progressed from their group in the previous year's Europa League, they possess plenty of knowhow to help them combat a Nice comeback.

Nice Europa Conference League form:

Nice form (all competitions):

Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa Conference League form:

Maccabi Tel Aviv form (all competitions):

Team News

Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo, Marcin Bulka and teammates celebrate winning the match after a penalty shootout on January 31, 2022 © Reuters

Though Mario Lemina and Jean-Clair Todibo were both dismissed on Sunday, their resultant suspensions only apply domestically, so Lucien Favre may consider fielding the pair in his starting XI.

Aaron Ramsey has appeared as a substitute in Nice's first three league games, and alongside well-travelled striker Andy Delort, will be pushing for a start on Thursday - Billal Brahimi was preferred to the latter at the weekend.

Summer signing Kasper Schmeichel is still searching for his first clean sheet since switching from Leicester City, and once more features in goal, but both his Denmark teammate Kasper Dolberg and Hicham Boudaoui are set to sit the second leg out through injury.

Meanwhile, Maccabi's Croatian striker Stipe Perica backed up his winner in the first leg by bagging a brace on Sunday, so will expect to start ahead of Djordje Jovanovic up front.

Veteran pair Eran Zahavi and Sheran Yeini, both 35, will provide a wealth of experience for the visitors, with Yeini wearing the captain's armband at the heart of a back three.

Nice possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Lotomba, Dante, Todibo, Bard; Thuram, Lemina; Stengs, Gouiri, Ilie; Delort

Maccabi Tel Aviv possible starting lineup:
Peretz; Saborit, Yeini, Bitton; Geraldes, Van Overeem, Golasa, Kanichowsky, Hozez; Zahavi, Perica

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We say: Nice 1-1 Maccabi Tel Aviv (Maccabi Tel Aviv win 2-1 on aggregate)

Nice have scored just twice in their first four competitive matches, and needing at least two to turn the tie around, they may come up short against accomplished opponents: Maccabi are set for their third straight European group stage appearance.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.