Auxerre vs Nice: Ligue 1 Preview and Early Relegation Battle
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Auxerre host Nice for round four of the 2026-27 Ligue 1 campaign on Saturday, 12 September. Both teams have endured a dismal start to the season and currently languish near the foot of the table, making this an urgent fixture in their respective bids to climb the standings.
Auxerre Form Guide
Will Still's Auxerre have faced a torrid opening to the new campaign. Following a difficult 2025-26 season where they finished just two points above Nice—who occupied the relegation playoff spot—Les Bleu et Blancs find themselves stranded at the bottom of the division. They are yet to pick up a single point and have been alarmingly porous at the back, conceding eight goals across heavy defeats to Lens and Angers. One minor positive for Still to build upon is the recent impact of 23-year-old winger Remy Labeau Lascary, who opened his account with a goal against Angers prior to the international break.
Nice Suffer Familiar Struggles
Nice arrive with their own crisis of confidence, sitting 17th having failed to score a single goal in Ligue 1 this term. Their attacking woes stretch back into last season, with the team now scoring one goal or fewer in 11 consecutive league matches. Despite boasting 58 per cent average possession—a figure bettered only by Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille—Nice have severely lacked a cutting edge in the final third. Their blunt attack was exposed again last weekend in a dismal 3-0 defeat to newly-promoted Paris FC, highlighting a glaring inability to turn control of the ball into clear-cut chances.
Team News and Injury Latest
Both managers face significant selection headaches due to lengthy absentee lists. Auxerre's treatment room remains crowded: Bryan Okoh and Assane Diousse are sidelined until after the New Year with cruciate ligament injuries. Francisco Sierralta, Clement Akpa, Marvin Senaya (hamstring), and Sekou Fofana (groin) are also unavailable, while Ado Onaiwu, Gabriel Osho, and Christ Makosso serve suspensions. However, former Championship duo Axel Tuanzebe and Cameron Archer could feature following their recent arrivals.
For the visitors, Laurent Abergel is ruled out with a cruciate ligament injury. A host of players face late fitness tests, with Morgan Sanson, Ali Abdi, and Moise Bombito listed as questionable, while midfielders Salis Abdul Samed and Hicham Boudaoui remain uncertain.
A victory for either side would provide a crucial injection of belief and kickstart their stuttering campaigns. With both teams heavily depleted and struggling for rhythm, three points here could prove pivotal in avoiding being cut adrift early in the season.

