Our prediction for this Europa Conference League match:
Partizan will be looking to extend their winning run in Group D to three game when they take on Nice at Allianz Riviera on Thursday evening. The Black and Whites are on the verge of booking their spot in the Conference League last 16, but they will have a mountain to climb in France. Gordan Petric has a full squad to choose from for the penultimate group game.
Les Aiglons, on the other hand, aim to recover from a shocking 2-1 loss to Slovacko, but they will have to do it without suspended defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who was sent off in the last league match. Fellow defender Jordan Lotomba limped off with injury in a 1-1 draw with Nantes, with Youcef Atal likely to step up. Anyhow, home win should be considered as over the years Nice have turned their Allianz Riviera into a real fortress.
Highlighted Player (Nicolas Pépé):
Born in France to parents of Ivorian descent, Nicolas Pepe became a full Ivory Coast international in 2016. In a symbolic twist of events, Pepe was handed his Ivory Coast debut in a goalless draw against his birth nation France days after receiving his first-ever call-up.
Pepe began his career in the lower leagues in Poitiers in 2012, before moving to Angers a year later. Having proven his qualities in the second-string side, Pepe was instated in Angers’ first team in 2013. Four years later – which included a season-long loan spell at Orleans – Nicolas Pepe was transferred to Lille. Les Dogues beat several sides to the signature of this pacey winger who is no stranger to scoring goals. Quick with his feet, Pepe can be deployed on the right wing and as a centre-forward.
The Ivory Coast international is unpredictable in his movement and not easy to keep an eye on, especially because of his powerful left foot.
Highlighted Team (Partizan):
Partizan are a Serbian football club founded by Yugoslav People’s Army on October 4, 1945. The Crno-beli (Black and Whites) play their home games at Partizan Stadium and the capacity of the venue is 32.710. During the 20th century Partizan were in the shadow of their bitterest rivals Crvena zvezda, who won the European Cup in 1991, but nowadays the Crno-beli are the dominant force in the Serbian Super League, with the team winning their 11th domestic trophy of the 21st century in the 2016/2017 season.
Partizan face Crvena Zvezda in Veciti derbi (Eternal derby) which is considered one of the greatest derbies in the world. Speaking of the club’s European success, Partizan did well to make it to the European Cup final in the 1965/1966 season, but Real Madrid proved to be a big catch for the Serbian champions in the title game at Heysel Stadium.
The likes of Predrag Mijatovic, Miroslav Djukic, Savo Milosevic, Danko Lazovic, Stevan Jovetic, Matija Nastasic, Albert Nadj, Mateja Kezman and Adem Ljajic are the notable footballers who played for Partizan in the past.