Hicham Boudaoui returned to the OGC Nice starting eleven on Sunday night at 20h45 for the closing game of the 7th round of Ligue 1 against Lyon at Groupama Stadium.
The midfielder replaced Djibril Coulibaly, who had suffered a big fatigue problem last week. It was the only change in the Nice XI, with OGC Nice coming into the match after back-to-back 2-1 wins against Lille and Strasbourg.
That recent run gave Nice some momentum, but the trip to Lyon still carried real weight. Lyon could move to first place with a win, while Nice were trying to extend a two-match winning run away from home despite being described as the worst away team in Ligue 1 since last season.
Olympique lyonnais also made adjustments, rotating its lineup for a third match in one week. That was not a surprise given the extra demands of Ligue Europa, and it left Paulo Fonseca with a different setup for the visit from Nice.
The selection decisions on both sides made this a useful test of depth as much as form. Boudaoui’s return gave Nice a steadier look in midfield, while Lyon’s rotation added another layer of uncertainty to a match with clear standings implications.
