Lyon vs Nice: Official Lineups for Ligue 1 Matchday 22
Olympique Lyonnais welcome OGC Nice for the 22nd round of the 2025/2026 Ligue 1 season this Sunday. Lyon field a 3-4-3 to extend a remarkable run, while Nice line up in a 4-2-3-1 as Claude Puel’s men seek stability and points at Groupama Stadium.
Lyon name strong 3-4-3 as they chase another win
Lyon deploy a 3-4-3 with Dominik Greif between the posts. The back three is made up of Clinton Mata, Moussa Niakhaté and Hans Hateboer, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Abner Vinicius act as wing-pistons on either flank. Tanner Tessmann and Tyler Morton are paired in midfield to provide balance and recyclers for transitions. Up front, Pavel Sulc leads the line with Noah Nartey and Corentin Tolisso supporting from the inside channels.
This XI reflects the absence of Endrick through suspension and the continued unavailability of Afonso Moreira through injury, while Tolisso returns after missing the previous four matches. Lyon are on a long winning sequence across competitions and a victory here would further cement their place in the upper reaches of the table, with direct Champions League qualification within sight if they maintain form.
Olympique Lyonnais: Greif - Mata, Niakhaté, Hateboer - Maitland-Niles, Tessmann, Morton, Abner - Nartey, Sulc, Tolisso
Nice set up to frustrate with 4-2-3-1
Nice counter with a 4-2-3-1 and Maxime Dupé in goal. Jonathan Clauss, Antoine Mendy, Dante Bonfim and Ali Abdi form the back four. The double pivot of Morgan Sanson and Charles Vanhoutte is tasked with protection and progressive passing, while the attacking trio of Tom Louchet, Sofiane Diop and Mohamed-Ali Cho supports striker Elye Wahi.
Since the managerial change late in December, Nice have sought greater stability and the squad shows signs of coherence under the new structure. The team sits mid-lower in the table and must find points to climb away from danger, but the return of Mohamed-Ali Cho to the lineup adds a useful attacking option. Melvin Bard remains sidelined through injury.
OGC Nice: Dupé - Clauss, Mendy, Dante, Abdi - Sanson, Vanhoutte - Louchet, S. Diop, Cho - Wahi
Tactical matchups to watch
The contest will hinge on a few key battles. Lyon’s wing-pistons will look to overload Nice’s full-backs, forcing the central midfielders to cover wide spaces and creating gaps for Tolisso and Sulc to exploit. Nice’s double pivot must win the midfield duel to cut supply lines to Lyon’s front three and feed Wahi quickly on counters.
Defensively, Dante’s experience will be vital for Nice when facing quick, creative runners in behind. For Lyon, Niakhaté and Hateboer will need to be compact and disciplined to prevent Wahi from receiving clean service. Set pieces and transitional moments could decide a tight game, and both coaches are likely to use their benches to shift momentum in the second half.
With league positions and European qualification on the line, the clash promises intensity. Lyon arrive with momentum and the pressure to convert it into points; Nice come seeking a platform to build consistency and climb the table.
