The final piece of the French football puzzle is about to be solved. In a classic battle of top-flight survival against lower-league revival, AS Saint-Étienne hosts OGC Nice at the iconic Stade Geoffroy-Guichard for the first leg of the Ligue 1 Promotion/Relegation Playoff Final.
For Les Verts, this two-legged tie represents a chance to awaken a sleeping giant and return to France’s elite tier for the first time since 2022. For Nice, it is a desperate, pressure-cooked rescue mission to preserve their Ligue 1 status after a thoroughly disappointing 16th-place finish in the top flight.
With everything on the line, expect a tactical, high-tension affair under the lights in Saint-Étienne.
The Recent Form and How They Got Here
Saint-Étienne’s journey to this final has been a nerve-shredding roller coaster. After a brutal collapse at the end of April—dropping three consecutive Ligue 2 matches to miss out on automatic promotion—they were forced through the playoff wringer.
They locked horns with Rodez AF in the Ligue 2 playoff semi-final, playing out a tense 0-0 draw. It took an extraordinary, legendary performance from veteran substitute goalkeeper Brice Maubleu, who came off the bench to save an unbelievable four penalties in a grueling 7-6 shootout victory, to punch their ticket to this final.
Nice, on the other hand, comes into this clash wounded but carrying top-flight experience. Le Gym endured a miserable domestic campaign, winning just 7 of their 34 league matches. They have completely lacked teeth in the final third, a flaw highlighted by their recent 0-0 draw against Metz.
Worse yet, Nice enters this vital relegation battle fresh off a heartbreaking, emotionally draining 3-1 defeat to RC Lens in the Coupe de France final just days ago. Finding the mental strength to dust themselves off will be manager Francesco Farioli’s biggest challenge.
Predicted Score: Saint-Étienne 1-1 Nice
