Nice paid for their inconsistent form this season by finishing eighth in Ligue 1. It was a disappointing end to Lucien Favre’s time in charge at the club, with the coach admitting after the final game of the season that he would depart after two relatively successful years in the hot seat on the Cote d’Azur.
Having made an impressive push for the Champions League last term, it was clear immediately that European football was going to push them to their limits this season. Ajax were seen off in a qualifier in July and August, though Napoli proved too strong in the playoff round, casting them into the Europa League.
These matches had taken up much of their focus early in the season and had led to a lamentable start to the league campaign, with three defeats in their first four matches. Only after a 4-0 win over Monaco did they click into gear.
But it was to prove a stop-start end to 2017 for Nice, who were still suffering from long-term injuries to key players Alassane Plea and Wylan Cyprien. Both were fit, but were struggling to get back to their best level.
October passed with five straight defeats and though there was an improvement thereafter, a 5-0 loss to Lyon in November cast Nice to 18th in the standings. Four wins and a draw before Christmas had them up to sixth – such was the rollercoaster nature of their season.
Their streaky form continued into the new year, when they were ultimately unlucky to be knocked out of the Europa League by Lokomotiv Moscow. However, this proved something of a blessing for their league form, which thereafter dramatically improved.
Indeed, between the middle of February and the end of the season, they would lose only three times domestically – coming against three of the top four in the league.
Their weakness, however, was that they drew too many matches. Fixtures against Rennes, Angers and Strasbourg in April were all winnable, yet all ended 1-1, ultimately depriving them of Europe.
It is a new start for Nice next term, with Favre departing and so too key attackers Mario Balotelli and Plea, who came onto a strong game in the final three months of the campaign. Reaching such heights again will be tough.
