4) OGC Nice: 3rd in Ligue 1
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It has been decades since Ligue 1 club OGC Nice were ever considered a relevant threat to the established order. Their last league title in the top flight was way back in 1959 – their fourth title in eight years in what was their last period of dominance in France.
In 2014/15, Nice had finished in the bottom half of the table (11th). Last season saw a resurgence where they finished fourth and qualified for the Europa League. This season, they are assured of a top three finish, confirming their place in the Champions League next season – either in the group stages or the qualifiers.
Mario Balotelli (26) may have stolen all the headlines this season thanks to his 13 league goals but manager Lucien Favre deserves a lot of credit for putting his faith in youngsters who have shone in the league. While most teams prefer to go with experience at the back, Nice’s defence has plenty of youngsters who have stood toe-to-toe with the rest of France.
Goalkeeper Yoan Cardinale (23) has played all but two league games while the versatility of Ricardo Pereira (23) and Dalbert (23) have allowed Favre to deploy them either as full-backs or wing-backs.
Wylan Cyprien (22) was signed from Ligue 2 side Lens to slot into a central midfield role while his partner Vincent Koziello (21) has a passing accuracy of 92% that makes him one of the finest passers in Europe this season.
When Claude Puel moved to Southampton to start his own project last summer, not many gave Nice a fighting chance. But the kids have done alright under Favre and they have given French giants PSG and Moncao a run for their money this season.
