Nice will host Koln at the Allianz Riviera in their UEFA Europa Conference League opener on Thursday.The home team have endured a slow start to their Ligue 1 campaign this season and have just one win to their name after six games. In their previous league outing, they fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Monaco. They looked sharp in the playoffs against Maccabi Tel-Aviv, recording a 3-0 win on aggregate.Koln are undefeated in their Bundesliga campaign thus far and returned to winning ways with an impressive 4-2 away win at Wolfsburg. They qualified for the group stage with a 4-2 victory on aggregate over Fehervar in the playoffs.Nice are back in Europe after one season while this is just their second appearance in a European competition since 1993.UEFA Europa Conference League@europacnfleague🟡 4 games, 3 wins and 1 draw Villarreal are yet to concede a goal in the league this season...@VillarrealCFen | #UECL20716🟡 4 games, 3 wins and 1 draw 🔥⛔️ Villarreal are yet to concede a goal in the league this season...@VillarrealCFen | #UECL https://t.co/F3hOY0yfiONice vs Koln Head-to-HeadThe two teams have met just twice across all competitions. The two meetings came in the round of 16 tie in the 1973-74 edition of the erstwhile UEFA Cup. Both sides recorded home wins in the two-legged tie, keeping clean sheets in the wins as well.Nice form guide (all competitions): L-W-L-W-LKoln form guide (all competitions): W-D-W-D-LNice vs Koln Team NewsNice The home team have no reported absentees for their campaign opener. New signing Ross Barkley has not been included in the squad for this game and remains unavailable.OGC Nice@ogcnice Le groupe de l'#OGCNice pour le duel face au @fckoeln #OGCNKOE #UECL12015📋 Le groupe de l'#OGCNice pour le duel face au @fckoeln 🔴⚫️#OGCNKOE #UECL https://t.co/2kbYLPgCuBInjured: NoneDoubtful: NoneSuspended: NoneUnavailable: Ross BarkleyKoln Die Geißböcke have some significant absentees for the trip to Nice. Mark Uth, Dimitris Limnios, Julian Chabot and Mathias Olesen are injured and missed the game against Wolfsburg as well. Benno Schmitz is back in training and faces a late fitness test.Sebastian Andersson underwent a knee surgery last week and faces a long time on the sidelines.Injured: Mark Uth, Dimitris Limnios, Julian Chabot, Mathias Olesen, Sebastian AnderssonDoubtful: Benno SchmitzSuspended: NoneUnavailable: NoneNice vs Koln Predicted XIsNice (3-5-2): Kasper Schmeichel; Jean-Clair Todibo, Dante, Mattia Viti; Melvin Bard, Alexis Beka Beka, Pablo Rosario, Khephren Thuram, Rareș Ilie; Andy Delort, Nicolas PepeKoln (4-1-3-2): Marvin Schwabe; Jonas Hector, Timo Hubers, Luca Kilian, Kingsley Schindler; Ellyes Skhiri; Florian Kainz, Ondrej Duda, Dejan Ljubicic; Jan Thielmann, Florian DietzUp to $250 Deposit Match at BetRivers/SugarHouseNice vs Koln Predicted XIsLes Aiglons have scored just four goals in their six Ligue 1 games but should be able to produce a solid display at home. Koln have scored 10 goals in five Bundesliga games.Given the current form of the two sides, Nice might struggle here and we are backing the visitors to eke out a narrow win.Prediction: Nice 1-2 Koln