Feyenoord vs Nice: Pre-Season Friendly Preview
Match Date: Saturday, July 26, 2025 Kick-off Time: 02:00 EAT (1:00 AM UTC) Venue: Austria (likely a pre-season camp location) Competition: Club Friendly
As the European football season approaches, Feyenoord and Nice are set to clash in a pre-season friendly in Austria. Both sides will be looking to fine-tune their squads, integrate new signings, and build match fitness ahead of their respective domestic campaigns.
Recent Form & Season Outlook:
Feyenoord: The Dutch giants have had a mixed pre-season so far. They suffered a 2-1 defeat to Gent, drew 1-1 with Union Saint-Gilloise, but also secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Cambuur. In their last competitive matches of the previous Eredivisie season, Feyenoord showed inconsistency, with wins against RKC Waalwijk and Heracles but losses to SC Heerenveen and PSV Eindhoven. Their Eredivisie season is set to begin in two weeks at home to NAC Breda.
Nice: Nice, meanwhile, have also had a varied pre-season. They recently drew 3-3 with Nancy and enjoyed a commanding 3-0 win over Aubagne and a 2-1 victory against Cercle Brugge. Their last Ligue 1 outing saw them demolish Brest 6-0, but they also experienced a 2-0 defeat to Rennes. Nice will have an eye on their upcoming UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie against Benfica, which is just over a week away.
Head-to-Head:
There is no extensive head-to-head record available for competitive matches between Feyenoord and Nice, as this appears to be a rare friendly encounter.
Team News & Injuries:
Feyenoord: Feyenoord has a few players currently sidelined with injuries. Igor Paixão is dealing with a muscle injury, while Justin Bijlow has a knee injury. J. Lotomba has a broken leg, and Antef Tsoungui is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury. Thomas Beelen is also out with an ankle injury, expected back in early May 2025. These pre-season friendlies will be crucial for the squad depth and for players to step up.
Nice: Nice also has some significant injuries to contend with. Sofiane Diop is out with a groin injury, expected back in mid-August. Y. Ndayishimiye and M. Abdelmonem are long-term absentees with cruciate ligament injuries, not expected back until early January 2026. Dante had a knee injury, but was expected back mid-May 2025, and M. Bombito had a broken wrist, also expected back mid-May 2025. The absence of key players will test Nice's depth as they prepare for a busy start to their season.
Predicted Lineups (Subject to change in pre-season):
Feyenoord (likely to rotate heavily): Wellenreuther; Nieuwkoop, Trauner, Hancko, Smal; Hwang, Zerrouki, Milambo; Moussa, Carranza, Paixao. (Note: Some of these players may be recovering from injuries or may not feature for the full match due to pre-season rotation.)
Nice (likely to rotate heavily): Bulka; Mendy, Bombito, Dante, Clauss; Boudaoui, Santamaria, Bard; Bouanani, Moffi, Laborde. (Note: Similar to Feyenoord, rotation is expected, and injured players will not be risked.)
Match Prediction:
This friendly promises to be an interesting encounter between two clubs looking to build momentum. Nice might have a slight edge due to their upcoming Champions League qualifier, which will push them to be more match-ready. However, pre-season results are often less about the outcome and more about performance, tactical experiments, and player fitness. Given the recent results and the attacking talent in both squads, we could see an open game with goals.
Score Prediction: Feyenoord 2 - 2 Nice
