Nice faces a daunting challenge in the first leg of their Ligue 1 relegation playoff against Saint-Étienne on Tuesday night, as they must cope without suspended star striker Elye Wahi. The Ivorian forward, on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt, has been the linchpin of the attack since his arrival in January, and his absence could not come at a worse time for a side fighting to avoid the drop to Ligue 2.
Wahi's impact is starkly illustrated by the numbers. When he features, Nice averages 1.11 points per game, but that figure plunges to just 0.83 when he is missing. Although the team actually attempts more shots without him – 13.3 per game versus 11.9 – their accuracy falls off a cliff, hitting the target only 3 times per match compared to 4.3 with Wahi. This inefficiency has been a chronic issue for Claude Puel's men, who have scored more than once in only 2 of their last 14 matches, a damning stat that underscores their reliance on the 20-year-old's finishing and hold-up play.
The historical precedent without Wahi is grim. Since he joined, Nice have won just once in his absence: a dead-rubber Europa Conference League tie against Go Ahead Eagles in January when they were already eliminated. The only other positive result sans the striker was a penalty shootout victory at Lorient in the Coupe de France quarter-finals after a 0-0 draw. In league play, they have struggled mightily, most notably losing 2-1 at Auxerre after Wahi started on the bench due to a thigh issue, a defeat that deepened their relegation fears.
Wahi's loan spell ends after this season, and he has already bid farewell to the Nice faithful. Following the frustrating 3-1 Coupe de France final loss to Lens at the Stade de France on Friday, he exchanged words with supporters in the stands, knowing he would not play in front of them again. His final appearance in Nice colors will come on Friday in the second leg at an empty Allianz Riviera – a match where his presence could be pivotal, provided Nice are still in contention.
Injuries have also disrupted Wahi's rhythm during his brief stint. Earlier in the spring, he missed four matches due to an ankle problem, and later a thigh complaint sidelined him for the 1-1 draw with Lens in early May. These absences forced Puel to experiment with different attacking setups, often with little success, exposing a lack of depth in the forward line.
Puel did not hide the difficulty of the situation in his pre-match press conference. "We are contesting this playoff in adversity, we don't hide it," he admitted, referencing both the suspension and the complications around international call-ups. With FIFA regulations no longer obliging federations to release players after Monday, Nice have been navigating a minefield of availability issues.
The international picture is mixed. Ivory Coast coach Émerse Faé agreed not to call up Wahi immediately, while Senegal did the same for Antoine Mendy and Yéhvann Diouf. However, Tunisia refused to release Ali Abdi, meaning the left-back will miss the first leg. Ghanaian Kojo Peprah Oppong and Algerian Hicham Boudaoui may only be available for the away clash, further complicating Puel's selection. These factors have left Nice with a threadbare squad for a match that could define their season.
Without Wahi, the attacking burden falls on inconsistent performers like Mohamed-Ali Cho and Sofiane Diop, who have been decisive just four times each since January. Tellingly, wing-back Jonathan Clauss ranks second for goal involvements over the same period with eight assists, highlighting how much the offense has funneled through non-forwards. Puel will need a creative solution – perhaps a false nine or a reshuffled front three – to unlock a Saint-Étienne defense that will be confident of stifling a blunt Nice attack.
The stakes could hardly be higher. Nice, a regular fixture in Ligue 1, are staring at their first relegation of the 21st century. The anxiety around the club is palpable, and the empty stadium for the return leg only adds to the surreal atmosphere. Securing a positive result at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard without their talisman would be a massive step toward survival, but it requires a collective offensive reinvention that has rarely been seen this season.
For Wahi, the playoff represents a final chance to leave a lasting hero's legacy before returning to Frankfurt. Knowing he will be watching from the sidelines on Tuesday, his teammates must find a way to compensate for his absence – a task that has stymied them all campaign. If they fail, the second leg at the Allianz Riviera could become a somber coronation of a disastrous season, even with their star man back in the lineup.
Based on reporting from L'Equipe.