1. Attacking options
Nice has seen a good spread of offensive output from their side. Striker Alassane Plea leads the team with 11 goals in league play. He can play as a lone striker or as a right-sided attacker next to their other striker, Mario Balotelli. Balotelli has had a strong season with the club, grabbing himself nine in league play so far.
Both strikers can influence a game in a matter of seconds. Balotelli’s pure strength and ability make him a nightmare to stop physically. He can bully most defenders and has a lethal shot. Plea often plays off of Balotelli, making runs inside and behind the defenders to open space for other players. The two have worked with and without each other numerous times, so it will be interesting to see what manager Lucien Favre decides to do.
The midfield attacking options also create a fair amount of goal threat to the side. There are five different midfielders with a goal and have a total of 13 goals between them. This constant threat will prove a big task for Monaco if they hope to beat Nice. Having to worry about late runners in the box as well as the potent attackers could mean a long night for the Monaco defense.