The rollercoaster season that began with Champions League hopes and ended in relegation fears has reached its climax. A poor performance against Saint-Étienne on Friday (8:45 PM) could seal the fate of a club that has won France’s top flight four times—sending them back to Ligue 2 for the first time in 24 years. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

But if the stakes are immense, so too is the pressure. Nice will take to the Allianz Riviera in a ghostly atmosphere, as authorities have barred supporters from the stadium and surrounding areas—a rare and drastic measure at home. The prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes has warned of potential unrest should the team fail to deliver.

The club has taken unprecedented steps. Just two weeks after a hostile pitch invasion following the 0-0 draw with Metz, which caused €600,000 in damage, authorities have now prohibited supporters from gathering near the stadium, training center, or nearby businesses. Such measures are common abroad but rarely enforced at home in France. It may be a wise precaution, especially given the torrent of threats directed at Ali Abdi on social media.

The message from a leader of the ultras to Wahi

The Tunisian defender found himself at the center of a tug-of-war this week. While Nice sought to retain all its key players for the final two matches of the season, the Tunisian Football Federation pressured him relentlessly to join the national team—going so far as to book three flights to North Africa since last Saturday. Abdi ultimately departed, citing his desire to resolve visa issues for a trip to the United States. The club now considers disciplinary action but had previously assured him that administrative solutions could allow him to meet both obligations. However, his entourage argued that his absence risked jeopardizing his chances of participating in the FIFA World Cup (June 11–July 19). In a late statement, the club clarified that the player was « determined to return and support the team » on Friday evening.

But will he be alone in facing this challenge? Hicham Boudaoui, sidelined by concussion protocol, will also miss the match. Yet for Elye Wahi, the show must go on. The Ivorian striker, suspended on Tuesday and remaining on the Côte d’Azur to rest, is fresh and ready. He has fine-tuned his preparation by studying Saint-Étienne’s defensive tactics in detail with his personal staff. He has taken to heart a message from a leader of the ultras after last week’s defeat in the Coupe de France final at the Stade de France: « Save us, we’re counting on you. » In this context, the X-factor could very well be on Nice’s side.