Nice will be without their top scorer Evann Guessand for the crucial first leg of their Champions League play-off tie against Benfica, after the forward was ruled out with a knee problem sustained following a recent friendly.
The Ligue 1 side face a daunting two-legged test against the Portuguese giants, with the first encounter scheduled for 6 August and the return fixture on 12 August.
Head coach Franck Haise had been hoping for a full-strength squad, but the absence of Guessand, who led the scoring charts for Nice last season, represents a significant setback.
The news was confirmed on Monday by sporting director Florian Maurice during a press conference introducing new signing Kojo Oppong. Maurice revealed that Guessand is struggling with discomfort in his knee, which is expected to keep him sidelined for Wednesday’s clash.
“As of now, he is experiencing knee pain, and he is not able to participate in the upcoming matches,” Maurice stated.
The injury concern emerged shortly after Guessand featured in a pre-season friendly against Sheffield United, and the club’s medical staff have since advised caution, ruling him out of immediate action to avoid aggravating the issue.
Although the official stance is that the striker is unavailable due to injury, there is growing speculation surrounding his future at the club.
According to reports from Nice-Matin, the 23-year-old Ivorian has turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian side Neom, believed to be worth around €30 million—an offer that the club hierarchy had been willing to accept.
Guessand, however, appears to be holding out for a move to either the Premier League or Bundesliga, suggesting a potential conflict between the player and the management over his next destination. While no official transfer request has been lodged, tensions appear to be simmering behind the scenes as the window progresses.
Despite this, club officials remain keen to downplay any friction, insisting the current priority is the player’s recovery and availability for future fixtures.
Haise, preparing for his first major European challenge as Nice manager, will be forced to rethink his attacking options as he attempts to navigate a high-stakes play-off without his most potent forward.
Nice’s attacking burden may now fall on the shoulders of their new arrivals or supporting forwards, but Guessand’s absence will undoubtedly be felt. The club’s hopes of progressing to the Champions League group stage now hinge on producing two near-perfect performances, starting with a solid result at home.
While Guessand remains technically part of the squad, his injury and transfer stance cast uncertainty over his role moving forward. Whether he will feature in the second leg or even remain a Nice player by the end of the window remains to be seen.
