The answer is simple: the name of OGC Nice's opponent in the last eight is hidden among the 16 teams involved in the C4 play-offs, which begin this Thursday.

THE GYM ARE SEEDED...

The Gym finished top of their group ahead of Partizan Belgrade, FC Köln and FC Slovácko, earning them the top seed. At this stage of the competition, Les Niçois will therefore not face the seven other clubs who finished top of their group: AZ Alkmaar (P-B), Djurgården (SUE), İstanbul Başakşehir (TUR), Sivasspor (TUR), Slovan Bratislava (SVQ), Villarreal (ESP) and West Ham (ANG).

... THEIR OPPONENT WILL COME FROM THE PLAYOFFS

The play-offs are where the eight teams that finished second in their Conference League group meet the eight teams that finished third in the Europa League groups.

The play-offs start on Thursday 16 February. The return matches are scheduled a week later (Thursday 23), the day before the draw for the last eight (Friday 24 at 14:00, in Nyon). Here are the fixtures:

Ludogorets (BUL) / Anderlecht (BEL)
Trabzonspor (TUR) / Bâle (SUI)
Lazio (ITA) / CFR Cluj (ROU)
AEK Larnaca (CHY) / Dnipro-1 (UKR)
Braga (POR) / Fiorentina (ITA)
Qarabağ (AZE) / Gent (BEL)
Bodø/Glimt (NOR) / Lech (POL)
Sheriff (MOL) / Partizan (SRB)

EASTERN COUNTRIES IN FULL FORCE

The Eastern European countries are particularly well represented, with Poland (Lech), Romania (Cluj), Moldova (Sheriff), Ukraine* (Dnipro-1), Azerbaijan (Qarabag), Bulgaria (Ludogorets) and Serbia (Partizan). It should be noted that the rules do not prohibit members of the same group from playing each other in the knockout stage. OGC Nice could thus meet Partizan Belgrade, as was the case last year between AS Roma and Bodø Glimt (in the quarter-finals).

BIG GAMES IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES

Important clubs from neighbouring countries are also on the list: Italy and Belgium twice (Lazio + Fiorentina; Anderlecht + Gent), as well as Switzerland with FC Basel and their two former Aiglons Dan Ndoye and Andy Pelmard.

Finally, the Gym could be asked to travel to the Mediterranean: to Turkey (Trabzonspor) or Cyprus (Larnaca). The course could also be set in the West (Braga, Portugal) or in the North (Bodø Glimt, Norway).

AND THEN? 

It's a certainty that the Gym will travel in the first leg on Thursday 9 March 2023. The second leg is scheduled for a week later at the Allianz Riviera (Thursday 16 March 2023).

 

---