Here are 8 things to remember from Les Aiglons 6 week long pre-season. They return to L1 action on Sunday in Auxerre (3pm).

formation(s)

The one that has been the strength of Le Gym's new coach, Franck Haise, for years: 3-4-3. The Aiglons have started every pre-season match this way.

They have only "changed the skeleton" on a few occasions, when the match situation required a switch to a more attacking style of play. Against Rizespor and Ipswich, for example, the Côte d'Azur coach ended up with one less pivot and an extra striker in a 4-2-4 formation.

ReSULTs 

• Nice 2-2 Lausanne
• Nice 2-2 Leganés
• Liefering 4-3 Nice
• Rizespor 2-2 Nice
• Lecce 2-3 Nice
• Ipswich 1-0 Nice (then 0-1 in the additional 30 minutes)

players used

28 Aiglons have been used during the pre-season:

Goalkeepers: Bulka, Dupé, Boulhendi

Defenders: Doumbouya, Todibo, Dante, Lotomba, Mendy, Amraoui, Louchet, Bard, Nandjou, Salhi, Clauss

Midfielders: Ilie, Boudaoui, Rosario, Sanson, Traoré, Ndombele

Forwards: Brahimi, Cho, Moffi, Boga, Laborde, Guessand, Bouanani, Orakpo

most influential

Mohamed-Ali Cho. In his first summer here, the 20-year-old winger, who joined from Real Sociedad in the winter, scored three goals (one against Lausanne, two against Liefering) and provided four assists.

The number 25 could have added another to his pre-season tally, but his penalty against Ipswich hit Muric's post.

different goalscorers

Les Aiglons found the back of the net 12 times this summer, with 9 different goalscorers: Cho (3 goals), Guessand (2), Boga, Brahimi, Boudaoui, Laborde, Orakpo, Clauss and Bouanani.

new signings

Tanguy Ndombele, the summer's first signing, is gradually making progress in terms of his fitness. The 27-year-old international midfielder appeared against Leganés, Liefering, Lecce and Ipswich, playing between 30 minutes and 1 hour in each game.

Having been selected for France at the UEFA European Championship and following a period of rest after the tournament, Jonathan Clauss was the second signing of the summer.  In Lecce, the right-sided midfielder scored his first goal on his debut for Nice. He played 90 minutes at Ipswich in the final match of the pre-season.

appearances from young players

A number of young Aiglons made their first-team debuts during the 6-week training period, in addition to Daouda Traoré (18) and Amidou Doumbouya (17), who are "regulars here".

The standout performer was Victor Orakpo, the 18-year-old Nigerian striker who joined Gym this winter. Standing at a massive 1.94m, a presence in the penalty area, he scored his first goal with a header against Rizespor. He also scored in the extra half-hour at Ipswich, when he latched onto a perfect pass from Billal Brahimi, who had been moved to left-back by coach Haise this summer.

Rouge et Noir academy graduates Yaël Nandjou (19) and Iliesse Salhi (17) played their first minutes for the first team.

Issiaga Camara (19), who appeared for the first team last season and was selected for the Olympic Games with Guinea, made his comeback last week, making the trip to Ipswich and playing in the extra half hour.

players leaving le gym

Last Saturday, OGC Nice finalised the departure of Jean-Clair Todibo to West Ham.

Earlier in the summer Khephren Thuram left for Juventus.

The two internationals were the only ones to have a release clause triggered.

Elsewhere, Mattia Viti and Aliou Baldé have been loaned out with an option to buy, to Empoli (Serie A) and Bochum (Bundesliga) respectively.

Ayoub Amraoui has joined Martigues (L2) on loan (without option to buy).

On loan at Le Gym last season, Romain Perraud and Valentin Rosier have also left the club, along with Alexis Claude-Maurice (end of contract), Robson Bambu and Justin Smith.

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