Nobody's happy at the world's sunniest derby match!
Both Monaco and Nice fans are restless heading into a glitzy, picturesque rivalry game on the Côte d'Azur.
Chelsea and Liverpool will duke it out this weekend, and so will Juventus and AC Milan. But why not dive into the scenic depths of a niche French derby on the beautiful Côte D’Azur? Just last year, this match helped determine who would represent Ligue 1 in the Champions League.
Monaco and Nice are not the biggest clubs in the South of France — that’s Marseille — but they maintain a testy feud that’s fueled in part by cultural differences between the two towns. The Principality of Monaco is fiercely independent from France but plays in Ligue 1 alongside Nice, a gorgeous but (somewhat) less glitzy destination than the champagne-and-caviar precincts of the Monégasques.
AS Monaco has a rich footballing tradition across recent decades, from the Arsène Wenger days (and those of Thierry Henry and George Weah) to more recent times, when the club has been a kind of finishing school for elite talent like Kylian Mbappé and Bernardo Silva. OGC Nice has not enjoyed the same success recently, and yet it engenders fierce support rooted in deep tradition that Monaco can’t always match: The Stade Louis II, where this weekend’s match will be played, has inconsistent attendance in a town where football isn’t always paramount.
Meanwhile, despite finishing third and fourth in France last season, both clubs are experiencing varying levels of fan revolt over poor results and misgivings about how they’re run. That’s particularly true for Nice, where fans are even more disenchanted with Sir Jim Ratcliffe than Manchester United supporters have become. That, combined with a rebellion against French footballing authorities, has spurred a boycott among Nice ultras, who will not be attending this match or enjoying their traditional mass scooter procession across the 20-or-so picturesque kilometers from Nice to Monaco.
Joining us to break it all down is Jonathan Johnson, a Paris-based French football expert:
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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…
WREXHAM vs BIRMINGHAM CITY
Fri @ 3pm ET, 8pm UK
The Yank Derby. The Jawline Clásico. This is Ryan Reynolds vs Tom Brady in a battle of two very well-funded Championship sides. That hasn’t yet translated to results, however: the hosts are 15th coming into this one with just nine points from eight games. Birmingham are three points better off in 11th.
For the Premier League heads, there’s a good one in the same window: BOURNEMOUTH vs FULHAM.
MAN UNITED vs SUNDERLAND
Sat @ 10am ET, 3pm UK
This one’s for the hate-watchers — and the Mackems. Sunderland are off to a flying start in their return to the Premier League, as head coach Régis Le Bris has followed up victory in the Championship playoff final in May with 11 points from six matches in England’s top division.
The Black Cats are eight places higher in the table than once-mighty Manchester United, who are in a now-increasingly-familiar 14th place. Head coach Ruben Amorim is under serious pressure, and defeat at home to a newly promoted side might just spell the end of yet another post-Ferguson era at Old Trafford.
CHELSEA vs LIVERPOOL
Sat @ 12:30pm ET, 5:30pm UK
This is a proper Barclays bout from yesteryear, the days when José Mourinho and Rafa Benitez would go toe-to-toe on the sideline while Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard went at it on the pitch.
These are very different times. Chelsea have failed to compete for the top honors for years now, but the Blues want to prove they’re ready to do so with a victory over the defending champions and title favorites. Liverpool are looking just a bit vulnerable as they prepare to travel to Stamford Bridge after defeat in the league last weekend and the Champions League in midweek.
REAL MADRID vs VILLAREAL
Sat @ 3pm ET, 8pm UK
This is second hosting third in La Liga, with just two points between them. Madrid fell to crosstown rivals Atlético in the derby last weekend, one in which they were dominated on high balls into the box. The Yellow Submarine also lost to Atléti earlier in the season, but they’ll cruise into the Santiago Bernabéu in decent form, grinding out results domestically while settling for a draw with Juventus in the Champions League this week.
JUVENTUS vs MILAN
Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK
These two Italian giants are looking to regain their gianthood this season, and they’ve made a decent start of it. Juventus scored a serious victory over Inter in the Derby d’Italia a few weeks back, though a couple of draws since leave them fourth in Serie A after five matches. On the other side, AC Milan are really on the come-up after a highly disappointing 2024/25. With a possibly season-defining win over champions Napoli last weekend, the Rossoneri are top of the league.
Aaaaaa so many good games!