UEFA ECL: OGC Nice v Partizan preview

Partizan is away to Nice on Thursday (6.45pm CET kick-off) as part of UEFA Europa Conference League group stage round 5 fixtures. Corresponding fixture in Belgrade ended in a one-all draw. Partizan tops the standings with 8 points followed by Nice (5), Koln (4) and Slovacko (4).

TEAM NEWS

Aleksandar Filipovic and Patrick Andrade picked up injuries last week and won`t be available for selection.

Partizan boss Gordan Petric ahead of Nice away:

-I don`t think about us being top of the group or second-placed, I find it important that we fulfill target set before the group stage started and that`s us playing knockout stage. I don`t know what`s going to happen tomorrow; it would be nice to win it so that we can play final group stage game with a bit more tranquility. I`m sure boys will be focused tomorrow, hundred percent there to try and finish the job. They are aware of all that`s going on around them.

Tomorrow`s game is kind of a second half as we played the first one in Belgrade. This one will be totally different, simply because we are top of the group and we can operate on the pitch the way we want. There`s no need for tension, team should do their best and enjoy. Nice`s last two performances were varying but that shouldn`t fool us, they have a quality to change things around on the pitch and to cause us problems all over.

Fousseni Diabate on tomorrow`s encounter:

-We have full trust in this team of ours and it`s on us to be focused to achieve good result for our passage through to the knockout stage. We are not under pressure, we are top of the group but we should try and remain at this position at the standings.