Nice forced into Ligue 1 relegation playoff after draw with bottom side Metz

Claude Puel would have favoured a home game versus the league stragglers possessing the weakest defence among top five European divisions to clinch safety from the playoff lottery.

Yet the visitors who face certain relegation began well and this increased the anxiety levels among the home ranks.

Goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf saved efforts from Giorgi Abuashvili and Believe Munongo in the first twenty minutes and Giorgi Kvilitaia headed wide from a Gauthier Hein corner.

The hosts created off target chances for Sofiane Diop and Ali Abdi but goals scored by Auxerre and Le Havre elsewhere only added to the tension at the Allianz Riviera.

Diop nearly offered encouragement with a strike from outside the box that flew just wide approaching half time.

After the break Nice created several openings inside the Metz penalty area. Mohamed Ali Cho and Dante both sent headers off target from crosses by Ali Abdi and Jonathan Clauss while Jonathan Fischer denied Diop from close range.

The pressure continued with Morgan Sanson supplying a fine ball to Cho whose effort went narrowly wide.

Frustration grew as Elye Wahi found space in the box yet could not fashion a clear chance.

The outcome leaves Nice in sixteenth place so they must beat Saint Etienne over two legs to maintain their twenty four year stay in Ligue 1.

Silverware remains possible as the team prepare to face Lens in the Coupe de France final next Friday.

Meanwhile the visitors displayed commendable spirit in their final top flight match before an immediate drop to Ligue 2.