Lille OSC vs Nice preview - Hassen hoping for greatness

Mouez Hassen is hoping to become an even better goalkeeper than his predecessors at Nice, Hugo Lloris and David Ospina.

The summer exit of Colombia goalkeeper Ospina to Arsenal saw the 19-year-old promoted to the Cote d'Azur's first-choice goalkeeper.

Hassen has featured 21 times in Ligue 1 for Nice this term and is looking to secure a third successive clean sheet in Saturday's trip to Lille.

"Early in the season, it was complicated, I was not confident," he told the club's official website, www.ogcnice.com.

"But I progressed over the meetings, I try to store game time and gain experience.

"The coach trusts me, makes me play. So I progress and I feel better and better. I am calmer."

The progress has been impressive and makes Hassen determined to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Lloris and Ospina.

"It makes you want to work more and to reach their level," he said of the former Nice goalkeepers.

"I watched them in the Tottenham v Arsenal game. I'll try to follow their path hoping why not do a little better? Although it will be difficult because they are already at the max."

Hassen and his Nice team-mates head to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy unbeaten in five matches, putting them eighth in the standings ahead of this round of fixtures.

Lille are just two points worse off in 11th and are looking to make it back-to-back wins following last week's success at Montpellier.

"OGC Nice is a great team currently in a good period," Lille defender Franck Beria said. "They have young ball players who plays with a lot of speed.

"We have had two home defeats against them, so we will try to break these bad statistics and take the points and regain trust."