'The Last Dante' and his Nice are going through a Ligue 1 inferno

Longevity is usually a blessing for a professional athlete, but sometimes it can - unintentionally - turn into a horror for various reasons.

Check out, for instance, the case of the Brazilian centre-back Dante. The former reliable Bayern Munich and Selecao defender celebrated his 42nd birthday last October and still hasn't hung up his boots.

He was actually close to retiring after the 2024-25 season, but he decided to give it another shot and extend his contract with the Ligue 1 side OGC Nice for one more campaign.

Moreover, that decision led to making a documentary on Ligue 1 Plus called "The Last Dante", as a witty reference to that already legendary movie about Michael Jordan.

However, unlike MJ, who led the Chicago Bulls to their third consecutive NBA title in his final season with the franchise, Dante's last dance has turned into quite a nightmare.

His ageing and several injuries (both knees) took their toll, sidelining him from November. The scenes to be shot on a football pitch will have to wait, as Dante is still not in contention for the squad, while Nice are going through the ninth circle of hell, as they've lost nine of their last 12 games in all competitions.

Fortunately, the glimpse of hope and slow recovery was shown by Coupe de France triumphs over Saint Etienne and Nantes, along with a Ligue 1 draw against dazzling Strasbourg.

The next challenge for Dante-less Nice will be Toulouse on Saturday. And they are eager not to lose, despite the absence of their veteran.

Head coach Claude Puel provided an update on Dante's fitness in a press conference on Thursday.

"He is making progress every day. He is on his way back, but in terms of telling you when he will be back in the squad, competitive and able to play, his body will give us the answer," said Puel. "There will be a question of rhythm that he will have to get back. What is important is for him to do training sessions back-to-back, so that he can become competitive in the group again," concluded the Nice manager.

LIGUE 1 - MATCHDAY 18

Friday

21.00: (1.70) Monaco (4.00) Lorient (5.40)

23.00: (1.35) PSG (5.30) Lille (8.00)

Saturday

19.00: (1.43) Lens (4.50) Auxerre (7.50)

19.00: (2.00) Toulouse (3.60) Nice (4.10)

23.05: (5.80) Angers (3.80) Olympique Marseille (1.62)

Sunday

17.00: (1.55) Strasbourg (4.10) Metz (6.00)

19.15: (3.10) Nantes (3.40) Paris (2.45)

19.15: (1.68) Rennes (3.70) Le Havre (5.40)

22.45: (1.65) Olympique Lyon (4.00) Brest (5.30)

***odds are subject to change***