Fifteen days after their feat in Lyon (2-1 victory), OGC Nice hosts Evian-TG this Saturday at 8 PM. The stakes are simple: with only a five-point lead over Toulouse, the first team in the relegation zone, Nice must win to reach the symbolic 40-point mark and get closer to securing their place in the league.
Now, we are truly entering the final stretch of this 2014-2015 Ligue season. To avoid a stressful, even chilling, end of the season, the people of Nice would be well-advised to beat a direct competitor for staying in the league, Evian-TG. The surprising victory in Lyon (2-1) brought smiles back to the whole club and its supporters, although they remain cautious.
“We just finished a comprehensive match in Lyon on all fronts, very positive, but it’s already far behind us. Our good match in Lyon should allow us to approach this game with less of a knife to our throat, with less negative pressure than it could have been,” explained Claude Puel this Thursday during the press briefing.
The Nice players especially have some making up to do. Defeated by Guingamp (1-2) during the behind-closed-doors match, the Aiglons haven’t won at the Allianz Riviera since January 23rd in the Mediterranean derby against Olympique de Marseille (2-1). With no fewer than five absentees (Palun, Plea, S. Diawara, and Carlos Eduardo suspended, Digard injured), it’s a weakened but combative Nice team that Claude Puel will field. In Plea’s absence, Neal Maupay might return to the spearhead of the attack with Valentin Eysseric in support, potentially finally scoring more than one goal at home?
“It is important to confirm to secure our spot in the league. We are experiencing some minor setbacks, but we are getting used to it. We fully trust the players who are fit to play,” said Romain Genevois to the press.
On the opposite side, the men of the very special Pascal Dupraz are far from being safe. With three points ahead of Toulouse, the situation is tense. The Savoyards just had a victory against Montpellier (1-0), but more importantly, four wins in their last six matches. In the lower part of the table, ETG has made a specialty of taking significant points against fellow relegation contenders. Even if the club’s top scorer, Daniel Wass, doesn’t seem to be in great form, the Nsikulu-Barbosa duo, with nine goals between them, poses a considerable threat to opposing defenses.
If they don’t want to face another outcry from a frustrated Allianz Riviera crowd (5 wins, 4 draws, and 6 losses), the Nice team knows what they need to do. Before a trip to Reims and then hosting PSG, a decisive match awaits Nice. In case of a victory, they will have one and a half foot in Ligue 1 for the 2015-2016 season.
Photo credit and more info at www.ogcnice.com
