Less than a week before hosting Monaco for the resumption of the championship, Nice is setting up a gala event. Hosting Napoli and its stars seems like the ideal rehearsal for the eagles. Provided they have sufficiently strong resources.
Lorenzo Insigne, Jose Callejon, or Dries Mertens: these players are stars. Not the only ones in Napoli’s squad, either. It must be said, it’s a very competitive team coming to the Allianz Riviera to challenge Claude Puel’s squad.
On paper, the Italian armada, as it’s famously known, has far more arguments, but OGCN has shown great progress in their preparation.
In-form Niçois
No setbacks except for the one against Zulte Waregem and a relatively reassuring defense despite Jordan Amavi’s departure: the record is already positive. But the Gym did even better by being particularly inspired in front of the goal. Scoring 12 goals in 5 matches, the attack reinforced by the arrivals of Hatem Ben Arfa and Valère Germain impressed.
The 4-0 victory against a Galatasaray team that still included Sneijder, Chedjou, or Podolski in its ranks is indeed quite a feat. With a new 4-4-2 system, Claude Puel seems to have found a formula that offers a good balance. The offensive transition managed by Ben Arfa has so far worked efficiently. As for the Germain-Pléa pair, they need time to develop automation, but the qualities of these two players are complementary. An interesting partnership is forthcoming, therefore.
What Face for Napoli?
The Neapolitans have reason to fear this Nice fervor, especially as freshness will not be on their side. The Italian championship resumes in only three weeks, and legs will still be heavy for last season’s fifth-placed Serie A team. The club from Campania is also deprived of two of its major offensive assets, Gonzalo Higuain and Marek Hamsik.
The defense is also a concern; it is this sector that cost Naples a Champions League qualification last season. To remedy this, Benitez is out, and Maurizio Sarri is in, after a successful season with Empoli.
Will the Neapolitan coach, native to Naples, manage to implement the same high block that allowed his team to stay in Serie A while captivating Italy last season? The first answers come today.
End of the Line for Grégoire Puel
Nice is approaching this match with a lighter squad than a few days ago. After several difficult months, notably due to a tense relationship with the supporters, Grégoire Puel and the Gym have ended their joint adventure. The young right-back is allowed to train with the reserves until the end of August. Will he make an impression in training to recall the good memories of his goal against Lyon? We wish him all the best.
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