OGC Nice will need to be “very Nice” and very competitive this evening (6:45 p.m.), at the Groupama Arena in Budapest, to outmaneuver the Hungarian giant Ferencváros (35 league titles and 24 Hungarian cups). A crucial and highly uncertain match, given the performances of the two contenders in this European competition.
Both teams are far from the lead and aspire to use the day’s opponent as a stepping stone to gain points and climb higher…
On one side, the Hungarians, leaders of their championship (21 points, with one game in hand), rely on a solid and fierce team, structured around a strong and determined defense (4 goals conceded in 8 matches), always well-positioned, with an attack that has only been silent three times in its last twenty matches (all competitions combined).
Furthermore, the Fradi, as their noisy supporters call them, rarely miss their home appointments. But let’s not exaggerate! For although they dominate their championship opponents, Ferencváros TC is not an impregnable fortress, especially in the UEFA Europa League, where they are only 31st in the overall rankings, just behind the Nice team! A neck-and-neck that promises a very tight confrontation, at least on paper.
The key to the match: Be realistic during the strong phases!
Previous matches of Ferencváros against Anderlecht (2-1) and Tottenham (1-2) have shown this well. All it takes is for the opponent to increase the pace during their strong moments to see doubt settle in and the defense crumble. This might just be the key to tonight’s match. Especially since OGC Nice seems to have acquired good automatism in the offensive sector, as was the case against Nantes. Regular bursts of speed led by Jonathan Clauss and his very lively corridor partner, Evann Guessand, could indeed pave the way to goals and victory.
An important point revisited by the French international during the press conference who said he was “satisfied with this complicity, although there are still aspects to work on to be more incisive and more lethal in front of the goals.”
Franck Haise: “I expect even more from Evan”
It is true that this duo impresses more and more with each match to the great delight of the coach, although he always wants a bit more: “Evan has the capacity to play in the three offensive positions. And what I appreciate about him, when he evolves in a slightly withdrawn position, is that he likes to be close to the striker. I like this proximity in him, although it still needs to be developed. It is one of our areas of progression both for him and for the team offensively if we want to score more goals and create more opportunities. It’s nice to play beautiful football, but what we lack is this efficiency in front of the goals to achieve good results. If we must win 1-0 with an own goal, I’ll take it!”, says the Nice coach with a smirk.
Definitely avoid staying confined in defense!
Because the mistake the Nice team must not commit is to stay confined in defense, hoping to see the minutes tick away in their favor. Especially with the confirmed absence of the pivotal player Danté, who suffered a knee injury and didn’t even make the trip with the team. Additionally, the electric atmosphere emanating from the fervent Hungarian public in this 22,000-seat stadium will push the protégés of the Dutchman Pascal Jansen, an advocate of the 4-3-3 formation, right up to the last seconds of the match, to bring home victory points. Not to mention the dazzling form displayed by Brazilian Matheus Saldanha, who is starting to find his place within the team following his transfer in September for three million euros from Partizan Belgrade.
Saldanha and Varga to watch out for!
This is what the Nice coach pointed out in a press conference in addition to the fast projection ability of the Hungarian attackers: “This is a team with real strengths, capable of fast breakouts and quickly deploying four players on the last line. We will therefore have to show our best side to envisage a positive result,” he emphasized, not forgetting to mention the names Saldanha and Varga (suggested by Clauss) while praising “the speed of offensive projection with four on the last line.”
Franck Haise, who has rubbed shoulders with the greatest in the Champions League with RC Lens, knows perfectly well what awaits his players on Hungarian soil and in this European competition. His OGC Nice seems to be well-equipped for the adventure and possesses the necessary assets to return from Budapest with a good result. Nice can make it happen, Nice must make it happen for the European dream to continue…
Nacym Djender
