With a well-stocked infirmary (Ospina, Hassen, Bodmer, Bauthéac, and Traoré), two suspended players (Cvitanich and Mendy), and players recovering (Pentecôte and Maupay), Claude Puel will have a tough task fitting together his starting eleven and substitute bench.
A few days after the release of the Beaujolais nouveau, it will be a newly assembled team of the Eaglets that will line up against Saint-Etienne to try to halt the losing streak that the club has been mired in for three matches. And, even though the Greens were defeated in their last home game during the derby against Lyon (1-2), it is with a spirit of revenge that Christophe Galtier’s men will come to discover the fortress of the Allianz Riviera. Starting well after the initial matchdays (second after the fifth matchday), the Stéphanois, like the Nice team, then slipped down in the rankings, accumulating away losses (Marseille and Monaco) and draws at home (Bastia and Lorient).
There will therefore be two teams in need of points meeting from 5 PM on the refreshed turf of Nice’s grand stadium, which hopes to quickly forget its first and last home defeat, during the penultimate matchday, against Bordeaux (1-2). For if the citadel of the Var plain is unfortunately no longer impregnable, it is hoped that the Eaglets will not lose too many feathers there given their currently poor performances away from home. With only four points taken on the road, OGC Nice stands in an inglorious 16th place in the away games standings. Therefore, it will be the three points that will be the objective for the red and black who will then proceed with the always complicated trip to Lorient before the much-anticipated home derby against neighbors AS Monaco. Every point gained is one less to earn, and it is better to stock up before a winter that promises to be harsh.
There is no doubt that the atmosphere will be lively on Sunday in the well-packed stands of the Allianz Riviera (fewer than 5,000 tickets remained on sale yesterday) for what remains one of the great classics of French football. In the last 10 meetings between the two teams, it’s OGC Nice who leads with six victories, two draws, and two defeats. Hopefully, the statistics will favor Claude Puel’s protégés who, with three points in the bag, could once again enter the upper half of the standings.
The OGC Nice Squad
Claude Puel has selected a squad of 19 players for the reception of AS Saint-Etienne this Sunday at 5 PM at the Allianz Riviera. It’s the first call-up for young reserve midfielder Vincent Koziello.
Goalkeepers: Mandrea, Veronese
Defenders: Amavi, Genevois, Gomis, Kolodziejczak, Palun, Pejcinovic, Puel
Midfielders: Abriel, Albert, Bruins, Brüls, Digard, Eysseric, Koziello, Pied
Forwards: Bosetti, Honorat
Absentees: Bauthéac, Bodmer, Hassen, Ospina, Traoré (injured), Cvitanich, Mendy (suspended), Maupay, Pentecôte (catching up)
The Saint-Etienne Squad
Christophe Galtier has called up 18 players for the trip to Nice. Brandao and Zouma are suspended, while Mignot is still in recovery. Florentin Pogba, brother of Paul, is expected to make his Ligue 1 debut in central defense for this match.
The Stéphanois squad: Ruffier, Moulin – Clerc, Bayal Sall, Pogba, Ghoulam, Perrin, Brison – Clément, Lemoine, Cohade, Diomandé, Corgnet – Tabanou, Mollo, Gradel, Hamouma, Erding
Photo credit: www.ogcnice.com
