After Saint-Etienne, it’s another closely following team that the Niçois will have to play and hope to beat, to both maintain the distance with Montpellier but also, in case of victory, to surpass Lille and reach Saint-Etienne. The hardest part is yet to be done…
With three defeats in as many encounters in the previous seasons, the statistics do not favor the Aiglons. But, statistics, this year, do not concern OGC Nice and, true to their new habits, it is the three points that Claude Puel’s protégés will go hunting for in this first Sunday match of a day that will end tonight with the clash between Lyon and Marseille.
With an infirmary that is full (Cvitanich, Dao Castellana, Fofana, Hennion, M’Bow, Pejcinovic, Pentecôte, Pied, and Traoré), one can imagine the difficulties of the Azuréen coach to form his group and, consequently, his starting eleven with, however, the good news being the return of Genevois and Abriel. Another complicated match indeed for the Niçois who will have the chance of being supported by a large crowd that, between the arrival of Paris-Nice and this Nice-Montpellier, will quickly make its choice.
As for Montpellier, the march forward continues since the 22nd day before which Montpellier was in the 12th place in the standings and since which, apart from the defeat at Saint-Etienne (4-1), René Girard’s men have known only victories against Sochaux (2-0), Reims (3-1), Nancy (1-0), Evian (0-1), and Rennes (2-0). So they are serious opponents to consider and a return of Anthony Mounier to grounds he knows well and on which he will play for the last time before enjoying the new turf of the big stadium next season. We can only hope that the Nicollin-Girard divorce will have a rather dampening effect than exhilarating for a Montpellier group which, like that of the Niçois, dreams of Europe.
A blue sky, sunshine, a well-filled stadium… All the ingredients are gathered for a beautiful afternoon on the hill of Ray which could not dream better, for its last season, than to serve as a launching pad for a qualification in the Europa League… Or even to taste that of the Champions!
The Niçois group:
Claude Puel has selected 18 players to host Montpellier on Sunday (2:00 pm) at Ray. Genevois and Abriel are back. Anin is suspended, Pejcinovic and Puel join the infirmary.
Goalkeepers: Delle, Ospina
Defenders: Civelli, Genevois, Gomis, Kolodziejczak, Palun, Rougeaux
Midfielders: Abriel, Bruins, Diaz, Digard, Meriem, Rafetraniaina
Forwards: Bahoken, Bauthéac, Bosetti, Maupay
Absent: Cvitanich, Dao Castellana, Fofana, Hennion, M’Bow, Pejcinovic, Pentecôte, Pied, Traoré (injured), Anin, Eysseric (suspended), Berthomier (coach’s choice)
