This Sunday (5 PM), OGC Nice will travel to Geoffroy-Guichard to face a Greens team aiming for Europe. With a 13th place and a five-point lead over the first relegation candidate, Nice can secure their stay in the league with a victory. Even with a draw, the Nice team would be very close to securing their place.
The Forez, a place of attention for supporters and specialists of the red and black club. Yes, with three games remaining in the season, Nice still hasn’t secured their stay in the league, though it’s only a matter of time… and points. Certainly. The point obtained against Caen (1-1) is another step towards continuing the Ligue 1 adventure. But not everything was perfect, far from it. The Nice team, non-existent in the first half, could have been trailing 2-0 if the referee trio had called a penalty. In the end, missed opportunities weighed heavily on the balance. The Eagles could have left with three points or none…
The Nice players seem to be affected both physically and psychologically, eager to finish as quickly as possible. Against Caen, Carlos Eduardo once again showed he was above the rest, as did Eric Bauthéac, who “ended up cramping earlier than usual.” But the full-backs did not reassure, luckily well saved by the linchpin of the defense for the past two months, namely Romain Genevois.
“They remain on a negative note, they will be seeking revenge. We are prepared to face a very focused and determined opponent, who has something to play for. We are warned, we will need to be more efficient with the few chances we get,” says Romain Genevois in a press conference.
After the defeat at Bastia (1-0, last Saturday), Christophe Galtier’s men will be eager. Especially since at 9 PM, Marseille, fourth, will face Monaco, third. The Greens could make a move in this round and still believe in the podium with a victory. For that, they will need to show something different than in Corsica. A Saint-Etienne squad stirred this week by coach Galtier, who will once again rely on his dynamic duo Hamouma-Gradel, which could harm Nice’s defense that leaves spaces.
“We do quite well away from home. There was a lot of frustration in Rennes (2-1 defeat). We will need to be strong and enterprising because there will be opportunities. We are ready to battle,” admits Claude Puel.
With Saturday night’s results, Nice is now five points ahead of Evian, 18th. The red and black therefore need two points from the last three matches to definitively secure their stay in the league. An operation well within their reach. And why not this Sunday?
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