Thus, it will be the final day of the championship that will deliver the final verdict for the club that will join Lens and Arles Avignon in Ligue 2. No fewer than seven clubs are concerned about this last spot in the relegation zone with a tough mission for the two southern clubs, AS Monaco and OGC Nice. There is only one watchword for the former, win, while the Niçois can settle for a draw against Valenciennes to save their skin and their season.
It is hard to say which club will have a gloomy vacation even though the Monegasques seem the worst off with their current relegation position and a tricky match against Olympique Lyonnais, who are keen to maintain their two-point lead and thus their third place in the standings. It is high-risk for the team from the Rock, as Banide’s men must avoid defeat. For OGC Nice, the task is relatively simple; a win or a draw would open the doors of Ligue 1 for the Eagles whereas a defeat in the North could spell Ligue 2 depending on the results of Nancy, Caen, and Monaco, who are hosting respectively Lens, Olympique de Marseille, and Lyon.
Thus Nice will need at least one point to save themselves, but that single point will not be enough for Valenciennes, who must garner three points to remain safe from an AS Monaco victory that would push their total over 47 points. It will truly be a new battle for survival to be played at a likely packed Stade Nungesser, with everyone rooting for their home team. Playing an entire season on one match, that is the intolerable reality that will present itself next Saturday to Eric Roy’s and Philippe Montanier’s men.
If last Saturday’s victory against Lorient (2-0) provided some relief, the Nice squad will still need to fight one last time to end a season, albeit marked by a Coupe de France semi-final lost to French champions Lille, which was less serene in the championship with a position at the bottom of the standings by the end of last year after two away defeats to Lens (1-0) and Auxerre (2-0). Certainly, last April, the Eagles seemed to regain momentum with a splendid victory in the Southern derby against their Monaco neighbors (3-2) but a home defeat to Lille (0-2) followed by losses at Marseille (4-2) and again at home to Caen (0-4) dropped the Azur players back to the bottom of the pack.
There’s no more calculation or questioning to be done! It is time to roll up the sleeves and throw themselves body and soul into the battle to have no regrets at the final whistle, for while Europe was certainly not an aim for the red and black house at the start of the season, neither was relegation. A drop to Ligue 2 and many things could be called into question for the future of a club that has just seen its future stadium chosen to host matches for the upcoming Euro 2016.
But before they can play in a great stadium, OGC Nice will have to prove, next Saturday at Valenciennes, that they are a great team!
