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Defeated in their last two visits to the North (in Lens and Valenciennes), the Eagles head to Lille (8 p.m.) aiming to secure a sixth match without defeat. Still in the mid-table (8th), the Gym could make a significant move with a victory, especially with the derby against Monaco just a week away.
Up there, it’s cold, it’s raining, the fields are muddy, almost unplayable. Everything the Niçois dread. Their recent trips to the North have not been stellar: a 2-0 defeat in Lens and elimination in the Coupe de France, 2-0 in Valenciennes. This last match marked the starting point of OGC Nice’s revival. Since that debacle on the Valenciennes quagmire, everything has been going well for Nice, who have strung together five matches without defeat (3 wins and 2 draws).
As against Nantes last Sunday (0-0 despite 10 shots on target), Nice will face a mid-table team that plays deep, defends well, and concedes few goals. The only solution in this case is to be effective upfront, which was lacking to secure the three points against the Canaries. With Eysseric back in form, Carlos Eduardo showing promise in various sequences, but with Bauthéac having been unwell this week (still uncertain), Nice can trouble a “vulnerable” Lille team. The players of Claude Puel, who have secured two 2-0 victories in the last two seasons against their evening’s opponent. And this season, unlike the previous one, Claude Puel’s men are achieving good results away (14 points taken with 4 wins, 2 draws, 5 defeats).
“It was a good note not to concede against Nantes. We are defensively solid, but we lack success upfront. Lille has been favorable for us in recent seasons, but every match is different,” said Jordan Amavi on Thursday during the press briefing.
For Lille, the form has somewhat returned with the victory in Montpellier (2-1). But the balance remains very fragile with only one victory in the last four Ligue 1 matches. With an 11th place after 24 days, their goals are far from fulfilled. The return from injury of Ronny Lopes and the form of Delaplace are nevertheless positive signs for René Girard’s men, an increasingly criticized coach at the Grand Stade.
“Lille is the favorite if we look at the payroll. It’s a challenge for us to measure up to a team that should be competing at the top of the table. We must take points from this trip. We need to keep demonstrating this character and quality,” explained Claude Puel on Thursday during the traditional meeting with the press.
Dogues against Eagles, a Grand Stade with a closed roof, a pitch that promises to be mediocre. A duel to stay in the top half of the standings for the Niçois, to climb the rankings for Lille. For the Gym, the stated goal is to try and recover the two “lost” points from Nantes in the last round.
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