However, Jean-Marc Furlan’s men will certainly sell their skins dearly as they find themselves just four points from the relegation zone, and a defeat against Nice would only confirm Racing’s slow slide down the rankings, having moved from 7th place last October to 14th at the start of this year. Certainly, qualifying in the French Cup at Rouen (0-0 – 5-4 after penalties) boosted the morale of President Ginestet’s troops, but the road is still long in the championship and, as they say, the points secured are no longer up for grabs, and most importantly, will be missed at the end of the season.
On the Nice side, the Africa Cup of Nations will pose the first challenges for Frédéric Antonetti, who will have to manage his team without the services of Onyekachi Apam, Drissa Diakité, Joseph-Désiré Job, Cédric Kanté, and Bakari Koné, who have gone to prepare for the CAN with their respective teams. Two defenders, a midfielder, and two forwards will thus have to learn to play without them for a few weeks, and the first test will be a tough one against a Strasbourg side that will be missing Mamadou Bah and Jacob Mulenga, who have also gone to join their teammates in Ghana.
Therefore, it’s a tough but not impossible mission for the ambitious Nice team who, unlike last year, is looking more towards the top of the Ligue 1 standings rather than the depths. And to think that a victory in Alsace could even make the eagles European for the first time this season…
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