This evening at the Ray, Claude Puel’s team has a great opportunity as they host Lorient. With a victory, the eagles will put the merlus at a respectable distance of six points, and depending on the results of Marseille at Evian and Bordeaux at Ajaccio, they could even get closer to the podium just before going to Bastia and hosting Reims.
Of course, they will have to make do without the many absentees from the azurean squad, with Cvitanich unavailable for about ten days and Pentecôte ultimately not included following his injury departure at Brest. Add a not-yet-recovered Digard, Traoré still at the CAN, and Bahoken suspended, and it’s clear that Claude Puel’s starting eleven will not be the usual spectrum, perhaps with Neal Maupay starting if he’s well rested from his U17 selection, or the young Bosetti, fresh from his stint with the France U20 team where he played the second half against Portugal, sealing a victory (2-0).
On the Lorient side, the draw at home against Rennes (2-2) in the last match did not help digest the defeat at Nancy (2-1) and the subsequent loss of three places in the general classification despite a French Cup qualification obtained at Sedan (0-1) and an upcoming round of 16 against Brest. Burkinabé striker Alain Traoré, returning injured from CAN, and Benjamin Corgnet will not travel to the Côte d’Azur. Having lost Alaixys Romao to OM, Lorient recruited two young players: Mohamed Abu (21 years old) who played for Manchester City and Ryan Mason (21 years old) who was with Tottenham.
Thus, a three-point mission for the eagles (4th – 38 pts) who will also be rooting for Ajaccio who will host Bordeaux (4th – 38 pts) and Evian, who will host Olympique de Marseille (3rd – 42 points) because in the event of away defeats for these two teams, the Niçois could be just one point behind their Marseille neighbors, while pushing Bordeaux three points back. With an upcoming trip to Bastia and hosting Reims at the Ray, a royal road could be opening up for the azureans in the view of European qualification. But for now, it’s on this next match that Puel’s men need to focus, as each day has enough trouble of its own, particularly when it is far less troublesome than last year at this same date…
The Nice squad:
Claude Puel has selected a squad of 19 players to host FC Lorient on Saturday (8 p.m.) at the Ray. The Nice coach will be without Pentecôte and Cvitanich, both injured in Brest.
Goalkeepers: Delle, Ospina
Defenders: Civelli, Genevois, Gomis, Kolodziejczak, Palun, Pejcinovic, Puel
Midfielders: Abriel, Anin, Bruins, Diaz, Eysseric, Meriem, Pied
Forwards: Bauthéac, Bosetti, Maupay
Absentees
Cvitanich, Digard, Fofana, Hennion, M’Bow, Pentecôte (injured), Bahoken (suspended), Traoré (international duty), Berthomier, Dao Castellana (coach’s decision)
The Lorient squad against Nice
Christian Gourcuff has selected 18 players for the trip to Nice. His goalkeeper Fabien Audard is back. Corgnet, Quercia, Traoré, and Coutadeur are absent.
The squad: Audard, Lecomte – Ecuele Manga, Bourillon, Koné, Baca, Gassama, Lautoa, Mareque – Monnet-Paquet, Reale, Barthelmé, Jouffre, Autret, Lemina – Aliadière, Giuly, Robert
