For the 4th time this season, OGC Nice will face Olympique de Marseille this Sunday night at the Vélodrome. A key match for the Aiglons in their quest for the second place synonymous with the Champions League.
For this crucial encounter, the Gym will travel to the Phocaean city with an almost complete squad. Only one absentee against Marseille but a significant one: Dante. In the last 3 Ligue 1 matchdays, the Brazilian captain was severely sent off twice in Strasbourg and Montpellier. It will be Daniliuc or Rosario who will take his place in the starting eleven. There were doubts regarding the presence of the young Justin Kluivert but Christophe Galtier assured in a press conference that the Dutchman, who shone in the previous match, will indeed be there.
On the Marseille side, there is also only one absentee: Alvaro Gonzalez. Dimitri Payet, absent in the Conference League due to suspension, will return to pose problems for the Aiglons’ defenders. He will be well accompanied by the Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik and the Brazilian midfielder Gerson, both in great form at the moment.
This Mediterranean derby promises to be one of the most important matches of the season for both teams. The two clubs will approach this duel in perfect conditions: Marseille is on a streak of 4 consecutive victories while Nice has not conceded a goal in its last 5 matches.
The last confrontation between the two southern clubs sparked excitement and is surely still imprinted in the players’ minds. The Gym put on a show with a 4-1 victory, which the Marseillais surely still find hard to swallow.
The lineup of the two teams:
Olympique de Marseille in 3-4-2-1
Lopez – Saliba, Caleta Car, Kolasinac – Rongier, Guendouzi, Kamara, Gueye – Gerson, Payet – Milik
OGC Nice in 4-4-2:
Benitez – Atal, Todibo, Daniliuc or Rosario, Bard – Boudaoui or Stengs, Rosario or Thuram, Lemina, Kluivert – Delort, Gouiri
