OGC Nice will host En Avant Guingamp this Friday (8:30 PM) in a stadium that will sound empty after the behind closed doors ruling by the LFP. With six matches without a victory, the Gym finds itself in an uncomfortable situation. Claude Puel’s men have no choice, collecting points has become essential.
This match, in an empty stadium, against Guingamp will have a special significance. It will be the first without Nice’s “little girl,” Camille Muffat, who passed away Monday night in a tragic helicopter accident. This match is dedicated to her; the players will wear a black armband and observe a minute of silence.
Back to the field, OGC Nice raised the alarm after the defeat in Bastia (2-1) and returned with two suspended players (G. Puel and Diawara) in the squad. After three victories at the restart, the Gym has since managed three draws and three defeats. As a result, Toulouse, 18th and the first team in the relegation zone, is only five points away.
“Right now we’re looking behind, even if I’d like to look ahead. It’s complicated, we have to get moving. We shouldn’t panic; we need to stay calm. It’s starting to get difficult, so we need to take as many points as possible. We’re going to bust our butts,” says Jordan Amavi in a press conference.
Despite the suspensions (Eysseric in addition to the two sent off in Bastia) and the injured player (Palun), Nice can count on the return of its two key players, captain Didier Digard and Mathieu Bodmer. But it’s in attack that they need to regain some momentum. Nice hasn’t scored in open play since the victory against Marseille last January. The goals from Eric Bauthéac and Carlos Eduardo allowed Nice to lead the game before cracking. It’s the mental side that’s lacking. A victory against Guingamp would bring them closer to securing their status. Any other result, and the panic meter would be well and truly present.
Guingamp’s “hype” seems to be stalling. After their great run in the Europa League, stopped by Dynamo Kiev, the costarmoricains are struggling and remain on three consecutive defeats (against Montpellier, at Nantes, and against Lille). The Mandanne-Beauvue duo has gradually faded but can quickly get back on track. Gourvennec’s men have had a beautiful season and are still in the race in the Coupe de France with a semi-final against Auxerre at the beginning of April.
“They make an impact, they’re not going to give up, and it will be the same for us. It’s a team that was struggling a bit at the start of the season, a bit cyclical, and adapts to its opponent. It’s up to us to get the better of it,” explains Claude Puel.
Everyone remembers the first leg, the wildest of this 2014-2015 season. Nice, at the peak of their success, won 7-2 at Roudourou thanks to a quintuple by the magician of the Côte d’Azur, Carlos Eduardo. No doubt the Niçois would sign up for such a scenario around 10:30 PM, but the goal remains three points to get out of this more than complicated phase.
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