Certainly, the statistics are not in favor of the Eaglets, even though last year they won on Girondine soil (1-2). However, after the performance against the great Lille, there are still reasons for hope with the debuts in red and black for Cvitanich, Eysseric, and Pied.
If you look at the standings, the gap seems significant with the Girondins sitting in 4th place, having collected seven points, while the Niçois languish in 17th with only two points on the board. With a victory on the opening day away at Evian (2-3), another at home against Rennes (1-0), and a good draw with Paris Saint Germain (0-0) on the last matchday, Francis Gillot’s men have had an almost perfect run, especially considering their qualification in the Europa League against Red Star Belgrade (0-0, 3-2). Needless to say, the Bordelais are confident and keen to secure another three points against the Eaglets.
On the Niçois side, the start was a bit more sluggish with an initial home loss to island neighbors Ajaccio (0-1), followed by two satisfactory draws at Valenciennes (0-0) and at home at the Ray against Lille (2-2). However, Claude Puel can now rely on his new recruits Cvitanich, Eysseric, and Pied to craft his ideal eleven, and the ingenuity of the Azurean technician to get the best out of a group is well-known. Didn’t he take the bold step of starting young Bosetti against Lille with resounding success?
The clash, set to kick off at 2 PM at Stade Chaban Delmas, promises to be hot, and not just because of the air temperature. Neither team will want to fall behind, with Bordeaux eyeing the European spots and Nice aiming to stay clear of the relegation zone. A great match-up is expected, with a possible leap for the Eaglets from 17th to 10th place on the leaderboard in case of victory on Girondine soil, ahead of their home game on September 15 at Ray against Brest, who will also be their opponent for the Coupe de la Ligue Round of 16 on September 25 and 26.
When the wine is drawn…
