When one derby follows another. A week after the convincing victory against Olympique de Marseille, OGC Nice will challenge Bastia in their Furiani stronghold. A real trap game, this confrontation on Corsican soil promises to be complicated for a Nice team struggling greatly away from home.
The Bastia-Nice derby ranks high on the scale of high-rivalry matches in France. Due to its history and its capacity to transcend the boundaries of football, the antagonism between Sporting Club de Bastia and OGC Nice holds a unique place in the French football landscape.
Signs of tension were already evident in the 1970s. Many Corsicans came to study in the Azurean city and they were also present in large numbers at every Bastia match at the Stade du Ray. At the time, this exiled Corsican youth did not hesitate to express certain political ideas in favor of greater autonomy for the island. Football and matches against the Nice neighbors, considered “bourgeois,” were the venue for scenes of violence and spectacular confrontations on and off the field.
The 1990s also saw several matches between the two teams confirming the hatred present between the two camps. The promotion to Division 1 of the Nice club in 2002 led the league to take sanctions against the supporters following numerous excesses during the matches between the two clubs. The peak occurred in 2004 when the port of Bastia turned into a “little Baghdad,” with a rather hostile welcome for the buses of Nice supporters.
Today, Azurean fans are banned from traveling and vice versa during the return match. On the field, the reality is different. OGC Nice may appear to be the favorite in view of the latest results from both teams. However, statistics are nothing compared to the fervor of a stadium. Claude Puel’s players know this well, as they are unbeaten at their Allianz Riviera. Before 16,000 fired-up Bastia supporters, Claude Puel’s men will need to have strong nerves. The Corsican supporters have high expectations for this match, given the opponent and following the disastrous performance of their team at PSG (4-0 defeat).
Fréderic Hantz can count on the return of Sebastien Squillacci and strong performances at home (3 wins and 1 draw in 4 matches) to satisfy his public. The Nice group has been warned. Any result other than a defeat would definitively confirm the European ambitions of a “Gym” that has been captivating so far. The stakes are therefore high for both teams, befitting such a “particular” match.
