Despite a scrappy 1-0 victory against Metz and being outplayed on Saturday against Nantes (2-1), the team from Nice will face Lille, who are currently fourth in the league, this Wednesday. Already struggling in the rankings at 17th place, gaining points is crucial during this pivotal week before their trip to Monaco on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The match against Toulouse, where Nice offered a fine display at the Allianz Riviera with a 3-2 victory, now seems a distant memory. The high-level first half against Bordeaux before the aftermath we all know, also feels far away… Indeed, since the unjust defeat against Bordeaux (1-3) on August 23, something broke. Nice finds itself in difficulty, evident in their defeat in Marseille (4-0), the win by sheer force against Metz (1-0), and the no-show match in Nantes (2-1 loss).
“The Bordeaux game is a real cut-off in our good season start, it hampers us. I would like the players to rise above these game incidents. We must work on our match approach because there is a real gap between training sessions and matches,” lamented Claude Puel during a press conference.
Proof of the “complicated” climate at OGC Nice, 17th with 7 points, is that president Jean-Pierre Rivère came down from his office on Monday morning to talk with the players and re-motivate them. Ahead of an important week: hosting Lille on Wednesday and the derby in Monaco on Saturday, the Nice president is putting pressure on his players.
“In terms of commitment, we are below what we should produce, and I expect a reaction because it is urgent to correct the course. We have the players to deliver better performances, the last match (in Nantes) is unacceptable in terms of mindset,” explained Jean-Pierre Rivère in front of the press.
And it’s Lille that will come to the Allianz Riviera for a second match in four days. Engaged in the Europa League, the Northerners impress with their defensive solidity. Currently 4th, LOSC boasts the best defense in Ligue 1 with only one goal conceded in 6 matches (Berbatov in Monaco, 1-1 on August 30). Their central defense Kjaer-Basa is very similar to the one faced last Saturday in Nantes and is likely to pose problems for the small-sized Nice players. However, Lille has lost its captain Rio Mavuba, who suffered a hamstring injury, an absence likely to weaken the Lille midfield.
Last season, Mathieu Bodmer gave OGC Nice a victory (1-0), a scenario that Nice supporters would like to see again to prepare calmly for the short trip to the Monacan rival as early as Saturday afternoon.
Especially as the Ultra Populaire Sud starts to make their voices heard… read below.
