Eliminated on Wednesday in the semi-final of the League Cup against OM, Nice returns to the championship tonight. A crucial trip to Ajaccio for the Aiglons, who have yet to win an away match this season.
On one side Ajaccio. On the other Nice. Two clubs fighting to remain in the elite but with completely different dynamics face off tonight, at Stade François-Coty, as part of the 22nd day of the League. While the Azuréens are sinking day after day to the point of presenting themselves for the first time this season as the bottom of the league, the Corsicans are making an exceptional comeback.
Rock bottom at the 17th day with a mere nine points, many experts agreed that ACA was doomed to relegation… But Olivier Pantaloni’s players have since racked up four consecutive victories and are now in 15th place and completely revived! The Aiglons, meanwhile, are coming off two consecutive defeats against Brest and Montpellier. A match against the Héraultais lost in the last seconds of the game and still lingering…
President Rivère wants to see “warriors”
A surge of pride. This is what Jean-Pierre Rivère, president of the Azuréen club, expects from his players against a revitalized and confident Ajaccio. Poorly eliminated in the League Cup semi-final against Marseille (2-1) last Wednesday, Nice is no longer in the running for any other competition and can focus solely on the championship and retention. “The time for mobilization has come,” declared the Nice president on the club’s official website. “I want to see 11 warriors against Ajaccio. We have to move forward, stop having regrets. Seventeen matches, that’s a lot of points to take. We want to win, and with our 12th man, the public.” he continued to urge the fans to hold nothing back and to support the club to the end.
René Marsiglia announced yesterday his squad of 18 players for the trip to (kick-off at 7 pm). The squad from Marseille is retained with the exception of Franck Dja Djedje, suspended following his albeit imaginary red card, and who is replaced by Hennion.
Goalkeepers: Fernandez, Ospina
Defenders: Civelli, Clerc, Fofana, Gomis, Malaga, M’Bow, Monzon Midfielders: Abriel, Anin, Hennion, Meriem, Sablé
Forwards: Gonçalves, Grandin, Guie Guie, Mounier
Absentees: Digard, Hellebuyck, Pejcinovic, Pentecôte (injured), Dja Djedje (suspended), Coulibaly, Diakité, Mouloungui, Palun (selection), Veronese (coach’s decision)
During the first leg, the Aiglons easily won (3-0) at Stade du Ray. Fabian Monzon notably scored a penalty brace before Renato Civelli sealed the deal at the very end of the match.
