In a packed stadium, the Aiglons dominated a Paris team that was too tense (3-1) and have practically handed the title to Monaco.
Tonight, the Allianz Riviera was at its full capacity of 33,000. For once, the Nice crowd showed up in force. They were not disappointed.
Unbeaten at home this season (and for almost a year and a half), Nice welcomed Paris Saint-Germain, the team built with stars and millions that rules over all of Ligue 1. All of it? No! Because one small club still resists the invader. Yes, PSG underestimated Nice when they approached their match.
And yet, the first leg should have served as a lesson to the Parisians. Outplayed in the first half and trailing 2-0, they reacted but paid the price.
Probably buoyed by the electrified Allianz Riviera crowd, the Aiglons initially held firm against a Parisian team that started stronger. The first alert came as early as the fifth minute, when Cardinale parried a shot from Di Maria, which was cleared in panic by Baysse.
A complicated start for Nice, harassed by PSG’s high pressing and physical intensity. Dalbert still managed a very long foray down his left side, stopped just in time by Aurier (9th minute).
And it was on another incursion, this time by Ricardo on the right side, that the Parisian defense cracked. Maxwell was outpaced, and the Portuguese player set up Balotelli, who blasted past Trapp with his left foot (1-0, 26th minute). Almost against the run of play, Nice led. But for their overall effort, it was so well-deserved.
Speaking of Mario Balotelli, the Italian played a great match, delighting his fans. Cheered on from the warm-up, he put on a complete performance, recovering a good number of balls and also teasing and provoking the Parisian players.
The Parisians began to lose composure around the half-hour mark when Cavani stepped on Paul Baysse’s back, (almost) unintentionally. Fortunately, thanks to a rather lenient referee, the Uruguayan finished the match on the pitch.
Just as the second half kicked off, Paris was dealt a heavy blow: after a counter-attack started by Belhanda, Ricardo Pereira collected the ball, cut through the middle, and sent a wonderful curling shot into the far top corner (2-0, 48th minute).
On their knees, PSG crumbled, and their nerves frayed. Between two dangerous chances, Draxler hacked Belhanda right in front of the Nice bench. Tensions flared, and Cavani (once again) shoved Lucien Favre. A gesture that should have earned him a red card. Moments later, Matuidi pushed Balotelli in the back, unimpressed by his stepovers.
And yet, Paris regained hope from a corner, with Marquinhos heading in from Thiago Silva, leaving Cardinale, who had been imperial until then, powerless (2-1, 65th minute). The Nice keeper, unjustly overlooked for the UNFP Best Goalkeeper Award, demoralized the Parisians for long minutes, which felt like hours for the tense Nice supporters fearing a comeback.
Salvation came in injury time when substitutes Le Bihan and Donis stood out: the former delivered a perfect cross to the latter, who simply extended the lead (3-1, 90+2nd minute).
Meanwhile, Paris had time to see two red cards: Thiago Motta was sent off for a headbutt on Baysse (90th minute), then Angel di Maria joined him in the locker room for a gratuitous foul on Souquet’s leg (90+3rd minute).
Paris’s defeat thus clears the way for the title for Nice’s great rival, AS Monaco. Unless a completely dramatic end of the season grants an unexpected but so well-deserved title to the Aiglons, who have shone in front of the footballing France, if not more. After all, that’s why we love the Gym.
The stat: 33,190
No, you’re not dreaming, the Allianz Riviera was full tonight (well, almost, as the visitors’ section was three-quarters empty)! It’s such a shame to wait until the 35th day and a clash against PSG to see that yes, the Nice crowd can turn out in force. Sure, “it’s annoying to park,” “it’s annoying to leave,” “the shuttles are catastrophic,” “the Pan Bagnat at six euros is disgusting,” but honestly, doesn’t Dante’s team deserve us making an effort, even if it means spending an extra hour or two, to provide more support? If nearly 20,000 supporters do it throughout the season, why not all those present tonight? The match against PSG offered a magnificent showcase for the Allianz Riviera and the Gym. Some supporters declared as they left the stadium: “Oh, we’ll be back!” Well, come back! Come and enjoy the Gym, which, as the 2016-2017 season comes to a close, will finish on the podium. If even a podium finish isn’t enough for you, then you’re not “real” fans.
Alright, let’s give you a hand: the last match, against Angers (no, it’s not PSG but the atmosphere is identical), is on Sunday, May 14, at 9 PM (the same time as last night, so no excuses). And the tickets are available here: https://billetterie.ogcnice.com/fr/meeting/2816/ogc-nice-angers-sco/allianz-riviera/14-05-2017/21h00
And you know what? Children under twelve are invited! But hush, let’s keep it between us…
Lucien Favre’s reaction
“We celebrated this victory but in a moderate manner. A beautiful match very committed with intensity. We scored at the right moments of the game. We played a good first half, PSG as well. We held strong. We had to pull back after our second goal. We conceded a goal from a corner we shouldn’t have given away. It was important to stay in the game.”
Jean-Pierre Rivère’s reaction
“It’s a great match, but a match that completes our season. Once again, we’re not here by chance, we know where we are, we know our level and all the progress we need to make. It’s a great satisfaction for the players, for the fans. Plus our supporters are once again banned from traveling (to Marseille next Sunday), it’s every match, even though they behave exemplary, it’s a shame. We continue to play our matches, one after the other, it’s reality. We focus on nothing, we just play ball. The boys enjoyed themselves tonight, it’s a very nice thing. We’ll see where we stand at the end. I have some regrets about the recent matches, with small refereeing decisions that went against us. It’s a shame because it might have allowed us to be positioned differently. But that’s how it is, it’s football, we can’t go back. It’s a wonderful evening.”
Yoan Cardinale’s reaction
“Mathematically, the title is possible, we’ll try to get a good result in Marseille to challenge PSG, whether we finish second or third, we’ll have had an exceptional season. In the second half, they were quite tense, we won’t say they saw the title slipping away, but it’s as if, it’s normal that there was tension on the Parisian side.”
