After the brilliant success last Sunday in the championship at Lille (0-2), it will be time for the Coupe de France for Claude Puel’s protégés, who will challenge Ligue 1’s bottom team, Nancy, this Wednesday, at a most unusual time since the Eagles will play at 2:15 PM due to broadcasting on Eurosport.
A clash between Ligue 1 teams, just like the other two matches Montpellier-Sochaux and Paris Saint Germain-Toulouse, and not such an easy game for the Eagles who will play a Nancy team that is distanced in the table and already has a 7-point deficit compared to the first team above the relegation zone, Reims. Having been defeated in their last two away games in Toulouse (2-1) and Bastia (4-2), Patrick Gabriel’s men found solace in their Coupe de France victory at an amateur club, Dreux (1-5). Already with one foot in Ligue 2, Nancy will want to shine at least in the cup. Patrick Gabriel has announced the group arriving in Nice today. He has selected 19 players, including three young players from the training center. Jeff Louis is uncertain due to a groin injury. Lossemy Karaboué will be rested, while Haïdara, Hammar, Rachid, and Bassilekin are injured and therefore unavailable.
On the Nice side, the starting eleven is expected to be considerably modified, if only to give some key players a break before Sunday’s match against Bordeaux, but also to give playing time to Bosetti, Diaz, Maupay, Pentecôte, and Bruins, who could make his first appearance at the Ray. Joris Delle is expected to return to the Nice goal, which he guarded during the round of 32 at Metz. A starting eleven that will nonetheless look impressive and, as a result, a bench that might well leave many Ligue 1 coaches envious.
The stands of Stade du Ray should be closely monitored as they might appear quite empty following the call from the Riviera fan groups for an outright boycott of the match in response to the quirky match timing. Adding to this the numerous club trainings or school competitions, attendance is likely not to meet expectations.
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