Nice hosts Reims tonight at 8:30 PM at the Allianz Riviera. The club from the French Riviera still has its sights set on the podium after successfully navigating two tricky matches.
The last two outings for the Gym were nerve-wracking. Hosting a Rennes team in top form two weeks ago and then traveling did, however, earn the red and black team 4 valuable points.
This keeps Claude Puel’s men hopeful as they prepare to face a more manageable opponent: Stade de Reims. But that’s where the danger lies. Nice has rarely disappointed against the top teams in this championship. The record is far less impressive against more modest teams.
Against a Reims team that relies on the last 4 matches to ensure its survival, the task will not be easy. Guégan and his crew are likely to focus on strong defense, and such a strategy has often troubled OGC.
In the first leg, the two teams drew with a score of one each. Such a result would not help Nice’s cause tonight.
For although Nice is currently in 4th place, the “Aiglons” are only 3 points ahead of the 7th place in the championship, Stade Rennais. While everything could quickly move in a positive direction for the people of Nice, a decline could happen just as swiftly. It’s up to Puel’s men to avoid the pitfalls and successfully impose the offensive style that has allowed them to compete for the top spots at the end of this season.
