This Saturday evening, Ligue 1 resumes for OGC Nice, who will face Toulouse (9 PM). After a very average 2013-2014 season (17th place), Claude Puel’s men approach the French championship with a partially renewed squad (4 new players) and a reasonable mid-table objective.
Zinedine Zidane said: “Yes, it’s the restart.” Indeed, this weekend marks the resumption of the French Ligue 1 championship, which began this Friday evening with Paris Saint-Germain’s draw in Reims (2-2). For their part, OGC Nice starts at home, in their Allianz Rivera stadium against Toulouse. Alain Casanova’s men came and won last year 2-0 with goals from Ben Basat and Ben Yedder, is a small revenge in the air?
The Eaglets will be eager to start the new season well, in contrast to last year, where they suffered a heavy defeat at Lyon with a score of 4-0 right at the start of the championship. For this first match, OGC Nice can count on a loyal crowd which today includes nearly 10,000 subscribers, an encouraging figure given last season.
“We are being waited for. We really want to start the season well in front of our supporters. The group is very motivated and is working well in training,” explains Alexy Bosetti, who, on his side, renewed his contract this Friday.
A few notable absentees on the Nice side, notably Souleymane Diawara and Simon Pouplin, the new arrivals, still lacking preparation. Also missing will be Mahamane Traoré, Julien Vercauteren, and Timothée Kolodziejcazk. The only newcomer in the Nice squad is Niklas Hult, excellent against FC Barcelona last week.
A week after the 1-1 draw obtained in a friendly match against FC Barcelona, the Eaglets will face a Toulouse team always difficult to handle, as Nice coach Claude Puel confides: “Toulouse is a strong opponent away from home. The team has kept the same system of play because their squad has changed little and they press hard, very high, as soon as possession is lost. Toulouse FC is a complete team in their play.”
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