This Sunday, Gym hosts Montpellier HSC for the 23rd day of Ligue 1. The team from Nice wants to strengthen their position on the championship podium. All pre-match information can be found here.
A third place to defend! OGC Nice is already in the race for European spots and the Champions League. Tied on points with their Monaco neighbor, Gym cannot afford any mistakes and must maintain their high pace. In recent weeks, the team from Nice has shown good performances in Ligue 1. Last weekend, Jonathan Clauss’s teammates won away at Le Havre (3-1), despite a match that was hard-fought until the final minutes.
At home, Gym remains the favorite. The Eagles have not lost a single match this season in the championship on their own turf. OGC Nice is the only French club in this situation, alongside PSG. The Allianz Riviera stands as an impregnable fortress. During the first leg match between the two teams, Gaëtan Laborde’s teammates were held to a draw at Mosson (2-2), a match during which the team from Nice led the score twice.
Melvin Bard suspended
Another piece of good news in recent weeks: Franck Haise finds a large part of his squad available for this match. Only long-term absentees, Terem Moffi and Morgan Sanson, are not operational. However, the return of the two Eagles is approaching. “Morgan Sanson completed his first week of collective training; he feels a bit tired. I think it’s too early to see him in the squad. And then Terem Moffi did a little more, at least collectively,” the Azurean coach stated about them in a press conference.
For his part, Melvin Bard will serve his suspension match. Sent off against Le Havre, the left-back received two yellow cards during this match. Lastly, Hicham Boudaoui and Youssouf Ndayishimiye will return to the Azurean squad. The two players, who were suspended, did not travel to Normandy last weekend.
On the other hand, Montpellier is experiencing a very difficult season. As the bottom team in Ligue 1, Téji Savanier’s club is fighting to maintain its place in the elite of French football. Jean-Louis Gasset’s players are three points behind Saint-Étienne, who are in the relegation play-off spot, and six points behind FC Nantes, the first team outside the relegation zone. Last weekend, the team from Hérault were defeated at home by OL (1-4).
Probable Lineups
Nice: Bulka – Ndayishimiye, Bombito, Dante (C) – Clauss, Boudaoui, Santamaria, Abdi – Guessand, Laborde, Diop.
Montpellier: Lecomte (C) – Tchato, Meité, Kouyaté, Sainte-Luce – Ferri, Chotard, Nzingoula – Savanier – Coulibaly, Delort.
