This evening (9 PM), the Gym hosts its historic rival, Olympique de Marseille, for a derby that promises to be explosive given the start of the season for both teams.
Between the Gym and OM, there is no longer a world of difference, which seemed unlikely when Jean-Pierre Rivère took over the presidency in June 2011. Regional supremacy? That’s also at stake in this derby, a match that is always special but rarely as balanced on paper as now.
For tonight, the menu is once again enticing, even top-notch, with two teams eager to reach higher and whose true potential has yet to be revealed. Seri, Saint-Maximin, Plea, and Balotelli on one side, Thauvin, Germain, Payet, Njie, and Ocampos on the other: names that are more or less impressive, but above all players driven by the desire to move forward and entertain.
In the Ligue 1 standings, OM is ahead. That means nothing after seven matches, especially as, in terms of performance, Nice makes a much better impression since the transfer window closed and Jean-Michaël Seri stayed. A victory and the Gym would overtake the neighbor, as is already the case in terms of training and recruitment. After having long been indifferent to what was happening 200 km away, the current OM leaders would only moderately enjoy the rise of OGC Nice, increasingly credible in the eyes of football stakeholders.
THE NICE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Cardinale, Benitez
Defenders: Souquet, Sarr, Burner, Dante, Marlon, Le Marchand
Midfielders: Koziello, Mendy, Seri, Walter, Lees-Melou
Forwards: Balotelli, Pléa, Saint-Maximin, Srarfi, Ganago
THE MARSEILLE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Pelé, Mandanda
Defenders: Sakai, Rolando, Amavi, Evra, Rami
Midfielders: Sanson, Gustavo, Sertic, Lopez, Zambo Anguissa, Ocampos, Payet, Sarr
Forwards: Mitroglou, Njie, Thauvin, Germain.
THE REFEREE
The referee for the derby will be Benoît Bastien.
