Here we go again! After a three-week pause, the French Ligue 1 Championship resumes tonight. OGC Nice (17th) travels to Brest (12th) for the 20th matchday. Anthony Mounier’s teammates are determined to continue their momentum following victories against Marck and Dijon, respectively in the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue.
2012 is so far going perfectly well for the Aiglons. But to be sure, René Marsiglia’s men must win on Brest’s pitch, the team 12th in the standings, and also fighting for survival. Although OGC Nice has never won an away match in the championship, this is also the first time this season that the Aiglons have achieved two consecutive victories across all competitions.
Even better, the team from Nice is on a four-match unbeaten streak in official games. It’s essential to maintain this momentum to avoid relegation and make a significantly better second half of the season. In the last league matchday, Nice, as you recall, managed to snatch a draw (4-4) on the field of Lille, the reigning French champion. Meanwhile, Stade Brestois could not do better than a 0-0 draw in Toulouse.
Pejcinovic out for three weeks
Against the Bretons, coach René Marsiglia can certainly rely on his defense, especially the formidable Argentine duo that has been impressive since the start of the season. Indeed, Renato Civelli (5 goals) and Fabian Monzon (6 goals) are the club’s top scorers. This statistic is quite “surreal” and once again highlights the weakness of OGC Nice’s offensive sector. Nonetheless, Nice scores, but most importantly, Nice wins.
Tonight in Ligue 1, it’s crucial to conclude this eventful week (qualification in Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue) in the best way possible. A third match in seven days can certainly take its toll… But René Marsiglia is not fearing “physical breakdown”: “I would have feared it if we had been eliminated. But not now. A match every three days, we can manage, even with the absentees from the AFCON. We have players who have been spared and are coming back, like Guié Guié and Hellebuyck. Civelli didn’t play in Calais (against Marck in Coupe de France). We have the option to rotate a bit.” A bit, but not too much, the Nice coach is expected to field young Kevin Gomis again as Pejcinovic, injured in the hamstring against Dijon, will be unavailable for three weeks.
