Saved last week thanks to their victory against Lens (2-1), the Nice team travels to Toulouse for the final day of the season (9 PM). Objective: a win to still hope for an eleventh place. It is also the last match in red and black for Didier Digard and Eric Bauthéac.
There’s a spot to gain and a lot to lose at the same time. Survival was finally secured in the previous round with the hard-fought 2-1 victory against Lens. One might think the Eaglets will let loose, playing freely. “Not at all,” as one might say. For each position gained or lost, depending on where one stands, the difference is about 1 to 1.3 million euros in “TV revenue” paid by the broadcasters. Knowing that the club has budgeted for a 12th place, coming in 11th would be positive; below, it would be a “failed” season.
Battered for a good half-hour against Lens, the Nice players showed character to come back and take the lead, as exemplified by the determination of their captain Didier Digard, the scorer who ensured their place in the league. These are ingredients that will need to be repeated this Saturday against a team that has nothing more to play for, which will aim for a better final position. The match will be played without Nampalys Mendy, Niklas Hult, Romain Genvois, and Kevin Gomis, all unavailable, as well as Jordan Amavi, who is suspended. Claude Puel is expected to field an experimental eleven with contributions from Nice’s youth: Olivier Boscagli, Vincent Koziello, or even Paulin Puel. A formula that often works.
“We need to finish the season well. We have the opportunity to still gain a place. I think it would be good for the club and the players to finish 11th. The objective is financial for the club, and for our part, we want to go on vacation with a victory,” Mathieu Bodmer smiles at the press conference.
But TFC also has the opportunity to finish higher. And yet, few believed in the survival of the violet and white in February and March when the club was languishing in 18th place. Alain Casanova was dismissed, Dominique Arribagé succeeded him, and the Toulouse team is doing much better. A victory in the derby against Bordeaux (2-1) set them on the right track, followed by a win at Lorient (1-0), and they have kept their heads above water. The new 4-4-2 system seems to give wings to the Braithwaite-Ben Yedder duo even though defensively, the team is in great difficulty (9 goals conceded in the last four matches). And TFC will also be without many players, seven absences including Aguilar and Braithwaite.
“It wasn’t an easy season at all, but we never gave up. Some clubs have let go, and we could have sunk. But every time we found ourselves in difficulty, we managed to climb back up. There is quite some satisfaction as well, not everything should be discarded from this season,” concludes the Nice defender.
After 41 weeks, Ligue 1 will close its doors around 10:50 PM. For the Nice team, it has been 287 thrilling days, for better or worse, including some very bad moments. But a seventh away victory would mean at least a 12th place. Enough to leave a smile before a well-deserved vacation for the leaders, players, staff, and supporters.
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