Nice concluded its European campaign with a thrilling victory over Krasnodar (2-1) at the end of a hard-fought match during which the substitutes were able to shine.
For the last European match of the season, Lucien Favre takes a gamble on youth at kickoff, as the 11 players lined up are different from the last victory against Toulouse.
The Aiglons start the match in a 3-5-2 formation with Walter Benitez as the last line of defense. In front of him, there is a three-man defense, where Arnaud Souquet and Olivier Boscagli accompany Maxime Le Marchand, returning to the first team after 6 months out due to an ACL injury.
Freshness on the wings, as Patrick Burner starts on the right and Romain Perraud on the left. In midfield, Mathieu Bodmer acts as the sentinel, captain’s armband on his arm, with Vincent Marcel and Arnaud Lusamba ahead of him. Returning after a month off the field, Mario Balotelli takes the lead in attack, accompanied by the young Greek Tassos Donis.
Krasnodar secures possession from the outset without, however, posing a significant threat. At least for the time being. On the other side, the young Nice players show no complexes, exemplified by Vincent Marcel, precise, lively, and impactful in the heart of the game. It is actually the locals who create the most favorable situations during the first half. Donis curls in a small right-footed shot that lands next to the Russian goal.
The young Patrick Burner, debuting on the right, ends two of his runs with shots over the bar. Super Mario tries unsuccessfully twice. The Aiglons aim to trouble their opponents, yet are unable to make them falter.
The Aiglons display their qualities, earnest and unpressured. Defensively, the formation does its job rigorously. And when caught off guard by the rare Krasnodar attacks, Walter Benitez stands vigilant. Sometimes on his line, catching a backward header from Souquet, other times far from his base, heading clear in front of Smolov. The Russian forward missed his chance at the end of the first half on a superb service from Akhmedov.
Nice thanks its returning players
Returning from the break, Nice concedes immediately. Eboué steals the ball from Lusamba’s feet. The ball returns to Fyodor Smolov, who targets Maxime Le Marchand and opens his foot between number 20’s legs (52nd minute). This opening goal does not curb the local ambitions.
The Niçois continue to play without losing their cohesion. Fouled by Grandqvist (who receives a red card for the action), Lusamba wins a penalty, which Alexy Bosetti takes. Entering at halftime, Bosetti seizes the opportunity to make his comeback. After an initial penalty is dismissed and given to be retaken, the native of Vieux-Nice cheekily scores with a panenka (64th minute). The Allianz Riviera, sparse tonight, erupts.
With numerical superiority, the young Aiglons push to clinch the win. Their determination tips the balance in their favor. Opposite them, the Russians toughen the game, but the Azuréens maintain their grip, and after long-range attempts from Lusamba and Marcel, finally take the lead. The towering Max Le Marchand, so crucial last season, grants Gym the victory by outrunning everyone on a corner from Bosetti deflected by the young Mahou at the near post (77th minute).
Nice holds on at the end of the match, strong and above all united, thanks to its young players who displayed desire and talent. Promising for the future. The Aiglons bid farewell to Europe with hopes of a return next year. And importantly, this victory boosts morale before a crucial trip to Paris this Sunday.
The stat: 19
The number of months Alexy Bosetti spent away from the Allianz Riviera. His last match with Gym on home turf dates back to May 16, 2015, against Lens.
Lucien Favre’s reaction
“There are interesting things to take away. Players had a chance to show us what they can do. It was important to play well, put in a good collective performance, and take the opportunity to see some young players in action, who don’t often get the chance to play in the Championship and whom nobody knew before. It was a match without high stakes but we saw very interesting things from two or three players. The match against PSG? We’ll think about it starting tomorrow (Friday).”
Mathieu Bodmer’s reaction
“We lost the qualification (for the round of 32) against Salzburg at home. It’s quite simple. Tonight, we played a good match with a lot of young players. That’s good, but we must not forget that Krasnodar was already qualified. (…) We managed to turn things around, it’s all positive for us, we don’t end on a defeat, the majority of Sunday’s starters (against PSG) were rested this week and we gave young players some game time. Plus, we saw a goal from Bosetti, everyone is happy.”
