A week after the attacks carried out in Paris, OGC Nice hosts Olympique Lyonnais tonight as part of the 14th day of Ligue 1. A week after the attacks in Paris, life goes on, and so does football.
A 1-0 victory in Marseille and a very satisfying sixth place in the championship. Two weeks ago, Nice made a strong move during the 13th match day. The past fifteen days seem like an eternity given how France has been affected by the events of last week. With football in the background and the trauma of Paris in mind, they will nonetheless have to play tomorrow. Especially against a Lyon team that is second in the championship and triumphant in the derby (3-0 against Saint-Etienne) the last time they took to the field.
90 minutes and a ball
On the pitch, two fairly similar playing styles will face off. Using a diamond formation for three years, OL perfectly knows a system that Nice has brilliantly replicated this season. While Lyon is deprived of its magician, Nabil Fekir, who is sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury, Nice has been capitalizing for a while on the dazzling form of their star player: Hatem Ben Arfa. Will this lead to more effectiveness in front of goal? Not necessarily. In recent weeks, Alexandre Lacazette has been regaining his physical form and the confidence that comes with it, evidenced by his outstanding hat-trick against Sainté.
Valbuena, for his part, seems to be finding his place at the forefront of Lyon’s diamond formation. In addition to defending well (9 clean sheets in 13 L1 matches), Fournier’s team is gradually rediscovering the momentum from last year. Meanwhile, the Gym is increasingly solid at the back, with two matches completed without conceding a goal in their last three outings. Two top-table teams, separated by only 4 points, are increasingly consistent.
The Populaire Sud in solidarity
In the stands, finally, the Populaire Sud supporters group has issued a statement calling for exemplary behavior from the fans. The association wishes to honor the memory of the deceased “with dignity.”
A Marseillaise will also be played, and a minute of silence observed before the match. President Jean-Pierre Rivère expressed his hope that “no one throws a firecracker,” deeming it “inappropriate.”
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