Tonight, at 8:45 pm, Les Aiglons will host Olympique de Marseille to play the first derby of the season. After a successful start to the season, Nice will be closely watched.
Since the end of the transfer window, all Nice supporters have been eagerly awaiting this match. OM is THE derby. More than with Monaco or Bastia, the rivalry with the Marseille club is particularly significant.
Especially since the Gym made two huge moves at the end of the transfer window by acquiring Mario Balotelli and Younès Belhanda, who came to strengthen Nice’s attack. Enough to delight the supporters, who couldn’t have asked for more.
After an exceptional season led by Hatem Ben Arfa, OGC Nice seems to have surpassed Marseille in sporting terms. After a failed season, OM experienced a turbulent summer, marked by many significant departures, a lot of betting on young players, a change of owner, and a change of president.
The players are aware of the importance of the match. Yoan Cardinale, the Nice goalkeeper, even warned: “When Mario Balotelli asked us which match is the hottest, we told him it was the one against OM.”
The Opponent
In terms of the squad, Marseille has lost many key players: Steve Mandanda, Nicolas Nkoulou, Brice Dja Djédjé, Benjamin Mendy, Michy Batshuayi, and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou.
Conversely, the club has added Henri Bédimo, Hiroki Sakai, Rod Fanni, Tomáš Hubočan, William Vainqueur, Zinédine Machach, Aaron Leya Iseka (Michy Batshuayi’s younger brother), Bafétimbi Gomis, Clinton Njie, and Florian Thauvin.
OM played six friendly matches, resulting in two victories (1-0 against Nîmes, 2-1 against Girona), two draws (2-2 against Ajax Amsterdam, 1-1 against Palermo), and two defeats (2-1 against Lausanne and 1-0 against Bielefeld).
In the championship, Franck Passi’s men have a record of four points, with one win, one draw, and one loss. After a 0-0 in the first match of the season against Toulouse, the Marseillais were defeated in Guingamp (2-1) before dominating Lorient (2-0).
The Absentees
For Nice, the prolonged absences of Walter Benitez, Maxime Le Marchand, Mickaël Le Bihan, and Gautier Lloris (injured) are to be noted. Mathieu Bodmer, suffering from a calf injury, and Alexy Bosetti are also absent.
Lucien Favre has also decided to omit Burner, Benrahma, Caddy, Rafetraniaina, and Vercauteren, leaving them available for the reserve team, as well as Anastasios Donis.
On the Marseille side, Lassana Diarra has joined the list of absentees: Rémy Cabella, Romain Alessandrini, Abou Diaby, Rod Fanni, Antoine Rabillard, and Alphousseyni Sané.
The Nice Squad
Goalkeepers: Cardinale, Hassen.
Defenders: Baysse, Boscagli, Dante, Dalbert, Ricardo, Sarr, Souquet.
Midfielders: Belhanda, Cyprien, Koziello, Seri, Walter.
Forwards: Balotelli, Eysseric, Lusamba, Pléa.
The Marseille Squad
Goalkeepers: Pelé, Samba.
Defenders: Bedimo, Doria, Hubocan, Rekik, Rolando, Sakai.
Midfielders: Khaoui, Lopez, Machach, Vainqueur, Zambo Anguissa.
Forwards: Gomis, Leya Iseka, Njie, Sarr, Thauvin.
The Referee
The referee for the match will be Franck Schneider. He will be assisted on the lines by Djemel Zitouni and Nicolas Henninot. Mr. Schneider will meet the Nice team again, whom he last officiated during their last away game at the Stade Auguste-Delaune, resulting in a draw against Stade de Reims on December 12. Les Aiglons had conceded a draw (1-1).
Photo credit and more info on www.ogcnice.com
