What: French Ligue 1
Who: Nice v Lyon
When: Sunday 19th May, 2013, at 14:05 UK Time
Where: Stade du Ray, Nice, France
Puel Aims To Beat Former Employers To Top Three
Nice have enjoyed a remarkable season under Claude Puel, who has been nominated as one of the candidates for manager of the season. After battling against relegation last year, Puel had it all to do when he was called upon to replace Rene Marsiglia, but he has done so superbly. Nice have been the surprise package of the season, outlasting Lorient, similarly impressive in the campaign’s early weeks.
It is a remarkable story that they are even in with a chance of Champions League qualification with two rounds of the season left. However, to do so Nice will have to find a way of overhauling both Puel’s former club Lyon and Lille. Puel and his former employer, Lyon owner Jean-Michel Aulas, have been rediscovering the joys of publicly berating each other in the press this week. The pair were involved in a court hearing after Puel’s dismissal from Lyon and the bad feeling still lingers.
On the pitch, last weekend’s crushing defeat at relegation haunted Evian was hugely damaging and means Nice missed a great chance to close the gap on their opponents. But with a visit to Ajaccio next week, they have an eminently winnable final game of the season that will give them a genuine chance, particularly with Lille and Saint-Etienne having to face each other. But with a disadvantageous goal difference and a never-ending injury crisis which has blighted their recent form, Nice will need a bit of divine intervention to help them across the line.
Les Gones To Kick-Start Champions League Push?
Defeat last weekend ended a run of 10 points from four games for Lyon and threw their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League into doubt. Les Gones now have a host of teams on their tails, led by 2011 champions Lille, local rivals Saint-Etienne, but also of course, Nice.
It has been a spluttering campaign for Lyon, a young side showing their age with an inconsistent season so far. In part that should be expected, particularly with so many key names departing, such as Hugo Lloris and Michel Bastos. Coach Remi Garde can call upon a clutch of highly talented players such as Clement Grenier, Maxime Gonalons and Gueida Fofana, but they have not always been able to produce when it mattered most as Lyon’s early season title challenge fizzled out.
Like their opponents, Lyon have not been helped by injuries this season, although their injury problems have eased in time for this game. Lisandro Lopez returned against Paris Saint-Germain, but they were still without Alexandre Lacazette and two youngsters were given prestigious debuts; Anthony Martial and Fares Bahlouli. They will be thankful for the return of Lacazette, Diego Lovren and Rachid Ghezzal. Garde knows three points from six will ensure their top three place, so a draw would not be a bad result at all.
Recent form
Nice:
Nice 3-1 Troyes (28/04; Ligue 1)
Rennes 0-3 Nice (05/04; Ligue 1)
Evian 4-0 Nice (12/05; Ligue 1)
Lyon:
Lyon 1-1 Saint-Etienne (28/04; Ligue 1)
Nancy 0-3 Lyon (05/05; Ligue 1)
Lyon 0-1 PSG (12/05; Ligue 1)
Key absences
Nice: Kevin Anin; Valentin Eysseric; Neal Maupay; Camel Meriem; Xavier Pentecote; Jeremy Pied; Mahamane Traore
Lyon: Remy Vercoutre; Rachid Ghezzal
Players to watch
Nice – Dario Cvitanich: Nice’s top scorer this season, Cvitanich’s 17 goals have helped power their remarkable campaign. The Argentine-born forward has scored more goals in a Ligue 1 season for Nice than any other player since the Luxembourg striker Robby Langers in 1990. Forming a solid partnership with Eric Bautheac, Cvitanich has found important goals at crucial moments to keep Nice flying high this season. If they were to finish in the top three, he will have more to do with it than most.
Lyon – Bafetimbi Gomis: Gomis has enjoyed another solid season at the Stade Gerland, his consistent goalscoring powering Lyon’s push for a top three spot. The powerfully built and pacey forward will be key in this clash and Remi Garde will hope he can provide the cutting edge Les Gones have missed on occasion this season going forward.
Match Predicition
Nice certainly have more cause to go for the win in this match, due to their goal difference being far behind Lyon’s. Therefore they really need to win this game to stand a chance of Champions League qualification, while Lyon know victory for them would hand them third spot.
With both teams suffering through injury crises, this could be a game between two sides lacking their usual cohesion. Nice will miss the likes of Jeremy Pied and Camel Meriem in the middle of the pitch, and Lyon can take advantage through the strength and guile of Gonalons and Fofana. Didier Digard and Fabrice Abriel will have their work cut out to dictate play.
Cvitanich and Gomis promise goals – these are two of the top four marksmen in Ligue 1 this season. This promises to be a reasonably open game as Lyon like to attack, but they will be more cautious than usual with the stakes so high in what amounts to a ‘mini’ final. Both teams will put in their all, so expect the superior quality of the visitors to tell against a depleted Nice. Nice 1-2 Lyon.
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