Now fifth in Ligue 1, Nice is only the shadow of the surprise team at the start of the season after its defeat against Montpellier (1-2), followed by tensions between players and ultras, Friday evening.
Published
Reading time: 2 min
The fall tube is broken. Beaten at home by poorly ranked Montpellier (1-2), Friday March 8 at the opening of the 25th day of Ligue 1, OGC Nice has just completed a sixth match in a row without a victory in the league. Le Gym, although leader for two days in the fall, then solid runner-up to PSG mid-season, is now only a shadow of itself. Currently fifth, he could slip to sixth at the end of the weekend.
Friday, the Niçois gave in from the first minutes. Symbol of this excitement, Jean-Clair Todibo scored against his side without real opposition (10th, 0-1), an astonishing error for a usually reliable defender. The Niçois then suffered a penalty converted by Téji Savanier (42nd, 1-2), punishing a handball from Gaëtan Laborde and making Jérémie Boga’s quick equalizer (12th, 1-1) anecdotal.
A defensive apathy light years away from the excellent start to the season of Nice, ultra solid if not flamboyant. While they had only conceded 11 goals in their first 20 matches, the Azuréens have conceded eight in their last five outings. This defeat against a Montpellier team blocking before the match (now 12th with one more match), does not advance Francesco Farioli’s players, now under threat from Lens, who host Brest on Saturday (9 p.m.).
Tension in the stands
But more than the sporting aspect, the meeting was above all marked by great tension. Greeted by a hostile banner (“Not another year without Europe: get moving!” – even if the Gym has only played the European Cup five times in 25 years), the Niçois appeared nervous on the pitch and attacked the referee or their opponents several times, particularly during the break. At the end of the meeting, Todibo was insulted by several supporters, urging him to “wet the swimsuit”. Half an hour after the meeting, the defender was still in heated discussion with some members of the South People’s Tribune.
In this strange atmosphere, we almost forget that Nice is not behind in the race for the Champions League, with nine games remaining at the end of the season. Or that the Gym, despite substantial financial resources provided by its owner Ineos, was not necessarily aiming for the heights of Ligue 1 this season. And, finally, that the Aiglons are preparing to play a quarter-final of the Coupe de France in Paris on Wednesday.