Bulka and surnagé
The Polish goalkeeper confided before the match against Rangers that he finally wanted “be decisive” in the Europa League. After several performances that were far too neutral in this campaign to forget, the Pole was at least up to the challenge on Thursday in the last chance match, ultimately lost 2-1. Under the eyes of Billal Brahimi in the stands (the Niçois is on loan to Saint-Trond), he made 8 saves, won two face-to-face meetings with Boufal and luck even smiled on him since Louchet and Rosario saved on their line when he was beaten. Without him, the bill would have been heavy and Nice’s hopes gone up in smoke well before the 93e and Ivanovic’s goal, about which he can do nothing. Proof of his solidity, Bulka left the match with 1.93 goals avoided (PSxG) compared to 0.37 for Anthony Moris. “We lacked efficiency but we must also highlight the great work of the Nice goalkeeper”complimented Union Saint-Gilloise coach Sébastien Pocognoli. The only downside is its still visible difficulties in the air sector.
Europe, a missed appointment
“Everyone is having a good time and we’re getting ch***ed”. This is a bit of the feeling that prevailed yesterday morning among the Nice supporters as they boarded the plane which was to take them back to the Côte d’Azur. Playing Europe must have been synonymous with joy and emotion. The campaign, which would only continue with a miraculous scenario (it exists, with a simulation on the UEFA website), was nothing but a long series of disappointments. The inaugural draw against Real Sociedad (1-1) had nevertheless sown great promises. Today, we especially appreciate to what extent the penalty missed by Guessand that evening could have changed everything. However, Nice did not win and let a train pass that it was never able to catch up with. The truth is that the Aiglons were never in a position to win a single one of the next five games they played. They did not let the qualifier slip away on the dented lawn of the King Baudouin stadium but well before, against Ferencvaros or Twente, when the group was less diminished. However, by postponing the emergency until the next match, the Gym found itself at the foot of a wall that it did not have the weapons to climb.
“We were not good enough, impactful, effective enough in all the matches to hope for better”regrets Franck Haise. With two points, the Gym remains stuck at 35e and penultimate place. Very bad publicity for the club. Which in its history has rarely been up to par on the European scene. As if the latter was too big for him. This failure will have to be analyzed, just like this packed infirmary which precipitated his fall.
The championship and the cup to redeem yourself
Le Gym, which will no longer have a European match until the trip to Elfsborg at the end of January, will be able to concentrate all its forces on the championship and the French Cup. With 12 professional players currently available and an entire team on the flank, it’s not such bad news… On the kneecaps, like a Bombito or a Rosario washed out, the Gym still has two matches to be negotiated in 2024, tomorrow (3 p.m.) at the last of L1 and in 32es final against Corte (N3), where he will try to launch a great epic. Two very affordable meetings on paper, but Nice will have to grit their teeth and avoid any risk of decompression as the holidays approach. “We have to stay together, recover well, stand together to have the best possible match in Montpellier”points out the Nice coach for whom the continental hitch “do not call into question trust” that he has in his group and in himself. Sixth, OGC Nice is doing very well so far in the championship. With the aim of enjoying a much more exciting European adventure…
