Clément Pédron, Media365: published on Friday January 24, 2025 at 9:26 a.m.
Very poorly off to a good start in the league phase of the Europa League, OGC Nice lost on Thursday at Elfsborg, the 7th in the last Swedish championship (1-0). This result is a new disappointment for the Aiglons who have still not won in this competition.
All for that. This is what emerges from the OGC Nice Europa League campaign, 2024-2025 version. Last season, the Aiglons achieved a great performance by securing, under the orders of Francesco Farioli, fifth place in L1, synonymous with C3. We then expected the Niçois to play this competition to the fullest with Franck Haise. The least we can say is that when reading the results, it is difficult to go in this direction. Thursday evening, on the pitch of Elfsborg, a Swedish team which had not played an official match since December 12 due to the winter break, the Riviera club had a one in fifty chance of qualifying for the play-offs . And when reading the former Lens coach's starting lineup, we understood very well where he wanted to put his marbles. In Ligue 1 three days before the match against OM rather than in the Europa League. And the worst part of all of this is that the Aiglons on the field never really enjoyed this match, which ended with another defeat and a somewhat gag goal (1-0).
Eyes on the championship
In C3, the OGCN has not yet won, presenting a record that can be described as shameful, of two draws for five defeats. Here is Nice in penultimate place in the league phase standings, a small point behind Dynamo kyiv. With one last match to play against the Norwegians of Bodo/Glimt. At a press conference, Franck Haise could only display a certain resignation: “We knew that our chances of passing were very low, but what interested me was winning the match. We had the means but ultimately we lost it. Football requires accuracy when you are quite dominant. Elfsborg only gave us problems on counterattacks, transitions and set pieces, we knew that too. Here are the evening lessons. Now, it's time for Marseille and Ligue 1.” A little let down by his shareholder Ineos who barely puts in a penny, weighed down by an infirmary that is often full to bursting, Franck Haise will not be able to use his career in C3 as a model. Failing to perform well in the Europa League, the Aiglons intend to work harder in the championship where they are in fifth place, synonymous with… C3 next season. Eternal restart.
