Tag: Nice

After Racing Club de Lens’ home victory against Strasbourg on Friday evening (2-1), Paris Saint-Germain were still leaders in Ligue 1 but only had a provisional three-point lead over the Sang-et- Gold. To regain its comfortable unit gap, the capital club moved to the lawn of OGC Nice as part of the 30th day of the French championship. An important meeting for the Parisian technician Christophe Galtier, more than ever in the hot seat after the last poor performances of his players, having been reframed by Luis Campos then Nasser al-Khelaïfi during this week. For its part, the Gym, still undefeated since the arrival of Didier Digard on its bench and the only French team still in contention in a European competition, hopes to continue this good series against the first in the ranking and thus take points, important for the race to Europe.

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Deprived of Bernat, Kimpembe, Mukiele, Verratti and Neymar, Galtier renewed a 3-5-2 for his reunion with the Allianz Riviera, while the Aiglons also played with three defenders with Ndayishimiye, Todibo and Dante. The start of the game was rather balanced between the two teams, trying to put their foot on the ball. But the first bad news of the evening was for the visitors, who lost Renato Sanches to injury – replaced by Fabian Ruiz (10th). The Azurénens then put a little speed in the game, through the twirling Nicolas Pépé, not precise enough on his shot from the left (15th). Terem Moffi tried his hand but Gianluigi Donnarumma quietly intervened in front of his line (17th). In the other area, Danilo sent a helmet hit on the right post of Kasper Schmeichel (22nd), before Lionel Messi, more precise thanks to his left foot to deceive the last Danish rampart (0-1, 26th) after the Nuno Mendes’ low center.

To read
Nice – PSG: the icy exchange between Jean-Clair Todibo and Christophe Galtier

Ramos delivered his own

The Portuguese side was very active on his lane and multiplied the climbs to push back his opponent. After a failed recovery from Ramos in the middle, Thuram technically distinguished himself to deceive Ruiz but saw his shot blocked by the defense (35th). Enough to give rise to some regrets for the men of Digard, who did not lose hope and created a few chances to come back to score. The Parisian goalkeeper disgusted the locals with two parades before the break, ahead of Pépé (43rd) then Moffi (45th). Back from the locker room, OGC Nice kept the momentum at the end of the first period to put pressure on the men in white to reset the counters. Dante managed to deceive Donnarumma but his ball hit the crossbar then the post but did not ring the Goal Line Technology watch, just a few millimeters (51st). In the process, the Italian won his duel, this time against the Ivorian striker on loan from Arsenal (52nd).

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Nice’s opportunities multiplied over the course of the meeting, but PSG were always saved by an imperial goalkeeper in front of his goal, or by the lack of accuracy of the men in red and black. Despite the ascendancy of the Aiglons, Paris operated against but fell on a vigilant defense, especially in front of Kylian Mbappé (74th), little in sight in this match. The Parisian’s strike was then blocked by Dante, but the latter offered the decisive corner to Galtier’s men, thanks to the uncrossed header of Sergio Ramos, who was also celebrating his 50th match in Ligue 1 in the Ile-de-France jersey. This goal of the break did not discourage the premises, still offensive in the last quarter of an hour. The incoming Gaëtan Laborde and Billal Brahimi tried their luck in front of goal, but neither one, who did not fit his long shot (81st), nor the other, checked by Gigio (82nd), managed to make the difference. Thanks to a Donnarumma on fire (7 saves), PSG won in Nice and kept their six-point lead over RC Lens, the Gym missed the opportunity to take advantage of LOSC’s misstep and remained seven points behind. first European.