Nice, which intends to build a European status on Thursday with a trip to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the play-offs of the Europa League Conference (C4), must imperatively raise its level after a hesitant start in Ligue 1. With two draws in the Championship (each time 1-1 in Toulouse and against Strasbourg), Andy Delort and his teammates are having a very average start to the season.
“
We are frustrated, explained the Algerian international on Sunday evening.
We must quickly taste victory to launch our championship.
“A championship that Lucien Favre, his players and his management want to intersperse with six group matches from C4 to the World Cup.
"
It would be energy-intensive, underlines the coach.
Europe takes strength.
Already this match is twice four hours by plane.
You need a lot of recovery, to be very serious.
But that's what we want.
»
To discover
Calendar and results Europa League Conference
Nice wishes to grow and offer itself very regular European exposure.
The Aiglons should therefore not be missed at the Bloomfield stadium.
“
We will give everything to come back with the qualification
”, announces Delort.
Because the OGC will have to show its best face.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has successively eliminated Azerbaijani FC Zira (3-0, 0-0), then Greek Aris Salonika (2-0, 1-2) between late July and early August.
Its striker, veteran Eran Zahovic, former Palermo or PSV Eindhoven, scored two goals in the competition.
His Serbian coach, Vladimir Ivic, 45, returned to the club after a failed stint at Watford, has clearly indicated that he is aiming for qualification.
Significantly enhanced security
The meeting, in a Bloomfield stadium where 30,000 people are expected, will be played in a particular context.
A week after hosting the Champions Trophy between Paris SG and Nantes (4-0), the friendly match Juventus Turin-Atletico Madrid, scheduled for August 7, had been canceled by the promoter and the two clubs "
due to the security situation
”.
Deadly clashes erupted on August 5 between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an armed group operating in the Gaza Strip.
The exchanges of fire had left a dozen dead on the Palestinian side, in what represented the worst outbreak of violence between the two parties since the blitzkrieg last year.
Since then there has been a lull.
But security remains tight.
About 250 Nice supporters will be present at the stadium, of which around 100 are members of a local group.
The team took off on Wednesday morning from Nice.
She trained in the evening at the stadium after the traditional press conference.
The club's new director of security made the trip with a slightly larger staff than usual.
But without changing sports habits.
On the morning of the match, cleaning is planned near the hotel.
So that Delort and his family are definitely ready to start their season...
