It's ironic: Christophe Galtier left OGC Nice for the Parisian ogre last year, and it is the most modest Aiglons who extend their European spring.
Because since the elimination of PSG in the knockout stages of the Champions League on March 8, Nice remains the only French club still in contention in a UEFA competition.
Didier Digard's players travel to Basel, Switzerland, this Thursday (9 p.m.) in the quarter-final first leg of the Europa League Conference.
They play for themselves, but also for the homeland of football.
To discover
Calendar and results Europa League
Calendar and results Europa League Conference
As for years, and more than ever this season, France is protecting its 5th place in the UEFA coefficient.
If it retains it at the end of the current season, it will no longer have two but three clubs directly qualified for the Champions League from the 2024-25 financial year, a season in which the C1 will have a facelift.
She can even hope to see the 4th in Ligue 1 there, who will have two play-off rounds to pass.
For that, Nice must perform.
Or that the Dutch clubs of Feyenoord (Europa League) and AZ Alkmaar (Europa League Conference) miss each other.
"It's an adventure of the people of Nice", ignites Digard
“
Yes, it goes beyond Nice,
admitted Digard after the draw for the quarter-finals on March 17.
But above all, we are going to be selfish.
We will think of Nice.
It's an adventure for the people of Nice and we're going to give it our all.
“Easy winner of the modest Moldovans of Sheriff Tiraspol in the previous round (0-1, 3-1), Nice rubs shoulders with another piece.
Basel “
has a lot of European experience
”, warns Digard.
SEE ALSO –
The goals and the summary of Nice-PSG on April 8 (0-2)
The Swiss club has reached the knockout stages of the Champions League twice in the last 10 years, and has always played in Europe since 2002. This season, it relies in particular on two former Nice players, winger Dan Ndoye and defender Andy Pelmard, as well as French striker Jean-Kévin Augustin (ex-PSG).
“
We will bet on our desire
”, harangues Digard, whose team is going through a hollow.
She chained 4 draws in Ligue 1 before falling to PSG on Saturday (0-2), after 14 matches without defeat since the debut of her young (36) coach on the bench.
Travel to Switzerland deemed practical for Ligue 1
Nice stalls, but Nice does not depress.
The Aiglons did not have to be ashamed of their performance against Paris.
The group still lives well, and the matches during the week make your mouth water.
"
Against Tiraspol, the stadium was on fire,
" said left-back Melvin Bard.
Europe allows everyone to be involved and to keep up the pace.
“The enthusiasm of each other would almost give ideas: what if Nice went to the end of the Europa League Conference?
Didier Digard, coach of OGC Nice, and his player Khéphren Thuram.
Norbert Scanella / PANORAMIC
The rest of the plateau, where we find in particular West Ham, Fiorentina or La Gantoise, is not a mountain to climb.
A year after the semi-final reached by Olympique de Marseille, Nice bought, in silence, the right to dream of a C4, with admittedly relative prestige.
But Digard does not lose the north.
“
This outward trip to Switzerland is rather short, that's good.
Because in the process, we will continue with a trip to Brest.
It's the longest in the league
,” said the Aiglons coach.
As if to remind us of the importance of maintaining our rank in Ligue 1, even if there is not much left to play.
Nice, 9th, is almost mathematically assured of maintenance, and is 7 points behind Lille, 5th and virtually European, eight days from the end.
At the Parc Saint-Jacques in Basel, the Gym will collect some answers on an end to the season with still vague outlines.