European football fans have a reputation for being hot-blooded, and this is even more true when it comes to a match between two geographically close teams.
We are therefore not surprised to learn that OGC Nice fans will be banned from the Vélodrome de Marseille for Sunday night’s game against Olympique.
It is a prefectural decree that bans the presence of Nice supporters in the Marseille region this weekend.
“No gym fan will be able to make the short trip to Provence to push the Aiglons,” the Nice club announced earlier this week. A prefectural decree provides that “from 8:00 a.m. Sunday, February 5, 2023 to 4:00 a.m. Monday, February 6, 2023, anyone claiming to be a supporter of the Olympique Gymnaste Club de Nice or themselves to behave as such, access to the Club de Nice Orange Velodrome and to drive or park on public roads is prohibited in the 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th and 8th arrondissement of the municipality of Marseille. »
Answer
You have to see the context to better understand why the Marseille political class is acting this way.
The two cities are 200 kilometers apart, so it’s a short drive, which encourages many fans to return home after the game.
There is a good rivalry between the two sides, even if Marseille (3rd) is well ahead of Nice (10th) in the Ligue 1 standings.
In fact, we understand that this is a reaction as Marseille fans weren’t hosted in Nice during the first leg last August.
precedents
We understand that the authorities are wary as there have been clashes between supporters of the two teams in the past.
You don’t have to go back very far in time to find it.
In August 2021 in Nice, a match between the two sides ended in turmoil. Fifteen minutes from time, OM midfielder Dimitri Payet was hit in the back with a bottle by a group of Nice supporters.
In response, Payet threw the bottle into the crowd and Nice supporters charged the field.
The referee quickly decided to stop the game and send the two teams back to the dressing room as OGC led 1-0. OM never returned to the field.
Injured persons
If we trust photos of the incident later circulating, three Marseille players were injured by Nice supporters.
Alongside Payet, who had scratches on his back, his teammates Matteo Guendouzi and Luan Peres had strangulation marks on their necks.
As Olympique de Marseille never returned to the field, they were awarded a 3–0 loss by default.
But that was without counting on the Ligue 1 Disciplinary Committee.
Nice were thus deducted two points. The Côte d’Azur team also had to play three games behind closed doors and the game against Marseille continued at a neutral venue.
The little brother
If we analyze this rivalry, we find that it is more present on one side than the other.
In fact, Nice seems to suffer from the little brother complex and live this derby more intensely.
Alexy Bosetti, who wore the colors of Nice from 2012 to 2017, confirmed this to RMC Sports in 2014. “We hate OM more than they hate us. »
For the Marseillais, the rivalries with the other Olympique (Lyon) and in particular with Paris Saint-Germain are much more intense.
Furthermore, observers agree that the national derby in France is that between OM and PSG.
A DANGER CAR
PSV Eindhoven lost a lot in the last transfer window with the departures to England Cody Gakpo and Noni Madueke. The Dutch side, currently third in the Eredivisie, wanted to fill a gap in attack. It’s Eden Hazard’s brother Thorgan, after all, who will lend a hand on a loan deal from Borussia Dortmund, where he has played little this season, appearing in just 14 games. However, there is no option attached to the agreement.
MENDY ABSENT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS
Bad luck seems to lie with the French left-backs. At the World Cup, it was Lucas Hernandez who injured his left cruciate ligament in the first game against Australia. In the last few days, it was Real Madrid’s Ferland Mendy who injured his left leg in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals against Atlético Madrid. The muscle injury could cause him to miss activity for up to two months. We already know he will miss the Club World Cup, which takes place in Morocco from 7th to 11th February.
Everton frozen
Everton have only played four seasons in the English second tier since their formation in 1887. The last ? 1953-54. Since then, the Liverpool-area club has maintained a place in the top 10 in the Premier League in general. Things are not going as expected this season and Everton are in danger of relegation in 19th place and 15 points, level on points with Southampton, who are dead most recently. Worse, apart from Anthony Gordon’s defeat by Newcastle during the January transfer window, Everton failed to improve. According to Sky Sports, Hakim Ziyech, Conor Gallagher, Olivier Giroud, Michy Btashuayi and Beto would all have said no to the club, to name a few. It smells like the end of the season, which we’re sticking to as much as we can.
PSG IS ON THE EDGE
Photo archive, AFP
Neymar has already picked up 10 yellow cards this season with PSG.
Paris Saint-Germain are top of the Ligue 1 table but for some reason the players are nervous. Since resuming activities, PSG have suffered two suspensions in five games and appear tighter than usual. neymar, who doesn’t mind physical play, even picked up his tenth yellow card of the season in a quarterfinal match of the Coupe de France last week against the Pays de Cassel, a side that plays in Regional 1, the sixth tier of French football. Marco Verratti follows suit with three games since December 28 in which he received either a yellow or a red card. In addition, there is the thigh injury, which Kylian Mbappé will pause for at least three weeks.
games to watch
FIRST LEAGUE
- everton vs. arsenal
- Today
Everton are trying to avoid relegation and will have to fight in every game until the end of the season. This visit to the Gunners is a good test for Liverpool FC.
Bundesliga
- Mainz 05 vs. Union Berlin
- Today
The Berliners are just one point behind Bayern Munich. This home game against a midfielder is a good opportunity to put pressure on Bayern, who travel to Wolfsburg on Sunday.
LEAGUE 1
Lens are 11 games unbeaten and will look to continue that against a side trying to move away from relegation.
A SERIES
- Lazio vs. Hella Verona
- Monday
Verona, 18th in Serie A, are still within Spezia’s five-point relegation zone and rescue. This duel against the third in the table is a challenge to test the strength of character and the quality of this team.