Patrick Vieira, coach of OGC Nice, during the Ligue 1 match in Nîmes, November 10, 2018. -
P. Guyot / AFP
OGC Nice share Group C with opponents within their grasp, even if Bayer Leverkusen will appear as big favorites.
According to consultant and former Aiglon Patrice Alberganti, the Niçois can dream of qualifying at the end of this group stage.
OGC Nice is fixed: the club will face the Germans from Bayer Leverkusen, the Czechs from Slavia Prague and the Israelis from Hapoël Beer Sheva in the group stage of the Europa League 2020-2021.
A draw not really unfavorable for the Aiglons according to the former red and black player Patrice Alberganti.
“It's clearly a title that can be interesting for Nice.
We have the opportunity to compete with all these teams given our workforce this year, ”he says.
Yes, Patrick Vieira's Gym has all its chances on paper, in particular thanks to its recent recruitment: “Nice has again made a very intelligent recruitment this year, assures Patrice Alberganti.
Rony Lopes and Morgan Schneiderlin will help us move up a level.
The bench has gained in depth, quality and above all in maturity, in experience.
We are ramping up!
"
OGC Nice has the means to come out in one of the first two places in its group, qualifying for the round of 16 ... On the condition of approaching this competition with the right mentality.
“The Europa League is a cup, it is played differently from a championship, insists Patrice Alberganti.
We should not approach the matches as in the past but try to collect points very quickly.
A cup match cannot be managed but is played thoroughly.
You have to be ready to do battle with the opposing team, with aggressiveness and fighting spirit ”.
And this is precisely the strong point of the Gym's opponents.
Bayer Leverkusen
Founded in 1904, like the Gym, Bayer Leverkusen is the big favorite of the group, regularly qualified for the Champions League.
For Patrice Alberganti, “this club plays very well in the Bundesliga every year, in a championship that has grown from year to year.
Very athletically ready, he relies heavily on the physical aspect and the offensive contribution.
It will be necessary to face players who have the mental capacity to cope!
"
Bayer this summer sold its nugget Kai Havertz, 21, to Chelsea for a record amount of 80 million euros, and its center forward Kevin Volland to Monaco (15.5 million).
But beware of the Czech Patrick Schick, chipped from Roma for 26.5 million, the new offensive threat of the Rhenish club, alongside former PSG Moussa Diaby
Slavia Prague
The Czech club, without a European record, should also be taken very seriously by the Aiglons.
It is on the physical commitment more than on the footballing qualities that the part could be played.
“It's a team that relies heavily on physicality and aggression,” says Patrice Alberganti.
We must not fall into a match management that could be complicated.
But Nice clearly has the technical qualities to compete.
“Especially since Slavia has been stripped by West Ham: its two stars, midfielder Tomas Soucek and right-back Vladimir Coufal, have gone English for respectively 16 and 6 million euros, the first the last winter, the second this summer.
Hapoel Beer Sheva
Probably the weakest team in Group C. The Israeli club has neither the workforce nor the experience in the Europa League to really worry the Gym.
But he is an opponent that should not be underestimated according to Patrice Alberganti.
“You can't say that this team is prancing in world football, even if technically they don't play badly.
They are probably the ones who will do the least harm to the OCGN, but we will have to be wary of them.
Be wary especially of his French striker, the former Bastiais Gaëtan Varenne.
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