From the ability of Nice to continue their epic will arise or not the possibility of seeing three French clubs directly qualified and a fourth in the preliminary round in the Champions League in the 2024/25 season: the Nice can preserve the 5th French place in the UEFA index, threatened by the Netherlands.

Aware of the situation, Didier Digard does not intend to dramatize this double confrontation. This European quarter-final, the third in the history of OGC Nice and its first since 1960 (elimination against Real Madrid 3-2, 0-4 in C1), will first be a "selfish" moment, he warned.

"We are very happy that it can benefit the whole France, maybe us too. But it is first and foremost an adventure of the people of Nice. We will give everything for him, "said the young coach.

First of all, his team must bounce back after its defeat at home against PSG (2-0) on Saturday in L1.

After 14 matches without defeat (eight wins, six draws) in all competitions since the induction of Digard, the "Gym" fell against Paris on Saturday at the Allianz Riviera at the end of a meeting marked by insults launched by the Tribune populaire Sud to Christophe Galtier, the former coach of the club, and collateral tensions, which it is impossible to know the traces they could have left in the players.

"Very important challenge"

Immediately after the defeat against Paris, Digard asked each of his players not to "scatter", not to "lose energy stupidly".

Nice fans during the Ligue 1 match against Paris-SG on April 8, 2023 in Nice © Valery HACHE / AFP

"The more complicated it gets in the league, the more we make the European Cup a very important challenge," he said.

On the Côte d'Azur, this opposition against the current 6th in the Swiss Super League, 19 lengths behind the leader, raises many hopes. This is also the case within the Ineos Group, which owns the club.

Basel is certainly used to continental jousting. But the team is not a European ogre.

Eliminated in the National Cup last week by Young Boys Bern (4-2), the players of coach Heiko Vogel, successor of Alexander Frei since February, narrowly went to the previous round in C4, against the Czechs of Slovan Bratislava (2-2, 2-2, 4 t.a.b. to 1).

The supporters of the Aiglons mobilized. There will be 1,800 to support their team at St. Jakob-Park. Despite the "risky" classification of the match by UEFA - due to the reputation of the ultras groups of both clubs and the track record between Basel and Marseille last season - the visitors' parking lot will be full.

© 2023 AFP