PSG v Nice: League leaders can give champions a fright in Paris
Mario Balotelli has helped Nice to the top of the table
Ligue 1 leaders Nice travel to the Parc des Princes on Saturday to take on reigning champions Paris Saint Germain. Can they cement their status as genuine title contenders? Ryan Baldi takes a look…
“The league leaders will travel to Paris quietly confident of getting a positive result. PSG currently sit third in the table and, with three defeats, they have already lost more league games than they did in the whole of last season.”
Nice have taken French football by storm this season, with manager Lucien Favre implementing a versatile system which has seen his side resolute at the back and potent going forward.
Les Aiglons outperformed expectations last term to finish fourth, just one place outside the Champions League qualifications spots. But the summer saw them lose star man Hatem Ben Arfa to PSG on a free transfer, and manager Claude Puel departed for Southampton.
So it’s fair to say that, after defying the odds in the previous campaign, confidence inside the Allianz Riviera took a hit. However, the appointment of former Borussia Monchengladbach boss Favre proved to be an incredibly astute move from Nice, while the acquisition of the headline-grabbing enigma that is Mario Balotelli, brought back some of the star power that was lost with Ben Arfa’s switch to the capital.
Following disappointing spells with AC Milan and Liverpool, the former Manchester City striker was largely written off as a wasted talent, and deemed unlikely to ever fulfil he potential. This was reflected in the offers that Balotelli received over the summer. Despite being available on a free transfer, Europe’s elite, and even the clubs ranking a notch or two behind the continental powerhouses, viewed the Italian as too much of a risk.
But Nice determined that Balotelli could rebuild his reputation and rediscover his best form in the south of France, away from the intense scrutiny he has been subjected to for most of his career. And Favre’s delicate man-management of the enigmatic star has seen the club’s faith rewarded: the former Internazionale forward has bagged seven goals from 10 appearances this season.
Balotelli may be the player drawing the gaze of the wider viewing public, but discerning observers will have noted the importance of several other players. The signing of veteran Brazilian defender Dante has been particularly successful.
The former Bayern Munich player – who speaks fluent French thanks to a stint with Lille earlier in his career – has been a rock at the back for Nice, and his organisation and communication has allowed 17-year-old centre-back Malang Sarr to blossom into one of the most promising young players in France.
In midfield, the dynamic and skilful Jean-Michael Seri has been superb, scoring twice and providing eight assists, while 21-year-old Wylan Cyprien has earned rave reviews for his powerful athleticism and excellent technique.
Further forward, Balotelli is not the only Nice player capable of putting the ball in the net. Skilful creator Younes Belhanda has been the perfect foil for the Italian, while French forward Alassane Plea is enjoying a breakout campaign. Capable of playing centrally as a striker of wide on the right, the pacey 23-year-old’s tally of nine goals is already three better than his return for the entirety of the previous campaign.
And the league leaders will travel to Paris quietly confident of getting a positive result. PSG currently sit third in the table and, with three defeats, they have already lost more league games than they did in the whole of last season.
New manager Unai Emery was appointed to replace Laurent Blanc largely due to his European pedigree. Though Les Parisiens have successfully negotiated the Champions League group stage – albeit as runners-up behind Arsenal – they remain alarmingly inconsistent in Ligue 1 and were beaten 3-0 by Montpellier last weekend.
Emery is yet to find the perfect midfield balance as he tries to discern whether to utilise a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation, while summer signings Grzegorz Krychowiak, Ben Arfa and Jese Rodriguez have had little positive impact.
Though prone to missing the occasional sitter, Edinson Cavani’s form in front of goal – the Uruguayan has found the net 14 times in the league – has helped fill the void left by Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s departure to Manchester United, but PSG appear to lack leadership and a focal point in attack without the big Swede.
