Nice takes second place, Monaco still in slow motion
The Niçois of Christophe Galtier, easy winners of Brest, overtake OM thanks to the goal difference. Monaco failed to win in Nantes for the debut of new coach Philippe Clement
OGC Nice, in control despite a numerical inferiority, regained second place in Ligue 1 by winning Sunday in Brest (3-0) during the 20th day, caused by the Covid-19 and the debut of Philippe Clement at the head of Monaco, in Nantes (0-0). Nothing disturbs the men of Christophe Galtier. Neither the few cases of Covid which affected the workforce, nor the departures for the CAN … Not even the severe exclusion of Morgan Schneiderlin for a strong tackle from the 20th minute.
The Brestois ended the meeting disgusted, by the goalkeeper of the Gym Walter Benitez and by the real cold of the three Riviera attackers, all scorers. Kasper Dolberg (13th), Andy Delort (79th) and Amine Gouiri (90th + 4) successively scored to bring the total of Nice points to 36.
“With a lot of courage, self-sacrifice and intelligence, we were able to hold out,” said coach Galtier. “This victory is important for the dynamic, even more when there are so many absentees between the CAN and the Covid. It allows the group to exist ”. Nice takes back its second place in Ligue 1, abandoned on Friday in favor of Marseille’s Marseille victory in Bordeaux (1-0). OM are passed on goal difference, on a consolidated podium behind Paris SG. Indeed, a first gap seems to be created with the 4th, Rennes, beaten on the wire Saturday in Lens (1-0) and still blocked at 31 points.
Disturbed day
Monaco (7th, 30 points) could have come closer to the top three in the event of victory in Nantes, but the players of the Rock played it cautious on the lawn of Nantes, for the debut of their new coach, the Belgian Philippe Clement . Deprived of Wissam Ben Yedder, affected by the Covid-19, the ASM was clumsy in the face of goal. But the Nantes (9th, 29 pts), who nevertheless remained on three successes struck in L1, did not settle the sights either. The two teams stagnate in the first half of the table after this scoreless match.
Like Ben Yedder, the 20th day of Ligue 1 is disturbed by the wave of Covid-19 contaminations: three meetings – Lille-Lorient, Angers-Saint-Etienne and Montpellier-Troyes – have been postponed because of clusters detected in the rows of Lorient, Angers and Troyes. Consequence: Sunday’s multiplex only included two meetings, Clermont-Reims and Metz-Strasbourg.
In addition to a sad 0-0 in the first poster, Strasbourg did not tremble to inflict on the Mosellans, 19th, their 10th setback of the season (2-0). Ludovic Ajorque scored and provided an assist for Jean-Eudes Aholou. Racing is 8th with 29 points. The 20th day ends Sunday (8:45 p.m.) with the PSG-Lyon shock, without Lionel Messi, recently affected by the Covid-19 like more than 100 L1 players since Christmas.