Bad times for OGC Nice in the Europa League. After being held in check on the first day at the Allianz Riviera against Real Sociedad (1-1), Dante and his teammates lost heavily in Rome this Thursday against Lazio (4-1).
In sometimes torrential rain, the Azuréens were overwhelmed in particular by the omnipresent Argentine striker Valentin Castellanos. While it was still 25°C the day before, the Olympic Stadium was transformed under the effect of almost uninterrupted downpours into a swimming pool with a pitch sometimes at the limit of the passable limit.
But the external conditions do not alone explain the rout of the OGCN, falling against a Lazio attractive as never before since the start of its season.
Like their first half hour against Lens (0-0) last weekend where they saw all the colors, Franck Haise’s players completely missed the start of the match. Saved twice by his crossbar, in front of Castellanos (12th) and Matías Vecino (14th), goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, was finally beaten by the eternal Pedro (37 years old), the former Barcelona player (20th), then by Castellanos ( 35th).
And now, PSG in Ligue 1
Shortly before the break (41st), Jérémie Boga gave hope to the 800 Nice supporters present in Rome by reducing the score, after a one-two with Youssoufa Moukoko. But Nice’s hopes were quickly dampened after the break when the inevitable Castellanos brought the score to 3-1 after a superb individual raid (53rd). While the playing conditions deteriorated with the formation of puddles slowing down the ball in the center of the field in particular, Lazio struck a fourth time, on a penalty from Mattia Zaccagni (67th, 4-1).
OGC now has a meeting on Sunday against Paris Saint-Germain, upset by its defeat at Arsenal (2-0) in the Champions League. For its part, Mattéo Guendouzi’s Lazio is already the scarecrow of this C3, with two convincing successes (3-0 against Dynamo kyiv on the first day).