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"They will be eight cup finals and we will need to win them." Offered the chance to speak about the final sprint of the season, Maxime Le Marchand didn't beat around the bush. A man who has helped his side to reach Europe in the two seasons he has been in Nice, is now looking for a third. "It's the objective, and we are going to do all that we can to achieve it, promised the defender. I have learned how to ignore the challenge and to concentrate on my individual performances and the team's game. If you don't, it can go badly, like two years ago against Saint-Etienne where I got injured stupidly. This experience shaped me. I know how to approach a final sprint." The final sprint of the 2017-18 season will begin on Sunday for the Aiglons, who have beaten only one of the eight sides they still have to face, this season. A calm tone and clear ideas, Max' spoke about the challenges ahead.

1 - "A footballing side" 

Troyes - Nice (Matchday 31)
Sunday 1 April at 5pm

"In the first game (1-2 defeat), they  blocked us well, and relied on the pace of their forwards on the counter. They are a good side, who have caused problems for quite a few teams this season, including Monaco (3-2 victory for ASM, Editor's note). They want to stay up and will play for everything in the final sprint of the season. It will be tough, but both sides have interesting philosophies, which should make for a nice match technically and tactically. On a personal note, I will be back in the stadium where I scored my first goal in L1 (3-3 in 2015-16). It was with my back, yes, but they all count (laughs)!"

2 - "Of course it is strange"

Nice - Rennes (Matchday 32)
Sunday 8 April at 3pm

Of course it's strange for me, because it's the club where I came through the ranks. It will be a big match, like two years ago at the Allianz (3-0 - matchday 33). The first game was tight, we came away on top thanks to a bullet of a strike from Mario (0-1). They are a direct  competitor for Europe, we will therefore need to beat them to take the lead. In attack, they have lots of strengths, with ball players like Khazri, Sarr, André, Bourigeaud, etc. They beat Bordeaux in their last game (0-2), that's really not bad."

3 - "A battle" 

Angers - Nice (Matchday 33)
Friday 13 April at 8.45pm

"They will almost certainly be fighting for survival too. We will need to be ready to go out and fight, against big, physical players. Then again, the pitch is good there, which could be good for our style. They open up the game more in front of their fans. It will be down to us to make the most of the spaces that they will leave us. But it will be a real physical challenge." 

4 - "Overtake" 

Nice - Montpellier (Matchday 34)
Weekend of 21 April

"A big match! Like Rennes, it's good to welcome a direct competitor, because we know how much our fans can help us. We came out of the first game frustrated because we played well in the first half, before conceding two rather extraordinary goals, especially the first one from Sessegnon (2-0). I hope we will overtake them. Why not a scenario like last year with the crazy entrance of Le Bihan (1-2 victory thanks to a brace from the forward)? I hope that Mika will be back. He can help us at the end of this season because he has a lot of qualities, and feels the game." 

5 - "Make them doubt" 

Strasbourg - Nice (Matchday 35)
Weekend of 28 April

"It's going to be tough, in a packed stadium. The last time I played at La Meinau, it was with Le Havre in L2. For a player, it's very motivating. There again, we will want to get them back (1-2 defeat). This encounter will be decisive for both clubs, which will make for an intense game, against an athletic side. Their pitch wasn't great in recent games, I hope it will have improved by then. As they are playing for survival, we need to make them doubt straight away: they can begin to get impatient and lose their thread in the game." 

6 - "Put a spanner in the works"

 Marseille - Nice (Matchday 36)
Weekend of 5 May

"It's always a huge match because it's a derby. And there will be even more at stake. I won at the Vélodrome two years ago, after a perfect match (0-1). The supporters cheered us as we left in the same way as they did when we got back. I realised the importance of the match for them, it was great. It took us time to get our heads up after the first match, which left a sour taste in our mouths (2-4 defeat). We will want to prove that we have learned from our errors. Up against us, OM are going very well this season, with good consistency. They will almost certainly be playing for Champions League qualification. I hope that we will be able to put a spanner in the works for their objectives.

7 - "To be a steamroller"

Nice - Caen (Matchday 37).
Weekend of 12 May

"The last match is always special: we want to finish well, for the fans and for us. For this game, we will need to be like a steamroller and give nothing away to our opponents. It will be a nice physical battle, during which we will need to take the lead. They may well be safe and have nothing left to play for. It will be down to us to show that we want to win."

8 - "To show that we have changed" 

Lyon - Nice (Matchday 38)
Weekend of 19 May

"We finish at Lyon, like last year! But the context will be different, because last year, we had nothing left to play for and it was very open (3-3). I hope that we will have closed the gap before then, even if they have a decent lead on us. It will be a huge match, in a superb stadium, against a good side. We hope to spoil the party, especially as we were punished in the first game 0-5. We would like to show them that we have changed, that we can go up against them, by using that final game feeling."

F.H.

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