Two days before Nice take on Lyon, in the last-16 of the Coupe de France (Thursday at 20:55), Patrick Vieira spoke to the media at the traditional pre-match press conference. 

AN IMPORTANT WEEK

We have always been ambitious. These two matches against Lyon are important. I have always said that the club wants to go as far as possible in the Cup, which means reaching the next round. Since the turn of the year, we have shown a new side to our game and that bodes well for the second half of the season.

You have to constantly analyse the players’ fitness levels, but we have not been playing twice a week for months, so there’s no problem there. I will try to field the best-possible team get past this round.

THE POSITIVES FROM NICE vs RENNES

The players showed great understanding and cohesion. We looked to attack and created a lot of scoring chances, we played with a good tempo and the players were very focused and disciplined. Physically they were feeling good. When you’re physically good, your confidence grows, you try more, you pull off more and that’s how things start turning in your favour. In terms of our confidence, we’re a lot better off than we were a few months ago.

In the match against Rennes, we were able to find Kasper a lot more and we were a lot more dangerous than usual.

That will help us get better results and we know it. Can we reproduce the same performance as against Rennes? With the same intensity, focus and aggression, in order to cause Lyon problems? That’s our challenge.

LYON

Lyon are favourites? That doesn’t worry me. They are a big team in France and in Europe. They have been unfairly criticised this season because they are still in the Champions League and in hunt in Ligue 1. They have a strong squad with excellent individuals.

We expect a very difficult match. Like every match. I hope we live up to the billing. We are in good form. These are the types of matches that everyone wants to play. I hope we will be up to the challenge. To get past Lyon, we will have to play well, even better than in our last game, to try and finish off our chances and be solid at the back. That’s the only way we will stand any chance.

DANILO in CENTRAL DEFENCE

It could be a long-term option, because at the moment, he is playing very well in the centre of defence and we are very happy with him. We know how committed he is, how good he is in the air. Technically, he understands the game, reads the play, he can defend and also step up into midfield and help build the play which in turn allows Pierre Lees-Melou to play a step higher up the pitch. He played a lot less before, but during the hard times, he kept his head down, kept training hard to be ready. A lot of other players would have thrown in the towel. He stayed focused and now, when we need him, he has answered the call. He deserves full credit and it’s great for me to have a player like that.

In defence, in terms of his anticipation, Danilo benefits from his training as a defensive midfielder. Playing alongside Dante is also easier and I took that into account. He steeled into this new position very quickly. I lot faster than I thought he would.

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