Ligue1: Nice-Bordeaux
 

I have a lot of respect for Bordeaux and how they have dealt with a gruelling start to the season , short handed with a lot of injury problems, they have travelled to Kazakhstan and Cyprus in the Europa League and to Lille, St Etienne and PSG in Ligue 1 and got a result in each, coming from a goal down twice against the champions in Paris, the second time, when already down to ten men,said a lot about them and their fighting spirit and this is not a team who lie down easily. We previewed their match against Nantes which game after the hugely draining trip to Almaty....

Guingamp had terrible problems dealing with the Thursday-Sunday turnaround from Europe League games last season, something we touched upon several times and in general terms, I do not feel that the format suits French clubs and it is certainly true that as a nation they have underperformed in the "other" European club competition. Having said that, Bordeaux had a "way out" of the Europa League if they had wanted it, leading 1-0 from the home leg, they were 2-0 down at Kairat with 12 minutes left to play, before finding a way back into the tie, which implies they are keen to do well, as does their team selection for the long, gruelling trip to Kazakhstan, with Almaty a 12,000 km round trip from Bordeaux and with a four hour time difference. They used ten players who battled to a 0-0 draw with Lille last Sunday for the midweek game and several others made the journey. Travel, time difference and quick turnaround is going to put huge demands on Bordeaux, who lost at home to Reims after their previous EL away day and they are still a little short handed with Contento, Diabaté (20 goals in last 40 apperances), Plasil, Sané and Sertic still sidelined, which robs them of goal threat and five potential starters.
 

They won that 2-0 and have since followed up with three draws (PSG, Liverpool and Toulouse) and there was something to like about all three performances and if nothing else, no one can doubt their mental strength after trailing in all three matches with 12 minutes or less to play. They have Plasil (see above) back in the squad now, Contento was left out by choice and Henri Saivet, who has scored in two of the last three road games in L1 returns after being suspended at the weekend, they have also strengthened the backline with the signing of Pablo from Ponte Preta and he is improving game upon game ( today should be his fourth start). Still a little short of numbers, but a very together group who are only going to get stronger the longer this season goes. They have won on their last three visits to Nice, scoring in 9 of 10 and at least the latter trend looks certain to continue, with Nice very offensive minded , already having lost twice at home and having conceded in all three starts here, they are struggling defensively with full backs too often caught out of position and I favour a 4th straight away win in this fixture. Hosts are without key forward Alassane Plea who has two goals and two assists this season, he has missed just two starts since joining Nice at the start of last season (no wins) and he scored the late, late winner in the road game in Bordeaux back in January.