‘Tous derrière et Wahi devant’: Nice fans and old boys brace for pivotal Auxerre trip | OneFootball

Nice head to Auxerre at 21:00 on Sunday, defeat would dump them into the play-off before the final day. In town, fans and former players still fancy their chances of staying up.

According to L'Équipe, the cup final with Lens on 22 May looms, yet survival is the immediate task. Victory would secure it, a draw would do, a loss would drop Nice behind Auxerre.

At the club shop, staff hear constant comparisons with 1997, when a Cup win was followed by relegation, and many insist history cannot repeat. Others admit the final dominates conversation, though most want both safety and silverware.

Travel costs keep some at home, like Théo, 29, who will watch with friends and sees an upturn built on grit, including 0-0 at Lille and 1-1 against Marseille and Lens. He hopes for the same intensity and a settling win.

Ex-striker Alexy Bosetti, 33, back from keeping SS Milazzo up in Italy’s fourth tier, plans to join roughly 300 away fans on a 1,600 km, 24-hour dash. Battle-hardened with survival fights at Nice in 2014 and Annecy in 2023, he urges focus and notes Wahi could miss the final if booked.

He also warns Metz looked decent despite a 2-1 loss to Monaco, so nothing is guaranteed. Jérémy Pied expects a bruising game and cites wins at Angers, 2-0 on 14 March, and Nantes, 4-1 on 25 January. Claude Puel and captain Dante said they will not play for a draw, while fan Axel, 27, backs defensive solidity and the current Wahi-led formula.

Source: L'Équipe