Dante blames ‘lack of commitment’ and ‘concentration’ following Nice’s defeat in Strasbourg | OneFootball

OGC Nice captain Dante (42) pointed to a ‘lack of intensity’ and a ‘lack of concentration’ following his side’s 3-1 defeat away to RC Strasbourg Alsace.

“We had two chances to create big opportunities in the first five minutes, and we didn’t take them. We couldn’t even get a shot on target. There’s a lack of intensity, a lack of concentration,” bemoaned the Brazilian veteran speaking to BeIN Sport after the match. “At some point, we all need to step up and take a hard look at ourselves. We can want to play with intensity, but we need to maintain technical precision.”

Having suffered their 15th defeat of the season, Les Aiglons now hold a lead of just five points over AJ Auxerre, who sit 16th and in the relegation play-off spot. This is an extremely precarious situation for Claude Puel’s men, for whom the end of the season looks set to be a tough one, with crucial fixtures against Lille OSC, Olympique de Marseille and RC Lens, as well as nerv-wracking matches against Le Havre (14th), Auxerre (16th) and FC Metz (18th).

“We’re in a situation we didn’t want to be in,” lamented Dante. “We’re going to have to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We need to be uncompromising, because the days of making excuses are over. There may be fear, but we also need to show courage.”

GFFN | Léo Aschi