Bastia vs Nice - Favre will not use injuries as an excuse

Posted Thursday, January 19, 2017 by PA

Nice manager Lucien Favre feels his squad cannot use the absence of key men as an excuse when they look to get their Ligue 1 title bid back on track with victory at Bastia.

Strugglers Metz left the Allianz Riviera with a point following last Sunday's goalless draw, which allowed rivals Monaco and Paris St Germain to take full advantage.

Striker Mario Balotelli will return from suspension to bolster Favre's options, though goalkeeper Yoan Cardinale, defender Ricardo Pereira and and midfielder Younes Belhanda are injured while Jean-Michael Seri is away with Ivory Coast at the African Nations Cup.

Favre said at a press conference: "I don't really like talking about that. Of course it is a shame, there are a lot, it is huge, but that is the way it is, there is no point in moaning about it.

"We will continue to work hard and that is all. We can't do anything. We are not going to put Ricardo on the pitch for example.

"It is part of the game and that makes things more difficult. You have to deal with it.

"We are having a bit of bad luck at the moment, but it is difficult to measure."

Monaco won 4-1 at Marseille to claim top spot, while PSG's win at Rennes leaves the just three points behind the leaders, who each have 45 from their 20 matches.

Favre, though, is not worried by how the league table looks at the moment and is determined to take things step by step.

"Nice had been top since the sixth game, there will always be other teams, they are trying to catch you. It can be close but disappointment, to be honest no," he said.

"To be in the top three at the end of the season? We don't know which 'top' we will be in, top three, top four or top five."

Bastia come into Friday's match needing points to take them clear of what is just as tight battle to stay in Ligue 1.

Despite having lost three matches in succession, which included a 7-0 trashing by PSG in the Coupe de France, Favre will not underestimate the challenge of Francois Ciccolini's side.

"They are a team that is always well organised," the Nice manager said.

"They play with various systems and change a lot, both during a match and throughout the season, so they are very difficult to figure out."

Ciccolini is hoping the Stade Armand Cesari crowd can lift his men.

"Nice are a cut above, so we need the public pushes us and make a difference," he said at a press conference.

"Our system is not yet known, but it will be good for us and we will give everything."