On Tuesday evening, the round of 16 of the Coupe de France will kick off, with nine teams set to advance to the next stage by Thursday. One notable match is the Marseille-Nice Mediterranean derby, which will take place at the Vélodrome. Both Marseille and Nice were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the League Cup last week, facing Lyon (1-2) and Nantes (3-4), respectively.
Fabrice Abriel, who played for OM from 2009 to 2011 and now wears the Nice jersey, shared his perspective on the rivalry. According to Abriel, the anticipation for the match is higher on the Nice side, and he recalls that during his time at OM, discussions focused more on the Clasico against Paris. Despite acknowledging the change in mindset for OM after the coaching change, Abriel believes Nice can shake them up. He sees the Coupe de France as a real objective for both teams, aiming to reach the Stade de France for the progression of the group, and the journey begins with the match against Marseille.
