Best of 2023 – Ligue 1: Farioli and Nizza soar as only undefeated team in championship

In the latest Ligue 1 development, Francesco Farioli’s Nice has secured a 1-0 victory over rivals Marseille, continuing its impressive record this season. With Paris Saint-Germain striving to regain a “normal” team status, there are opportunities for outsiders like Nice to make their mark.

Described as distinctly ‘Italian artistry’ by Nice-based daily, Nice-Matin, this marks Nice’s third 1-0 victory in their last four matches. Key to their success has been a purposely defensive strategy, yielding just 4 goals while scoring 10 in the first nine league games, and six clean sheets.

Born in 1989, the young Tuscan coach, Francesco Farioli, is making strides in Ligue 1 particularly this season. His journey to the top began last June from the Turkish Süper Lig team, Alanyaspor. After the triumph over Marseille, managed by Gennaro Gattuso, Farioli mentioned during a press conference, “it would be very difficult to do better than this.” He continues, “considering we have faced top-tier teams and I never pay attention to the league table.” He also thanked the fans for their support, as stated in the L’Equipe.

Farioli’s team includes an impressive roster built on a balanced mix of young talents, like Marcin Bułka who replaced Kasper Schmeichel, former Sassuolo and Atalanta forward Jérémie Boga, Nigerian striker Terem Moffi, and the prodigious Khéphren Thuram, along with experienced players like the Brazilian footballer Dante who recently turned 40.

Although the season is still in its early stages, nine matches in – the statistics demonstrate the potential this Nice team possesses to truly surprise. After several years of ups and downs, Nice fans dare to dream big. Could this be their year?