Everything should have been done and dusted. Packed, weighed, sent. When Andy Delort smashed his hat-trick in Reims and Lille did the work, everything was done: Le Gym were going back to Europe, Europe was coming to Le Gym; Nice were bound for travels and the travellers for Nice.

A week ago, the same case was being heard heard. The score was settled at the end of 45 sparkling minutes in which Les Aiglons left nothing, or almost nothing, to their first European opponent of the summer: Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

However, three months ago, football reminded us all that the tiniest of details can have the hugest of impacts. As it turned out, so much was changed by a goal scored in the last minute of the season by a direct opponent in another game (Rennes in this case), or by the goal that escaped us, on the edge of the Mediterranean, while a Rouge-et-Noir storm hit a cloudless but hot Bloomfield Stadium.

Yes, everything should have been stitched up that day, yet everything remains to be done. In Reims, Le Gym went looking for something to make them believe in their continental destiny. In Tel Aviv, they checked the pulse of European competition, observing - at their own expense - that efficiency remains the one and only truth. And by verifying that the destination sometimes counts more than the path by which it is reached.

Everything remains to be done and everything will be played out in an evening where the deal is clear: our Aiglons, trailing 1-0, will have to win by two goals to see the Conference League group stage, use extra time if they can't do it in an hour and a half, or even penalties if they only catch up by one goal and the suspense stretches to the end of the night. In short, they will have to continue what they are doing well and aim for the best. This is the only way to ensure that Europe does not fade away behind our backs after having passed under our noses.

Let us rejoice: our Gym will have to turn things around at home, at the Allianz Riviera. In front of their supporters. At home, in the most beautiful place in the world. In moments where everything is at stake, everything counts: including numerical superiority and knowledge of the place. The first leg, lost by our 11 men to their 12, was a reminder of this.

History, whatever happens, will be written on Thursday night. And now, more than ever, OGC Nice need you so that the final moment of a double confrontation embodies the first chapter of a new adventure...