After the heavy defeat against Lyon, Jean-Pierre Rivère clearly stated that Lucien Favre would remain in post. Confidence that was shown both in front of the press, but also and more importantly within the dressing room, in front of the players, staff, and of course, the Swiss coach.

"Outraged" that his words could be put into question in L’Equipe ("Nice spoke to Galtier" was the headline on Friday), the President of OGC Nice spoke ahead of the pre-match press conference, at lunchtime. Not to "reassure his coach", but to clarify the situation in no uncertain terms.

"During the trqnsfer windows, you know that I never tell the truth. But in everyday life, what I say is worth a lot more than an article. Here, we are doubting the words of an director. I had said after Lyon, that we were not planning to change change the coach, that Lucien would be our coach until the end of the season, without discussion. There is one thing that is important when a club is going through a difficult patch, solidarity. And I think that I demonstrated that as an executive. It’s together that we find solutions. I had also said that to the supporter groups. It was before we went to Toulouse."

According to L’Equipe, the Gym’s President apparently made the most of the trip to the Ville Rose  to speak about the future with Christophe Galtier. "It’s embarrassing. Before writing hare-brained ideas like this, you need to check" Jean-Pierre Rivère clearly explained. "To go to Toulouse, I travelled with the players, I stayed in the same hotel, the same bus… We stayed together in the stadium and then left together. So to write that I met with Christophe Galtier in secret, it’s pure scandal."

No secret meeting. But on the contrary, a few weeks later, a cordial handshake, when Christophe Galtier attended, like he did last weekend at the Vélodrome, the match against Zulte Waregem at the Allianz Riviera. In view of everyone present. "On that day, when one of my colleagues told me that he was here and I went to greet him, I said to him that the next day, people would say that he was going to sign for Nice... », he told ironically.

From his side of things, Christophe Galtier, has made clear that he hadn’t didn’t continue reading the article, by sending his response on Friday morning to the daily newspaper via his agent. An equally categorical denial. Out of politeness, the former Verts coach also called Lucien Favre to say to him that he wouldn’t accept that he could think of him in that way.

Le représentant de Christophe Galtier nous a fait suivre son email adressé à @lequipe pic.twitter.com/XRfkY5y4CE

— OGC Nice (@ogcnice) 15 décembre 2017

After having spoken of his anger, Jean-Pierre Rivère handed over to Lucien Favre. Who, disappointed by this "untruth", reminded those present that he has never had even the slightest problem with the confidence of the owners.

L.O.

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