Jean-Pierre Rivère spoke to the media after the match against Metz, at the end of Matchday 34, which sends Nice into the relegation play-offs, just days before the Coupe de France final in Saint-Denis. The president had a clear message: “As long as we’re not dead, we can get back up and believe.”

Nice are heading into the relegation play-off. What is your first reaction?

A huge disappointment. We had a small ray of sunshine with the Coupe de France final on Friday. Of course, we’re going to play it. But it won’t be in the same frame of mind as what we could have imagined.

Your thoughts on the incidents after the final whistle?

I regret them. It’s really unfortunate. Everyone has suffered this season. People can feel bitterness, anger, whatever they want… but the season isn’t over. We still have two Ligue 1 matches left, admittedly very difficult ones, but they’re there. If we didn’t have those two matches, I’d say, that’s it, it’s over. But as long as it’s not over, we have to keep going. So, will the players lift their heads again? Will we manage to rally everyone in the best possible way? The context is neither easy nor good. But tonight, the only thing we need to tell ourselves is this: we have to stay united. We’ll have time to look back on all this later. But as long as there’s still hope, we have to lift our heads and fight for it.

Are you worried about possible sanctions?

We’ll see. Closed doors or not, that’s not my concern tonight. I’m thinking about only one thing: trying to win these two matches. Or at least coming out on top in this two-legged tie (against Saint-Étienne, editor’s note). That’s the only thing that matters.

You mentioned the Coupe de France final. It’s in six days. Does it become secondary now?

Playing in a Coupe de France final is never secondary. I would have liked to secure survival before going to the Stade de France. It’s still a final. We’re going to play it; we’re not going to let it slip by. But the priority, we know, is no longer there. The most important thing will be the two matches that follow.

It feels like the match against Metz reflects the whole season…

If we’re in this position tonight, it’s because the season has been like this. That makes me even more disappointed. I spent 15 years at this club. I came back to help, hoping that… And we didn’t succeed, because the situation was unfortunately very difficult. And it still is tonight. That’s the proof. But we’re not dead yet. We can be on the ground, taking hits. As long as we’re not dead, we can get back up and believe.

Whatever happens over the next two weeks, will the season still be considered a failure?

Frankly, it’s been a catastrophic season. We shouldn’t hide from reality. But there are still three matches left. We’ll see what those three matches bring. And afterwards, whatever happens, it won’t have been a good season. Maybe we’ll stay up. Maybe we’ll win the Coupe de France. You’ll think I’m crazy. But why not? In any case, I believe that as long as the match isn’t over, even if we’re in extra time, we can still win it.

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