The Swiss Lucien Favre was appointed Monday coach of OGC Nice, a position he had already occupied between 2016 and 2018, in place of Christophe Galtier, who is in discussions with Paris SG. “Christophe Galtier no longer manages the first team of OGC Nice. This Monday, the resumption of the Aiglons was led by Lucien Favre, whose return the club is proud to announce”, writes the OGCN in a press release.
“Respect and Admire”
Lucien Favre, who is 64, was without a club after being dismissed by Borussia Dortmund in December 2020. He will be presented at a press conference scheduled for 4:00 p.m. With him, Nice finished third in the 2016-2017 season, before a less brilliant 2017-2018 season that ended in 8th place. “I am absolutely delighted that Lucien Favre is joining us. He is an experienced coach, who has met with success in the Bundesliga, but also here in Nice”, said Jim Ratcliffe, owner of the club and the Ineos group, quoted in the press release. .
“Everywhere he has aroused respect and admiration. His way of developing his teams pleases us and corresponds perfectly to the vision that we have at Ineos of the style of play that we want for OGC Nice”, added the English billionaire. The club has also announced the arrival alongside Favre of Christophe Moulin and Arjan Peço, “who complete the current staff of the first team”. Favre should also have in his staff Frédéric Gioria, his former assistant, who was also that of Galtier last season and Patrick Vieira before.
Discussions between Christophe Galtier and PSG
The Riviera team resumed training on Monday morning, behind closed doors. The group that resumed work was deprived of internationals, including French hopefuls Khéphren Thuram and Amine Gouiri and Dane Kasper Dolberg. The arrival on the Côte d’Azur of Lucien Favre could pave the way for the imminent signing in Paris of Christophe Galtier, who would succeed Mauricio Pochettino and who will therefore only have stayed one year in Nice.
A week ago, in an interview with Parisian, the president of PSG Nasser Al-Khelaïi had confirmed the existence of discussions between his club and Galtier. “I hope that we will find an agreement quickly but I respect Nice and the president (Jean-Pierre) Rivère, each defends its interests”, he had said.