We were hoping for a big party in Place Masséna this Sunday. Dante perched on a double-decker bus, the Cup in his hands. A shower to water the crowd and recall the rainy and happy communion of 1997. None of that. In the aftermath of the bitter defeat against Nantes, we simply saw the crestfallen faces of the Gym supporters at Orly airport. Face closed, the eye tired after this night to dwell on this failed final. The defeat of the seesaw in the Gym season. A victory and the balance sheet would have been necessarily positive with a first title for 25 years and a guaranteed qualification for the group stage of the Europa League. This defeat finally plunges all the people of Nice into the blue fear of a white season.
Do we deserve Europe? I do not think so
From the intoxication of the summits, to the vertigo of the fall, the Gym supporters are dizzy and above all fear of the void after seeing this weekend their team lose this final and leave the Top 5 of Ligue 1. “Of course we are afraid of losing everything. It would be a disaster” dreads Fabrice, present at the Stade de France. “We saw on Saturday that we lacked humility and commitment so yes I am very worried.“Same concern for Thomas, prostrate on his seat in the departure lounge at Orly airport.We are very badly off. After this defeat I can’t see us succeeding in winning on Wednesday. I feel a break with the team.” “We are overrated,” adds his neighbor, a crumpled OGC Nice flag protruding from the suitcase. “We see that we have been bad for a while. A club like us should qualify for Europe. But do we deserve it? I do not think so.“
A mental bankruptcy
To the comments of this for France Bleu Azur, our football consultant Patrice Alberganti points to the failing mind of this team to explain this dropout, which is as violent as it is unexpected. “We lose ground mentally and we find ourselves in a negative spiral. Given the start of the season and the investments made last summer, yes for me it would be a disaster not to qualify for Europe. But there are three days left and the Gym still has its destiny in hand.”
The Gym still has its destiny in hand
Indeed, if the Galtier team wins against St-Etienne, Lille then Reims, she will be sure to finish in the Top 5 qualifying for Europe, objective declared and assumed by Galtier. “We have to wash our heads, we have to put our heart back into the work to be efficient from Wednesday against St-Etienne who is playing his maintenance. I will look at physical freshness and mental freshnessThe shipwreck can still be avoided. It’s up to the coach to take the helm again.