“He’s been in high-level football for more than 35 years, I had never heard of that”, is surprised Franck Haise, the coach of Lens

The day after the denials of Christophe Galtier’s lawyer following accusations of racist remarks that his client would have made during his time on the Nice bench last season, Franck Haise, the coach of Lens, was questioned on this affair at a press conference on Thursday 13 April. Two days before meeting his PSG counterpart at the Parc des Princes for the shock of the 31st day of Ligue 1 on Saturday, he called, like others, for patience.

“What I know and what I read is that there are two versions that clash. That’s the first thing”emphasizes Franck Haise. Christophe Galtier, he has been in top-level football for more than 35 years. I, who have also been there for a long time, had never heard of that.” Before calling back: “Sport and football in particular is a place of union, of social, cultural and religious diversity, of openness, of tolerance and it must remain so.”

Jean-Michel Aulas says he is “shocked and pained”

A position that others have taken. The president of Olympique Lyonnais, Jean-Michel Aulas, who rubbed shoulders with the technician when he was assistant to Alain Perrin in 2007-2008, said “very shocked and very sorry for Christophe”on leaving the headquarters of the FFF.

In a statement posted on his Instagram account, Turkish striker Burak Yilmaz describes him as “a fantastic coach and person”who never had “negative behavior” because of his religion or his nationality during their stay in Lille.

Stade Rennes coach Bruno Genesio, a friend of Christophe Galtier, could not escape a question about the controversy. “What I can say is that I know Christophe well.. If people come out with things like that, they have to talk about it. All I have to say is that I’ve never heard him say that, either in private or with other people.”