The situation is tense. 24 hours from a crucial meeting for his end of the season in Nice (8th), undefeated for 14 games in all competitions (8 wins and 6 draws) during the 30th day of the championship, coach Christophe Galtier appeared determined this Friday during the press conference. Weakened by the two defeats (at home against Rennes and Lyon) in a row in L1, the Parisian coach will also play a (large) part of his future at the head of the team.
Six days after the defeat against Lyon, under what conditions did you prepare for this trip to Nice?
CHRISTOPHER GALTIER. We prepared well for the Nice match. I spoke with my players two days after the match. I spoke, I explained, I asked for more investment, personality. We must also be much more respectful of the instructions and the game plan, because we failed in the organization but also in the commitment. It was too insufficient and I told them on Tuesday.
What did the president tell you this Friday morning in the locker room before training?
The president came to see us, he spoke in the locker room. Everything that is said in the locker room stays in the locker room. But it was important that the president was there. He spoke to everyone, not just the players. I obviously feel concerned by the President’s speech.
Are the two upcoming games decisive?
These are important games. Nice have been on a huge unbeaten streak since Digard took over. It’s a team that has a lot of certainties, a lot of confidence, which is difficult to maneuver. Then there will be the reception of Lens, but first there is Nice. We are all well aware that we must do more, and I am in it when I say we. We must also show more personality, also have a lot of pride. Our situation is not acceptable. We must not act, but react.
Last week, you were questioned about your legitimacy to train this team. Are you under pressure?
Obviously, when there are defeats, and it was the 8th, a major defeat, it’s not a question of pressure, but of analyzing the moment T. Do I feel legitimate? Yes, I repeat. We obviously have to get out of this spiral. There is the 11th title at stake for Paris Saint-Germain. That’s what I told the players, we are six points ahead. But what do we do with these six points? Are we leaving ourselves in an impasse or are we reacting?
Laurent Blanc said that as soon as the C1 ends it gets complicated in the league…
The times are not the same. Previously there could be relaxation. The Parisians had a lot of points ahead. There, we have the pressure of competitors. We don’t have time to relax. After the two defeats we have to react.
How was Kylian Mbappé this morning in training? And how do you judge his position on Thursday after the broadcast of a video for the renewal campaign where he was at the center?
It’s very difficult to express myself, it obviously concerns Kylian and the club. Kylian was in very good shape to work this morning, he was smiling, he cut short the training session with hip discomfort, but that will not compromise his participation for Nice. I know there have been a lot of discussions between management and Kylian. The incident or misunderstanding is cleared up.
What diagnosis do you make of the team’s bad run?
I have my share of responsibility, the coach and his staff, the players too. When I spoke with the players at the beginning of the week, I mentioned the shares of responsibility. But once it’s done, what do we do? The question was there. The president spoke to everyone this morning, not just the players. I obviously feel concerned by the President’s speech. It shows that we cannot continue in this situation. It was a fairly clear and precise speech for everyone. Me too, including. You have to stay focused on work, have a fair analysis of bad times. Work, look for solutions, make sure that the players also react, do not give responsibility to so and so. We are all responsible for what happens. Victory belongs to everyone. In a bad period, everyone has their share of responsibility.
When you spoke to the players, did you get feedback, guarantees a posteriori on their commitments?
It wasn’t a dialogue, it was a speech, or a precise clarification of the situation. I met a few players one-on-one to clear things up and my thoughts. There is the whole, and also the individual cases. I spoke with some. Were there any exchanges in the locker room? I’m not in the locker room. I do not know. On the other hand, everyone trained well this week.
Can we expect a significant change from the starting XI that started against Lyon?
There is little opportunity for change, little competition. You can’t tell your players that they are going to leave the team, it’s a lie, they know the reality of the squad. On the other hand, there are some levers to improve different sectors. We conceded way too many goals. The ability to defend as a block, we are very average. And it’s hard to create chances. We all have to do more, have a better balance. Our game must become much more attractive again and we can project ourselves more quickly, for a long time and often.
The Niçois remain on three months without defeat. What are their strengths?
There were a lot of new players at the start of the season, with significant recruitment. It took some time to adapt. She is very compact, she defends with great seriousness, everyone is in unison on this desire to recover the ball. It has quality players on the offensive level, Moffi has arrived, players are returning to form, I am thinking of Nicolas Pépé. There is a very interesting attacking trio, and with players who have taken the measure of what Ligue 1 is, others are growing. It’s a very homogeneous team.