Lucien Favre is no longer the trainer of OGC Nice, it reports L’Equipe. The blistering 1-0 cup defeat against the third divisionist Le Puy Foot 43 Auvergne would have been fatal for him. The performances of the southern French were also disappointing in Ligue 1. Nice is currently in eleventh place with 21 points from seventeen matches. The club has invested a lot in recent seasons, partly by chemical company and owner Ineos. Pablo Rosario is under contract with Nice.
Success trainer Favre was working on a second period at Nice this season. On July 1, 2016, he succeeded Claude Puel as head coach of Les Aiglons. In his first season he achieved a third in Ligue 1 and the club qualified for the Champions League for the first time in history. The following season was less successful with eighth place. In May 2018, Favre left for Borussia Dortmund, but there he was discharged on December 13, 2020 due to disappointing results.
On June 27 of the previous year, Favre returned to Nice. A lot was invested and big names such as Kasper Schmeichel, Aaron Ramsey, Nicolas Pépé, Kasper Dolberg, Sofiane Diop and Gaëtan Laborde were brought in. Still, the results were nothing to write home about. Nice only took 21 points from seventeen games in Ligue 1 and was therefore thrown out of the Coupe de France by a third divisionist. The results are good in the Conference League: Nice finished at the top of Group D and thus qualified for the last sixteen.
L’Equipe writes that the Nice club management had hoped that the results would be better after the World Cup. In Ligue 1, however, there was a draw against Lens (0-0) and lost 2-1 to Stade Rennes. Favre still led the training last Monday, but would have been informed of his dismissal that afternoon. His assistant Christophe Moulin, who came with Favre last June, also has to leave. Nice reserve coach Didier Digard will take over Favre’s duties on an interim basis.
Favre’s sacking marks the ninth sacking in Ligue 1 this season. Peter Bosz had the dubious honor of being the first to get his congé. He had to leave Olympique Lyon in October. After that, a trainer change was made at Stade Brest, AJ Auxerre, Stade Reims, Troyes, Angers SCO and RC Strasbourg, among others.