Nicolas, 19 years old, OGC Nice supporter since childhood, season ticket holder in the popular section since 1999 and member of the BSN, and Stéphane, president of the Ultras Monaco and also an AS Monaco supporter since forever, speak in their own words about the hottest derby on the Côte d’Azur. Selected excerpts…
Monaco/Nice is coming up Saturday, what does this match mean to you?
Stéphane: In the current context, this match must be the shock treatment to get the season back on track. A victory is imperative. Otherwise, Monaco-Nice matches in general are quite heated, but we don’t obsess over this fixture. It’s a match worth three points, like any other.
Nicolas: Monaco-Nice is a match that stands apart, due to the distance between our two cities. It’s a clash of two cultures, but it’s still a good moment where we can have fun. In my opinion, this derby ranks second among French derbies behind Lyon-Saint Etienne and ahead of Lille-Lens.
What’s your take on your team’s start to the season?
Stéphane: We’ve had a very poor start to the season. The worst in a very long time. But we believe in our players, it’s up to them not to disappoint us. They promised us a victory for Saturday, let’s hope they keep their promises…
Nicolas: At home, we play good football but we can’t finish the game. We just won our first match at the Ray. Away we started well with two victories at Toulouse (2-0) and Paris (2-1). We lost our way a bit at Lille (4-0). We’re in a new phase that involves changing our playing style. We can “annoy” teams and produce good football against any opponent. I think it will take time for adaptation before the team really clicks and also for certain players to embrace the Nice mentality. They would also need to come greet us at the end of the match…
And what about the opposition?
Stéphane: I admit I don’t worry much about other teams. What matters above all is my team. But let’s say the Nice players are having a decent start to the season, average but nothing more, in line with the club’s capabilities.
Nicolas: Monaco, despite its two hard-fought victories against Nancy and Strasbourg, hasn’t proven anything at the football level and even less in terms of spirit. The new players are putting on airs while the old ones have swollen heads. I think Deschamps’ resignation will plunge them even further into crisis.
The Nice fans are going to arrive in droves at the Louis II, how does that strike you?
Stéphane: I think far too many tickets are sold to Nice fans, while Monaco supporters can’t find tickets to buy on the evening of the match. It’s a real shame! The club should make an effort in that regard and prioritize its own supporters.
Nicolas: At the Louis II, we’re at home. But we’d like to see the same enthusiasm for away trips to Lille, Lens or Le Mans. But it’s always nice to represent Nice at Monaco. We’re getting used to it now, and it’s true that we enjoy it.
Tell us how your Saturday is going to go?
Stéphane: Like before every match… We don’t make a big fuss about meeting our Nice neighbors, this isn’t the match of the year for us. Unlike them…
Nicolas: We’ll head down to Monaco early in the afternoon, cool off a bit and then slowly make our way to the stadium.
Will you be thinking of last year’s crazy match at kick-off?
Stéphane: Of course we’ll think about it, the reversal of the situation was so incredible. But I’m convinced that the Monégasques will want to forget their previous defeats.
Nicolas: We can only think about it. A crazy scenario! A fantastic match with intense emotion. Seeing our team come back from four goals down in fifteen minutes against Monaco is the ideal scenario. Even when down 3-0, the team stayed in it. Now, Saturday, it will be different.
We’ll encourage the players as always, and I think that when they step onto the pitch, seeing the Louis II with 80% Nice fans, they can only surpass themselves and give us a little gift.
What were the consequences for your team?
Stéphane: That match was somewhat the beginning of the end for us!!! It was from that point that the team fell apart.
Nicolas: In hindsight, we can say that it was the turning point for Victor Agali, who scored a hat-trick. We expected a lot from him, but you know what happened next. We had a difficult season at the football level.
Do you have a message for your one-night opponents? What don’t you like about them?
Stéphane: No, I don’t have a particular message for them, I’m not particularly interested in them…
Nicolas: We can’t blame them for “encouraging” their team, but as for the stands we don’t pay much attention… They have a handful of die-hards, but the rest of the stand has an average age of 13-14…
Monaco and Nice are just 20km apart, yet these two clubs are very different. Why?
Stéphane: First of all, the big difference is that Monaco has 25,000 inhabitants and Nice has 500,000. The teams don’t have the same level and don’t have the same budget. It’s therefore difficult to make a comparison. But we’re proud that our average attendance is higher than theirs, contrary to popular belief.
Nicolas: You know Monaco’s reputation and Nice’s reputation. We have a “popular” public, proud of its colors, of our region, of our culture, of our traditions. For all these reasons the public is passionate.
In contrast, Monaco, the Principality, where money flows easily. It’s a more refined public. But when you see what that produces in the stands, I’m proud to be from Nice.
A prediction for the match and the season?
Stéphane: A victory for the Red and White, and… a 2nd place finish in the championship!
Nicolas: A Nice victory 3-1, and for the season to finish around 10th place and play hard in one of the two cups. Getting to the Stade de France and a cup victory would be nice to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the BSN.
A final word?
Stéphane: DAGHE MUNEGU
Nicolas: I’m a proud Nice supporter!
NP and VT
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