A press conference was held at the Allianz Riviera to present the six new players for the upcoming season.
Walter Benitez, Dalbert Henrique, Anastasios Donis, Wylan Cyprien, Arnaud Lusamba, and Arnaud Souquet were the center of attention this Tuesday at noon. In the press room, the six players interacted with the media for nearly an hour.
Before them, President Jean-Pierre Rivère and coach Lucien Favre reminded everyone that “the transfer window was longer than usual.” They attributed this to “greedy clubs who thought we had more resources.” The Swiss coach, still searching for at least three experienced players, warned: “This year will be a transitional season.” And the Nice president addressed the questions everyone had: “Dante and Carlos Eduardo are among the players we considered.” The mention of names in the press? “It’s part of the game,” commented Jean-Pierre Rivère modestly.
No worries for the new Aiglons coach: “We’re betting on the future, integrating many young players. The goal is to have a competitive team on the field, and for all competitions.”
Jean-Pierre Rivère is also clear on the subject: “We will fully compete in all the competitions. We fought to earn a place in the European Cup, not to just sit it out.” For this, Lucien Favre plans to change “four to five players” between the back-to-back games from Thursday to Sunday. All while staying competitive? “We are building a group to achieve that. We are still looking for three experienced players, otherwise recovery will be complicated.”
The six new players of the Gym then shared a few words with the journalists. Their ambitions, their goals, their desires… Whether it’s “to play as many games as possible” for Arnaud Souquet, “starting over to integrate into the group” for Wylan Cyprien… And even aiming to join the Brazilian national team for Dalbert Henrique. Why not?
Anastasios Donis is eager to enjoy a team “that plays young talents,” while Arnaud Lusamba is thrilled to “work with a young group, sharing the same interests.”
At the end of the press conference, the recruits discovered the Allianz Riviera locker rooms before going on to inspect their new home, which will welcome them for the first time of the season on Saturday against Rennes.
