Nice in crisis as Diop and Jansson dropped after Strasbourg defeat
OGC Nice is embroiled in a deepening crisis following a 3-1 defeat to RC Strasbourg, with manager Claude Puel confirming that Sofiane Diop and Isak Jansson have been dropped and fined for their conduct. The pair, along with Juma Bah, were substituted at half-time and subsequently refused to take their places on the bench for the second half, according to reports from French newspaper Nice-Matin.
The incident, which occurred during the final Ligue 1 matchday, has exposed significant internal tensions within the squad. Puel, speaking at a press conference on Friday, acknowledged the disciplinary issues but tried to downplay the severity. 'There were some gestures of anger, yes,' Puel stated. 'I must be careful of anything that could challenge the collective unity. We all need to be focused on the objective. It's an internal matter, but I am very vigilant on this. There are sanction scales, and they are applied.'
According to the report from Nice-Matin, both Diop and Jansson will not start in the upcoming match against Le Havre and have been fined. The internal strife was not limited to the halftime incident. Reports from the match describe several on-field altercations, with Sofiane Diop and Jonathan Clauss clashing during the game, and Nice midfielder Hicham Boudaoui reportedly exchanging heated words with Strasbourg's Elye Wahi.
Midfielder Morgan Sanson, who was vocal in the dressing room at halftime, defended his decision to speak out. 'I came to be measured, but then I thought about our first-half performance and I'd had enough,' Sanson told the press. 'I don't regret my words. I hope this feeling of being fed up is shared by the team.'
The 3-1 defeat leaves Nice in 15th place in Ligue 1, a precarious position just three points above the relegation playoff spot currently held by Auxerre. The club has won only one of its last five league matches, and the internal discord threatens to derail the end of their season. With the club's Ligue 1 status not yet secure, manager Claude Puel will need to quickly restore order and focus as they face a final, critical stretch of the campaign.
