Speaking ahead of OGC Nice’s match against table-toppers Stade Brestois, Francesco Farioli has bemoaned the state of the Allianz Riviera pitch, after the stadium hosted four Rugby World Cup games in the space of a little over a week.
Wales faced Portugal on Saturday 16th September before matches between England and Japan (17th September), Italy and Uruguay (20th September) and Scotland and Tonga (24th September). Those matches have done considerable damage to the pitch, and it has meant that OGC Nice haven’t featured at home for a month. Farioli has gone so far as to say that the state of the pitch has “disturbed his sleep.”
“It is something that disturbed my sleep. We had a perfect pitch, surely one of the best in Ligue 1. After seeing pictures of the pitch today, I’d say it’s not in an acceptable state. It’s not respectful to the supporters. Having a good pitch is important to play our game and to avoid injuries to our players. It’s everyone’s responsibility that after tomorrow’s match, the pitch is changed to lay down a hybrid pitch,” said Farioli in a press conference, transcribed by L’Équipe.
Should Nice beat Brest on Sunday, they will return to the top of Ligue 1. Les Aiglons temporarily took top spot following a late win against local rivals OGC Nice on Friday. However, Éric Roy’s side’s victory against Olympique Lyonnais saw them take top spot in Ligue 1 for the first time since the 2010/11 season. Nice will also be celebrating the stadium’s 10-year anniversary during the game.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
