A year ago
With the distraction of being accused of making racist remarks while at Nice, Christophe Galtier is preparing for a crucial Ligue 1 match on Saturday.
After being accused of making racial remarks about players while serving as the manager of Nice, Christophe Galtier, the head coach of Paris Saint-Germain, has gained support.
The accusations were made in an email that Julien Fournier, a former Nice football director, is said to have sent before the end of the previous campaign.
The Athletic claims that Dave Brailsford, the director of sports for INEOS, the organization that owns Nice, was the email's intended recipient.
The email's contents were originally made public on Tuesday evening, with Galtier allegedly telling Fournier that the team "could not have so many blacks and Muslims in the team" according to Fournier.
After the completion of the previous season, Fournier and Galtier both left Nice, with Galtier being hand-picked to become the head coach of the champion PSG.
The 56-year-old PSG coach "contests with the utmost firmness" the allegations made against him, according to Olivier Martin, Galtier's attorney. Martin claimed Galtier "learned with shock of the offensive and slanderous words" in a statement to AFP.
In the email, Fournier allegedly made reference to John Valovic, the agent and Galtier's adopted son.
In reaction, Valovic wrote on Instagram: "All of you are appreciated for your help.
Allegations made against me are unjustified and unpleasant. They won't get away with it forever."
The seasoned Turkish striker Burak Yilmaz, who played for Lille under Galtier, claimed the accusations of racism did not match his own encounters.
On Wednesday night, Yilmaz said on Instagram: "I read the news today and I felt like I have to say something. Galtier and I both worked together, and I never experienced any animosity from him regarding my nationality or faith.
He is a fantastic person and a great coach.
José Fonte, a defender who won the Ligue 1 championship at Lille alongside Yilmaz under Galtier in 2020–21, emphasized the claims were unexpected.
Total Comments: 0