By winning Thursday against Hapoël Beer-Sheva (1-0) on behalf of the 2nd day of the Europa League, Nice won a very precious victory after their initial defeat on the field of Bayer Leverkusen there is one week (6-2).
However, no one, Thursday, at the Allianz Riviera, had the heart to rejoice at this beautiful reaction.
And everyone had a strong thought for the three victims of the attack perpetrated the very morning of the meeting at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption.
Starting with the coach of the Aiglons, Patrick Vieira, whose emotion was important when presenting himself at the press conference: “It's complicated to talk about football after the attack.
We think of the families of the victims, of all those Niçois who are in suffering, in mourning.
It seems ridiculous, of course, but it's our job, and we also wanted to represent the colors of the club.
This drama affects us all.
The country is in mourning.
But you have to stay upright. ”
"Staying up".
Jean-Pierre Rivère, the president of OGC Nice, used exactly the same image in the columns of L'Equipe.
“This match had to take place, not for football per se, but for the symbol.
We cannot get down on the ground.
Yes, it's only a game: people might say "Why are they playing a football match?"
We played it precisely because it was symbolic.
To play it was to say: We are standing. "
And the Riviera leader to summon the sad memory of another attack in Nice, that of July 14, 2016. “Four years ago, everyone was deeply sad, but we had been able to share that between us.
It gave us strength, pride, to say to ourselves: We are going to get over this together. "
Hence this desire to play this Thursday evening, even though the prefecture had, in the wake of the announcement of the attack on the basilica, decided to postpone the meeting.
Before changing his mind.
“Football comes next, even if it's our job. We were very touched and it's good to end this day with a victory. ”
Dante
On the player side, too, the heads were very heavy, as Brazilian defender Dante explained.
“It was a special, sad context.
Of course, we talked to each other.
We had already planned not to celebrate the goal too much.
We are, all in the group, very touched.
It hurt us.
On behalf of the group, we send our condolences to the affected families.
Football comes next, even if it's our job.
We were very touched and it's good to end this day with a victory. ”
But it will take a long time, a lot of time, before Nice manages to turn the page, as Jean-Pierre Rivère explained with emotion: “Beyond the symbol, because it was in a church, you say it can happen anywhere, anytime.
It adds an atmosphere ... We experienced it four years ago.
It took a long, long time to evacuate.
It is still present in the minds of many. ”
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