Under a prison sentence for “provoking hatred on grounds of religion”, Youcef Atal will no longer wear the colors of OGC Nice. The Riviera club has decided to part ways with him this winter.
Youcef Atal and OGC Nice, it’s over. According to information from Nice-Matin, the Algerian international will no longer wear the colors of the Riviera club, which decided to part ways with him this winter.
The managers of the Gym, and more particularly the shareholder Ineos, did not appreciate the controversy caused by Atal’s post, which had relayed on social networks a video of a preacher calling for “a dark day for the Jews” following Hamas abuses in Israel. The player apologized, claiming not to have understood the meaning of the video he was relaying.
The 27-year-old right back, author of 12 goals in 101 Ligue 1 matches, retains a certain market value and Nice would not wish to part with him without financial compensation. It will therefore be necessary to find a buying club for a transfer, but “no club has yet taken a concrete position on the matter”according to Nice-Matin.
His future could depend on the court’s decision against him. Placed in police custody a week ago, Youcef Atal is summoned to appear before the criminal court on December 18, and risks a year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros. The LFP imposed a 7-match suspension on him for his post.
