In the history of European disasters, certain series resemble endless falls. That of OGC Nice, now blocked at 17 consecutive games without a winalready seems dizzying, to the point of making the Riviera club the new symbol of French shipwrecks in the European Cup. But this sad toll, as heavy as it may be, does not yet reach an absolute record… established by a club which has managed to make twice as bad.
Nice equals the worst French record… but worse exists
This club is
Vallettahistorical formation of Malta, remained 33 matches in a row without a victory on the European scene. A performance which almost needs no comment, but which offers at least a meager consolation prize to Nice: the disaster has existed elsewhere for a long time. Still, the comparison does not erase the alarming observation around the Aiglons, beaten 3-0 in Porto and unable to put a single shot on target at the DragĂŁo.
And for good reason: the figures are cruel. Nice becomes the first French club to lose its first 7 matches of a European seasonexceeding the OM version 2013-2014. With
24 defeats in the Europa Leaguethe Gym now surpasses Marseille (23rd) and displays a historic rate: 73% defeats in the competition, the worst ratio ever observed among clubs having played at least 20 matches.
Franck Haise, at the heart of the turmoil. While Nice is sinking into a historic crisis in Europe (17 games without a victory), the coach is trying to find solutions to avoid free fall.
A negative spiral that engulfs the entire club
Added to this sporting failure is a tense atmosphere. Franck Haise is going through his first real storm since his arrival on the CĂ´te d’Azur. Recognizing a “crisis of results”, the coach assumes his responsibilities but struggles to re-mobilize a visibly fractured group. Some executives are reportedly tired of his speech, others doubt his tactical choices, and his media outings irritate as much as they worry.
Management is not spared either: criticism targets recruitment, internal communication and management considered too political. The supporters, despite their massive presence in Porto, oscillate between anger and weariness. On the networks, Nice is described as the
“laughing stock of French football”, an image that the current spiral only fuels.
To avoid approaching the world record, Nice will have to react in a still demanding league phase. The next opponents — Bodo/Glimt, Elfsborg and Rangers — will outline the real extent of the crisis. Only one certainty: Europe has never looked so much like a minefield for Gym.
