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Violence mars Nice’s Europa Conference opener

by: Luke Entwistle
09/09/2022

Clashes between OGC Nice’s ultras and the travelling FC Köln fans overshadowed the Europa Conference League opener at the Allianz Riviera on Thursday.

The fights, which were instigated by the travelling Köln fans who descended on Nice in droves, almost led to the postponement of the match. RMC had reported that the match had been called off completely amidst great uncertainty, diffusing the situation briefly, until a 55-minute delay to the 18:45 match was announced.

The build-up to the ugly scenes was incremental. It is reported that as many as 10,000 Köln fans made the trip to Nice for the opening gameweek of the Europa Conference League, the third tier of European football.

Many of them gathered in Place Masséna, Nice’s main square, during the day time. Whilst the gathering passed largely without incident, Nice’s official store, which is located within the square, was vandalised by a Köln ultras group. Local authorities later announced that they would be billing the club for the damages.

The problems started on the way to the stadium itself, which is located kilometres away from the city centre. In the sweltering heat, many marched to the stadium from the city centre in a journey that took approximately three hours, Köln fans revealed to Monaco Life.

Others opted for the tram which, apart from driving, is the only other method of getting to the stadium. It had been known that Köln fans would arrive en-masse, and figures of 10,000 fans were touted days before the match. However, seemingly, no measures were taken to cope with this huge influx of people.

Not only were no extra trams put on, but delays to the service meant that line 3 trams were packed to the brim with Köln and Nice fans. Difficulties continued upon arrival at the stadium. In the Nice end, fans were told that they would not be allowed to bring bags into the stadium, a rule that had not been enforced previously, causing delays.

According to Köln fans that spoke to Monaco Life, the food and drinks bars were woefully understaffed with reports of waits for drinks of over 40 minutes. But it was in the stands themselves that the real chaos had descended. Köln fans, situated at the complete opposite end of the ground, made their way – unopposed – to the other side of the stadium before launching flares at the small crowd of Nice Ultras.

Photo by Luke Entwistle

Ugly scenes ensued. According to L’Équipe, 32 people were injured in the mass brawls, which included launching missiles and flares. One of those injured is in a serious condition having fallen five metres into the stand below.

There are reports that fans of the now unrecognised PSG ultras group ‘Supras’ had infiltrated the Köln away stand, as well as fans of rival German team Borussia Dortmund. In attendance at the match, Monaco Life can confirm that a ‘Supras’ flag was present in the away end. It has also been confirmed that two of those injured are part of the Parisian group.

As a result of the unfettered chaos within the stadium, the entrances to the stands were closed as security forces grappled to regain control of the situation. Köln fans reported being locked out of the stadium for almost an hour.

In the meantime, it was unclear as to whether any football would be played. Journalists and fans were left in the dark until a tannoy announcement, after the scheduled kick-off time, reported that the game would kick-off at 19:40. It has been reported that local authorities and the Nice president, Jean-Pierre Rivère, had pushed for the game to be postponed.

Köln captain Jonas Hector came onto the pitch to calm the travelling fans, whilst urging them to support the team in the right way. Thereafter the situation calmed and the match went ahead, eventually finishing 1-1.

In order to avoid further trouble, Nice fans were designated buses to return to the city, and only Köln fans could return via tram.

The incident raises major questions about the local authorities’ handling of major sporting events. Their solution so far to the problem has been to prevent away fans from travelling to Nice, as was the case when Marseille played the club a couple of weeks ago. However, when they are unable to do so, as is the case with European fixtures, they have no answer and the scenes in the city centre, on the public transport system, and in and around the stadium attest to that.

Lessons must be learnt, and quickly, in order to avoid a repeat of the violent scenes that, not for the first time, have dominated a major sporting event on the Riviera.

 

 

Photo above by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

 

 

Prince inaugurates archeology museum in Corsica

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/09/2022

Prince Albert II has travelled to the town of Lucciana, in Corsica, to officially inaugurate the Archaeological Museum of Mariana – Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

Open for more than a year, the exhibition and research space, a Musée de France, presents objects that have been discovered in excavations of the Roman and early Christian site of Mariana.

Surrounded by a large Monegasque delegation including those from the Palace, the Government, the National Council and the Municipal Council, and in the presence of high-ranking Corsican personalities, Prince Albert toured the contemporary museum, which traces a part of ancient history and medieval Corsica.

Photo credit: Gaetan Luci, Prince’s Palace

In 2003, Prince Rainier III and Hereditary Prince Albert, accompanied by 200 pilgrims from the Principality, commemorated in the Cathedral of Canonica in Lucciana the 17th centenary of the martyrdom of Saint Devota, patroness of the Principality and of Corsica.

The links between Monaco and Lucciana have continued to strengthen since the twinning of the two municipalities in 2009. As the cradle and place of martyrdom of the protector of the Sovereign Family, the Corsican municipality belongs to the network of Grimaldi historic sites of Monaco. Prince Albert took advantage of this trip to officially unveil, in the company of local Mayor José Galletti, the sign indicating membership of this association.

Lucciana will participate in the 4th meeting of Grimaldi Historic Sites which will take place in June 2023 at the Place du Palais.

 

Photos credit: Gaetan Luci, Prince’s Palace

 

 

 

Embolo gives Monaco winning start in Serbia

by: Luke Entwistle
09/09/2022

AS Monaco edged a narrow victory against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia on Thursday, as Philippe Clement’s men got their Europa League campaign off to the perfect start.

The importance of the result mustn’t be underestimated, nor should the performance put in to achieve it be undervalued. As Philippe Clement pointed-out post-match, before Monaco’s victory, only one other team has come away with the win from the Red Star stadium in European competition in the last three years.

It is also, theoretically, the club’s toughest fixture of the group stages. Whilst the trips to Ferencváros and Trabzonspor will prove challenging, Monaco have already faced the top-ranked side away.

Just as it was against Nice, Monaco’s game plan was based upon defensive strength and verticality in the transitions. Their first chance came from one such transition. Aleksandr Golovin won the ball back, feeding it into Wissam Ben Yedder, who put Mohamed Camara in on goal, but the Malian international’s effort curled just wide.

It was a game of few gilt-edged chances in the Serbian cauldron, but Monaco still had to rely on goalkeeper Alexander Nübel to make some important saves to keep the scores level.

Monaco got their opener in rather innocuous circumstances. A harmless cross was played over the head of Golovin, who whilst trying to turn and retrieve the ball was clipped and sent tumbling, with the referee pointing to the spot.

Breel Embolo, who scored the only goal at Nice on Sunday stepped up to drive the penalty home and continue his impressive start in Monégasuqe colours. Monaco could have had a second when the referee pointed to the spot again after Embolo was felled in the box. However, VAR replays showed that the Red Star defender had got a touch on the ball and the original decision was rightly overturned.

That decision was ultimately inconsequential as Monaco held on for the victory. Despite the victory, Clement bemoaned Monaco’s end-product, saying that his team “lacked the final ball.” Therefore, despite consecutive victories, there are areas still for improvement. Clement will be hoping that his side has more of a cutting edge when Lyon visit the Stade Louis II on Sunday evening.

 

 

Photo source: AS Monaco

 

 

 

 

 

New-look Ferrari head into Italian GP with a familiar feeling

by: Luke Entwistle
08/09/2022

The tifosi will descend en masse on Monza this weekend to cheer on Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz during an Italian GP that will ultimately feel inconsequential to the title race.

The Italian GP has thrown up many surprises in recent years. Pierre Gasly got his first, and so far only, race win at the iconic circuit in 2020, whilst last year, McLaren secured a one-two with Daniel Ricciardo taking the chequered flag.

Few are expecting a surprise winner this weekend, but the major surprise is the way in which the title race is poised, or not, going into the race weekend itself. This was supposed to be a triumphant return for Ferrari, a pivotal race in the constructors and drivers’ titles. Such was the expectation pre-season and during the opening races, that it was almost unfathomable to think that by the beginning of September there would be a run-away championship leader, even more so if one was to say that the runaway leader wasn’t even at the wheel of a Ferrari single-seater.

But this is the reality for Ferrari. Although there will be the usual fanfare that accompanies the event, the on-track action is likely to feel utterly inconsequential. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen now has a lead of over four race wins with just eight races remaining. Only a collapse of epic and unprecedented proportions will deny the Dutch driver consecutive titles. Speaking after Verstappen’s fourth consecutive win in the Netherlands last weekend, Leclerc all but threw in the towel, admitting that the gap is “now really big”.

So, Ferrari head into the race in an all too familiar position in recent seasons. They may be able to race for the win, but they aren’t in the race for titles. Few would have thought that to be the case when Leclerc stormed to pole and took the race win at the opening race in Bahrain.

Ferrari have, however, been handed a boost. The Mercedes has looked resurgent in recent races, and whilst they still lack straight-line speed, they were nonetheless expecting to challenge the Ferrari for the “best-of-the-rest title”. However, Lewis Hamilton is set to start from the back of the grid after taking an engine penalty. They will therefore only have George Russell to contend with.

And whilst Ferrari come into their home race with the familiar feeling of being out of the championship race, they do so with unfamiliar livery. There will be a temporary sprinkling of yellow added to the car, whilst Sainz and Leclerc will be dressed in yellow and black to mark 75 years since Scuderia was founded, which, along with blue, is one of the colours of the Modena emblem.

Ferrari may not be in the front for the title, but they remain in the hunt for race wins, and regardless of the larger context, a win at Monza will do a lot to lift the mood of the tifosi, who are dreaming of a repeat of 2019.

 

 

Photo source: Scuderia Ferrari Press Centre

 

 

 

 

 

Dan Luger: “I think the future of rugby in Monaco is bright”

by: Luke Entwistle
07/09/2022
England Rugby World Cup winner Dan Luger in Monaco

Former England international rugby player Dan Luger speaks to Monaco Life about the Principality’s medical scene for athletes, and the “untapped” but significant rugby community.

Dan Luger led a glistening rugby career, representing England and the British and Irish Lions on numerous occasions. During that time, he was part of England’s triumphant 2003 World Cup winning squad, and finished his international career with an exceptional record of 24 tries in 38 appearances. Now residing in the Principality having finished his playing career down the coast in Nice, he is grateful for Monaco’s innovative medical industry for a life-extending operation, as well as their advanced post-professional treatments.

Monaco Life: Dan, can you explain the surgery that you underwent in Monaco?

Dan Luger: One of the things that I think Monaco has done very well over the last few years is striving to be the best in everything. I think that’s what Monaco should be. I see it as the Formula 1 of everything, and why not? There’s no reason for it not to be. There is the intelligence, the people and the money for it to be like that. I was born with a condition that meant that I’d need to have my heart valve replaced at some point. I was going to have the operation two or three years ago and I was going to have it in Monaco and it was going to be a replacement of a valve.

However, as the world has moved forward, and Monaco has kept pace with that, they have a very good young surgeon, Wautot Fabrice, who does a new operation where they repair it. What that meant for me was that instead of having to take medication for the rest of my life and having to have my valve replaced every 10 years, I can go back to a completely normal life and normal sport, and I’ll live longer. That to me is a complete game changer and I’m very thankful that Monaco has a CCM, a specialist centre for cardiology and they’re very progressive and world-leading. For me it’s been a game-changer in terms of what it means for my life. There aren’t many doctors doing it. It’s largely the younger, more progressive doctors who want to try the new techniques.

Unfortunately, you were dogged by injuries throughout your career, how do you rate post-professional treatment in Monaco?

For me it’s been fantastic. If anything, when you stop playing, your body worsens in a way because all of the old injuries come back, as well as things that maybe weren’t a problem at the time. A bit of arthritis starts to kick in, the joints start to get sore. So, you need to keep training, you need to keep moving. I’ve had my issues, and I had another operation nearly two years ago where I had a laminectomy and they took some bone out of the back. Once again, it was a similar kind of path. I went and spoke to doctors everywhere and they wanted to fuse my spine, which is great, but it’s a much more serious operation and normally that creates issues later on. Here, Doctor Taylor, didn’t want to fuse it, he wanted to take some bone out, take some tissue out and put a cist in there and just release it so it stays as natural as possible. It might take longer to recover, but longer term, it’s a better operation. So, I’ve had two experiences of surgery, but they have both been very beneficial for me; two good experiences of surgeries in Monaco, where they thought differently and did something differently to other places in Europe, and the world.

In general in Monaco, it’s like a village in size, but on the flip side it’s a city in terms of the facilities it has. There are some great physios here, you have great gyms like Club 39, where some of the top athletes in the world like Novak Djokovic train. In terms of sport and fitness, Monaco is progressive at every level – from the fitness to the sports level, to the athletes that live here, the physios, healthcare then obviously the top level with operations. It’s great to see. I’m not sure if it’s a conscious decision from the Principality, or whether it’s happened organically because of the athletes that are here and that’s attracted the right people.

You enjoyed an impressive, trophy-laden career. What are the biggest highlights?

Obviously for me, the World Cup win in 2003 was something amazing. I played for the British Lions, even though I missed out on the test match because of another injury, which was once again over and above what I ever expected. For me though, the biggest thing was always playing for England, and especially playing for England at Twickenham. My first ever game at Twickenham was one of my biggest highlights. If you had said to me, ‘You can play one game in your whole life, and that will be for England at Twickenham,’ I’d be happy. I got to play many times after that as well.

My first game was against South Africa in 1998. They were world champions at the time, and we actually beat them that day. If they had won, they would have broken the world record with 19 wins in a row, and we stopped them. I was instrumental in that game: it was my first cap and I picked up a try, and prevented a try right at the end. That was one of my highlights. You feel so blessed to play. In my first Six Nations game against Scotland a few months later, I just remember a scrum happening and I was looking around the stadium like ‘wow, I’m actually here playing for England; it’s a bit surreal really.’ I was very fortunate to be part of a great team of players.

Everyone goes on about 2003, but that squad of players probably got together in 1997; I got my first cap in ‘98. From then until 2003 it was basically the same group of players. For us, that whole journey was a special few years, even if there was a lot of heartache over the years with failed attempts to win the grand slam. In 1999 we lost against Wales, 2000 against Scotland, 2001 against Ireland. We eventually won that in 2003, which for me was a massive, massive highlight. It was a journey, a five-year journey. It wasn’t something that was built overnight. It’s something that will live with you forever. I was so lucky to play in a team that won a World Cup, just playing for England, representing your country, I don’t think there’s anything better. Whatever happens in my life now, no one can ever take away from me the fact that I represented my country in sport. I feel very lucky.

AS Monaco Rugby have just been promoted to the Fédérale 2, do you see the potential for a blossoming rugby scene in the Principality?

Nice used to be a big rugby town, but that’s fallen away a bit. A lot of people in Monaco are rugby followers. I think there is a massive, untapped rugby community, especially amongst the Anglo Saxons. The Monaco rugby club has done amazing things. I’ve been involved with them in a very minor way for maybe eight years. They’ve built the club organically; they haven’t had big sponsors, they haven’t had a stadium, but somehow they’ve managed to build it. Now they’ve finally got to the stage where they’re going up every year, they’ve got their own stadium in Beausoleil. The pitch is amazing, the stands are amazing, there is big change coming up now.

Of course, they’re now in Fédérale 2, which is proper rugby. They’re going to have their own clubhouse, which they haven’t had until now. Having a clubhouse can make it social and more and more people will start to come, so I think the future of rugby in Monaco is bright.

 

 

Photo of Dan Luger by Monaco Life

 

 

 

 

Real estate is booming in French Riviera, new builds can’t meet demand

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/09/2022

Housing prices in Nice have continued to rise this year, with demand outstripping supply and the return of international purchasers keeping the market red hot.

People have been drawn to the Côte d’Azur since it first became a fashionable wintering spot for the elite in the late 1800s. The natural beauty coupled with mild winter temperatures made it a favourite watering hole of the rich and famous, bringing glamour and a buzz to the region.

The area has retained this lustre in modern times, with real estate prices reflecting the desirability of the Côte even today.

The housing market in Nice is particularly hot at the moment, with agents finding it hard to find enough properties to fill demand.

“We are facing an extremely dynamic market,” said Leprince Immoblier founder Samuel Benzazon in an interview with Seloger. “Demand is substantial in the sector and the supply of goods available for sale is not enough to meet it. This creates real estate tension that leaves little room for a slowdown in price increases in recent months.”

According to Benzazon, the clientele is a mixture of French as well as Americans and Europeans looking to buy a second home that they can rent out seasonally. But it’s an expensive luxury, with a 47m2, three-room apartment with a terrace in the Wilson neighbourhood recently going for €320,000, and a one-bedroom on the Place Mozart that just went for an eye-watering €590,000.

Houses are going for more, unsurprisingly, with a villa in the Liberation district selling for €1.3 million and one in ritzy Cimiez fetching €2.150 million.

In presenting the figures for the first half of 2022 in the Alpes-Maritimes, the CCI Housing Real Estate Observatory recently revealed that resales increased during the first half of 2022 by 15%, pushing the average price per square metre to €4,710 in the department.

There has been a 13% increase in demand for new builds, however there has also been a severe shortage in the new housing market, pumping prices to €6,341 per square metre. According to the CCI, properties in this category go quickly, and are on the market for less than six months.

The shortage has been blamed on the price of electricity, which has multiplied by 10 since the beginning of the year, as well as a significant rise in raw materials, inflation and an increase in interest rates. Obtaining building permits has also become complicated, say the experts.

As a result, builders are less confident of finishing projects while the general public are less inclined to make purchases and investments.

Even with economic trouble swirling in the distance, the local market is not expected to see a drop in prices, though less homes will be up for sale over the winter.

 

 

Photo of Nice by Monaco Life