Through the close relationship of their presidents, Montpellier and Reims are two close clubs. A situation belied by their start to the season, before their duel, this Sunday October 6 (5 p.m.) in Champagne.
In May 2012, one broke into legend. The other awakens the first legend of French football. On May 20, Montpellier climbed to the roof of French football via the emergency staircase. A few days earlier, Reims was resurrected in Ligue 1 after a 33-year eclipse. He frees himself from the burden of the myth of the Kopa, Fontaine, Piantoni team… which in the 1950s drew French football on the map of Europe (two finals against Real Madrid) and the World (3rd place in the Blues in Sweden).
Twelve years later, Stade de Reims and Montpellier Hérault live on the same floor in Ligue 1, between the vain hopes of Europe and the dizziness of relegation. They maintain a good neighborliness thanks in particular to the close relationship of their presidents, Laurent Nicollin and Jean-Pierre Caillot. Influential members at the office of the Professional Football League (LFP) in support of the controversial president Vincent Labrune.
At the start of the season, everything is not going as well for one as for the other. After six days, Reims follows the stunning footprint of Brest and occupies 4th place among the candidates for the title, Paris, Marseille, Monaco, Lille… Coincidence of the calendar? Not even. Luka Elsner effect, coach inducted this summer at the expense of Will Still? Maybe. At the other end of the ranking, Montpellier drags out its summer languors, its frozen squad and its repeated injuries. And wants to escape the emergency of a barrage under the effect of a first success against Auxerre (3-2) and a frustrating defeat at Monaco (2-1).
Nicollin: “Caillot can come and sleep at home”
“We are 16th, they are 4th. You don’t have to leave Science Po to see that the Stade de Reims is making a better start”snaps Laurent Nicollin. “In content, the defeat at Monaco was better than the victory against Auxerre. This is a reason for hope. Reims has better dynamics, but that can be reversed”observes midfielder Joris Chotard, who is not fatalistic.
The gap between Montpellier and Reims is surprising. Since 2018, and the lasting return of the Champenois to Ligue 1, one and the other have most often followed each other. Reflection of a double-digit budget, a similar policy and a fairly close vision between Laurent Nicollin and Jean-Pierre Caillot. “Reims has its history, we have ours. We are a bit in old-fashioned football. On a human level, we quickly became closer. Our first contacts date from the corporate championship. We are business leaders, we with the trash cans, him with the trucks. The reality of work, management of employees and unions, problems with staff… This brings us together in today’s football, where there are many delegate presidents of very wealthy owners.explains the Montpellier president.
Caillot and Nicollin, anchored in their hometown, talk about the same economic reality, the same football. And keeps getting closer. “I don’t open my door easily, but he can come and sleep at home. I also invited him to my second wedding. When he comes to Montpellier, we go to eat together with his wife”confides Laurent Nicollin.
Supports from Labrune
Their proximity makes it possible to resolve certain matters such as the transfer in 2017 of Michel Der Zakarian, then under contract in Reims. “We don’t talk for three hours about something. It’s either yes or no. If it’s yes, we find a solution. For Michel, it was done in twenty minutes. Our proximity has- Did it make things easier? I still paid for the transfer.he smiles.
They took the full brunt of the TV rights crisis. Paradoxically, both stepped up to defend Vincent Labrune, re-elected president of the LFP, despite the failure to renew the contract and the break with Canal +. They suffer from collateral damage and the degraded image of the LFP strongman. They maintain their trust in him, but have forced him to review his lifestyle.
For now, Caillot’s Reims is coping better than Nicollin’s Montpellier with the devastating effects of this crisis. “Reims wants to stabilize the club in L1, perpetuate it to make it a European club. It will have the same difficulties as us. If you don’t have someone behind who has a lot of money, it’s hard to swing above”asks Laurent Nicollin. Can a sense of reality prevent them from catching up with their legend?
Related News :