“We don’t deserve it”: Nantes have fired the coach who played in France for Messi

Immersed in the fight to preserve the category in the French Ligue 1, Nantes has fired its coach Antoine Kombouaré ahead of the final stretch of the season, sources inside the club said on Monday evening.

Pierre Aristouy, coach of the Under 19, will lead the team in the last four games of the season, assisted by the Venezuelan Oswaldo Vizcarrondo, current coach of the women’s team.

Arriving as manager at Canaris in February 2021, Kombouaré managed to stick around that season and lifted the Coupe de France a year later, Nantes’ first title in more than two decades. But despite a strong run in the Europa League and a new French Cup final in 2023, the risk of relegation to Ligue 2 led the league leaders to change course. Current 17th and down, two points behind Auxerre (16th), which scores salvation, Nantes have not won in Ligue 1 since mid-February.

Four days ago, Kombouaré had defended Messi from defeat by Paris Saint Germain.

What did the fired DT say about Leo?

When Paris Saint-Germain opened disciplinary proceedings against Messi, the football-loving manager of Nantes did not remain silent at the press conference. “I don’t care what happens on the pitch, PSG’s problems. I love the player. Messi doesn’t touch himself, whatever he does“The current Nantes coach insisted when asked about the Argentine star.

“We’re throwing ourselves at a guy, it’s embarrassing (…) If he leaves, I’m happy, we don’t deserve it“added Antoine Kombouaré, who was at PSG for five seasons as a player (he won four titles) and three years as a coach (he won two more trophies).

Specifying that the management of Messi’s escape was not within his competence, Kombouaré attacked above all the criticisms of the Argentine star’s performance on the pitch. “If I had Messi I would tell him: ‘Stay in front, never run, never defend. Anyway, if we give you balls, I want to see you play, have fun, shine.’ But this is my opinion as a fan of the game.“, he explained.