OGC Nice manager Francesco Farioli was full of praise for his Stade de Reims counterpart, Will Still, ahead of the pair’s meeting at the Allianz Riviera on Sunday.
Farioli and Still are the two youngest managers in Ligue 1 and both have earned plaudits for their work this season. Nice are currently second, have the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues, and only lost their first game of the season last weekend.
31-year-old Still meanwhile, earned notoriety for his social-media-famous 17-game winning streak last season, however, he has backed that up this season, and has Reims challenging the European places. “We are two lucky young managers to be able to manage clubs that have put such faith in young managers,” began 34-year-old Farioli in response to a question from Get French Football News.
He continued, “He is even younger than me! It will be the first time I’ve come up against a manager younger than myself! He is a manager who already has a lot of experience and he has now been there for a while (hired 13th October 2022). He has been able to work and construct, notably during the summer transfer window by bringing in profiles that correspond with his style. It is a team built with a vision. He is a manager who knows what he wants and he is continuing to do good work. Congratulations to him.”
Farioli also praised Still for his “clear playing philosophy”, for which the Italian manager himself has also been praised this season. Sunday’s match between the two sides promises to be an intriguing battle between two European challengers.
