"The Champions League would be huge": Olivier Echouafni speaks out before Rennes-Nice

Before moving to the bench, Olivier Echouafni was a key player in the mid-90s and 2000s, notably with Marseille, Strasbourg, Rennes and then Nice, where he played more than 200 matches in seven seasons. A League Cup finalist in 2006 with Gym, the former midfielder gives us his take on this fiery end to the season for the Aiglons.

You were born in Menton, you played for Nice and Rennes... Does this match between your two former clubs speak to you in a particular way?

Already, they have the same jersey colors. (Laughs) I spent a little less time at Rennes than at Nice, since I played there for three years. At Nice, I stayed there for almost a decade, including the time spent at the management level, after my career. So yes, obviously, it's a special match. When you've played at both clubs, you know the environments, the expectations and today, the ambitions.

Rennes has been a bit behind this season because they've changed coaches. The results haven't been what they could have been, given the squad they have. Conversely, Nice is in the European fray. Which wasn't necessarily the case a few years ago. The club has grown, it's evolved. And today, given its standing, it almost has to be in Europe every season.

Nice is still in the running for the Champions League. Do you think the team has the profile to compete at that level, or is it still a bit early?

I don't think we should imagine what will happen next. Every player, every club, wants to finish as high as possible. Because that shows consistency throughout a season. Does Nice deserve to go to the Champions League? We'll know after the last two matches.

But beware, they're going to have a tricky and difficult match in Rennes, for several reasons. Rennes just had a dud, but this is their last at Roazhon Park this season. They'll want to finish on a high note. And conversely, Nice has to win if they want to hope to be in the Champions League. It's so close that it might come down to goal average.

Where do you think the difference can be made?

Above all, I have the impression that we have a very mobilized team, in this case Nice. Against another that is less so, because it has nothing left to play for. That's the problem. It will be played out on this ability to make the effort, together, and until the end. I'm not convinced that Stade Rennais, given its season, is ready for that.

Nice is having a solid season, despite some slumps this winter. How do you assess the work Franck Haise has accomplished since his arrival?

Injuries are part of the season. A coach is, above all, someone who adapts. Franck is achieving incredible things. What he tried to implement at Lens, he's trying to implement at Nice, with his own qualities, his squad, and his environment.

I find what he's done in his first season remarkable. Knowing him a little, I know he's passionate, who loves his team. He wants them to achieve the best results. We're not talking about a title yet, but a place in the Champions League would be huge. While they were out of contention a few days ago, they've really bounced back. And then, thanks to the missteps of some players, they've come back. That's what's beautiful.

You were a finalist in the Coupe de la Ligue in 2006 with Nice. Can we draw a parallel with this high-stakes end to the season?

I think we should definitely not calculate or ask ourselves questions. At the time, we lost the final in our heads from the semi-final in Monaco. We got carried away by the euphoria, by the 30,000 Nice players who came to Paris… Result: we missed our first half. And it was very hard to come back after that.

We must move on from the event. We must play to our strengths, without shirking our strengths. At this stage, it's the mind that makes the difference. Because our bodies are tired.