Montanier dismisses Nice loss amid relegation battle

Philippe Montanier admitted AS Saint-Étienne’s 4-1 defeat to OGC Nice ended their Ligue 1 survival hopes. The match was the second leg of the relegation playoff. Montanier stated it was "not the time for assessments" following the loss. He emphasized the team’s focus remains on avoiding relegation. OGC Nice secured the win with goals from players including Aleksandr Golovin and Amine Gouiri. Saint-Étienne’s only reply came from Dylan Saint-Louis. The defeat means Saint-Étienne face a second consecutive relegation battle. They finished 18th in Ligue 1’s regular season. Montanier’s comments followed a poor defensive display. Saint-Étienne conceded twice in the first half alone. Saint-Étienne now prepare for a potential Ligue 2 stint next season.