Billionaire Ratcliffe suffers heavy defeat in Nice.

Ratcliffe has decided to divest its stake in OGC Nice.

According to Bloomberg , Sir Jim Ratcliffe is putting Nice Football Club up for sale. The British billionaire has set an initial price of over 200 million euros (equivalent to 233 million USD ) for the Ligue 1 club. However, due to potential investors' hesitation to pay, the selling price will be significantly reduced.

INEOS is looking to divest its stake in the French club after nearly seven years of ownership. Sir Jim, founder of Ineos Group Holdings and co-owner of Manchester United, acquired Nice in 2019 with a commitment to transforming the team into a force in Ligue 1 and European competitions.

Back then, Nice finished third in the domestic league two years prior. However, currently, the team is in serious trouble, sitting 14th out of 18 teams in Ligue 1 after a series of poor results. They even face the risk of relegation at the end of the 2025/26 season.

Last month, Nice sacked manager Franck Haise after an incredible crisis period for the team, with a run of nine consecutive defeats (a club record) from the end of October to mid-December. Nice's losing streak was later ended. However, Nice remains in a poor position in other competitions.

Many Nice fans have criticized the management style of billionaire Ratcliffe and INEOS.

They are six points clear of the relegation zone in Ligue 1 and finished bottom of their Europa League qualifying group. The sale of Nice began earlier this year, but the process was hampered by uncertainty surrounding Ligue 1 broadcasting rights.

Last year, Ligue 1 terminated a contract worth approximately €500 million per year with DAZN. This reduced the attractiveness of investing in clubs like Nice. Furthermore, Nice's absence from the UEFA Champions League, their struggles in the Europa League and Ligue 1, significantly diminished the club's value.

The Allianz Riviera stadium has a capacity of 36,000 seats, but the average attendance this season has dropped to around 22,000. Many Nice fans have criticized the management of billionaire Ratcliffe and INEOS. In the Allianz Riviera stands and on social media forums, hundreds of fans have collectively criticized the management, especially billionaire Ratcliffe.

Many banners were displayed with the words: "Ratcliffe and INEOS should get out." Nice reached the quarter-finals of the Conference League in the 2021/22 season under Christophe Galtier, but since then, the team has only failed in European competitions under various managers.

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