The lawyer of Paris Saint-Germain head coach Christophe Galtier has said that the Frenchman "firmly denies" allegations of racist and Islamophobic remarks during his time as Nice manager.
On Wednesday morning, journalist Romain Molina reported a leaked email sent by former Nice sporting director Julien Fournier to Dave Brailsford, a director at Les Aiglons' owners Ineos.
In the email, Fournier told Brailsford that Galtier complained about the amount of black and Muslim players in his squad during his time in charge, which lasted just one season before his exit for PSG last summer.
Galtier is also alleged to have taken issue with players fasting during Ramadan, despite being presented with scientific data showing that it had no effect on players' physical abilities.
In one instance, Fournier apparently put forward the idea of signing Ozan Kabak from Schalke, but Galtier vetoed the suggestion upon learning that the Turkish defender was a Muslim.
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The 56-year-old allegedly also wanted to rid the likes of Youcef Atal, Hicham Boudaoui, Jean-Clair Todibo, Amine Gouiri and Mario Lemina from the ranks - the latter two have since left for Rennes and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively.
Fournier told Nice-Matin that he was "outraged" by the timing of the leak, but the former Nice chief did not deny that the email existed, and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is now understood to be investigating the claims.
However, Galtier's lawyer Olivier Martin has insisted that the Frenchman strongly denies the "insulting and defamatory remarks" against him, and he has since been the subject of "intolerable" threats, which has forced him to be placed under personal and family protection.
"Given the seriousness of the accusations against him, and which he firmly denies, Christophe Galtier has asked his lawyer to begin without delay the judicial proceedings which are all the more necessary given that, since this came out, he has been the target of intolerable threats and harassment," a statement to AFP read.
Galtier is under contract at PSG until 2024, but the former Saint-Etienne and Lille coach will certainly be sacked if any of the allegations against him are proven.
PSG sit six points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table, but another Champions League last-16 exit has led to the expectation that Galtier will be given the boot at the end of the season anyway.
Ben Knapton
