Wednesday 2 October 2019 15:22, UK
Lamine Diaby-Fadiga has admitted he stole former Nice team-mate Kasper Dolberg's £62,000 watch out of "jealousy".
Dolberg, who joined Nice from Ajax in August, had his watch stolen in the dressing room after a training session on September 16 and reported the theft to police.
Diaby-Fadiga later confessed to the theft and was sacked by the Ligue 1 club on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old, who apologised to Dolberg, also posted a lengthy apology on Twitter.
"After several days of an unprecedented media storm for me, I have decided to speak via this statement," he tweeted.
"I would like to first of all apologise to the fans and those who love Le Gym [club's nickname]. A lot of them supported me and showed me kindness since I made my professional debut, as a youngster from the local region who joined the club when I was 14. Their reactions embody the level of disappointment that they feel towards me and I owe them some explanations.
"I proudly wore the club of my childhood's shirt last season in Ligue 1. I was unfortunately injured for several months and my return to competitive action was further delayed following a red card I picked up while playing for the U19s."
"That affected me mentally and my difficult situation contrasted starkly the success and aura of Kasper, my team-mate. I took it out on him without having any reason to do so, maybe a bit because of jealousy. Instead of trying to battle on the pitch to provide him with competition for places, I reacted stupidly towards him.
"My actions were not taken out of an appetite to gain something from it, but out of spite, frustration and feeling discredited. Of course, I am only 18, but my age excuses nothing. I therefore owned up to what I had done to Kasper, Mr Fournier, the director general of the club, Patrick Vieira, my coach and Dante, my captain. One by one, I apologised to each one of them.
"I also took on the responsibility of reimbursing my team-mate fully, which I have now done. I wish him a lot of success at OGC Nice and in his career. Maybe one day we will come across each other on a pitch and this affair will be merely a bad memory.
"Now, I am leaving the club where I had always wanted to succeed and enjoy myself, which for me is the greatest possible punishment. I thank all those who believed in me. I hope to be able to prove one day that they were right and that I am worth more than what has happened. Redemption for me will come on the football pitch and I now want to concentrate on my passion, football."
Despite the incident, Diaby-Fadiga has been linked with a potential move to Ligue 2 team Paris FC, who recently added free agent Jeremy Menez to their team.
Nice, who are managed by former Arsenal and France midfielder Patrick Vieira, were taken over by British businessman Jim Ratcliffe in August.
