Pierre Ménès and Gilles Favard attack Yoann Riou, L'Équipe de Greg contributor

Pierre Ménès openly targeted Yoann Riou, a key contributor to the show L’Équipe de Greg, in a video published on his YouTube channel. The former Canal+ analyst did not mince words, describing his ex-colleague’s attitude as “exasperating”.

A specific sequence sparked the controversy: Yoann Riou commenting on a Manchester City match shirtless, an image widely shared on social media. “I won’t go so far as to say there’s animosity towards him. I’d just say he exasperates me,” Ménès declared, before adding: “I’m not sure it’s entertainment. In any case, it’s entertainment I will never inflict on you on this channel.”

The two men have known each other for around twenty years, back when Riou was L’Équipe’s correspondent in Italy. Ménès recalls a joint trip for a Juventus Turin match: “He was completely unknown back then, and he was already exhausting. This permanent, forced over-enthusiasm, bordering on hysteria, I find it incredibly suspect.” He nevertheless concluded on a distant rather than hostile note: “Now, he lives his life, he does what he wants. That doesn’t prevent me from living my life.”

Gilles Favard, another historic figure from L’Équipe’s editorial team and former sporting advisor to FC Nantes, made even harsher comments in the Face à Raju podcast. He describes Yoann Riou as a “pleased with himself” person lacking “football culture”, even claiming he “is hated by everyone, everywhere he goes”.