2023-05-28 10:53:26
A party worthy of the performance of a team that no one was expecting there. RC Lens, surprise of the season and “champion of hearts” this season in Ligue 1, beat Ajaccio on Saturday evening for its last home game of the season, securing the place of second in Ligue 1 before the last day. , qualifying for the Champions League.
Suffice to say that after the meeting, in Bollaert, we set the mood. First, the traditional “we nagged them” took place just after the meeting, initiated this time by the discreet president of the club, Joseph Oughourlian.
Fireworks then lit up the stadium as the Champions League anthem rang out for the first time since 2002-2003.
If, for the supporters, the party continued in the streets of the city, the players and managers passed in front of the press to debrief an exceptional season and project themselves on the most beautiful to come: the Champions League. “It’s magnificent, we can only remember good things this year, launches defender Jonathan Gradit. We will have fun again next year. We have experienced extraordinary things this year and it is a just reward for all that we have accomplished with the club for several seasons now. The Champions League is the culmination of a project. The Champions League is Real Madrid, it’s Bayern Munich, it’s a party for Bollaert. »
“The most important thing is to keep our mindset”
Gradit does not forget to salute his coach, Franck Haise, whom he considers to be the main reason for the success of the Artésiens. Haise, who should logically be elected coach of the year on Sunday evening at the UNFP Trophies, has also confirmed that he has been approached by other clubs. “We planned to meet with management next week,” he explains. I will give myself a few days to enjoy this beautiful moment. I didn’t say it would stop. There may be solicitations. There are already some. I am very happy in this club. »
More generally, the question of the workforce that will face Europe at the start of next season raises questions. Some key players, including midfielder Seko Fofana for example, will be difficult to keep. In any case, this is the message sent by the Oughourlian to the media. “We don’t always have our hands on these things. We are aware of our size, and if big people come for players or staff members, there is not much we can do. We are preparing for these eventualities. »
Florian Sotoca, striker and figure of the club, concludes: “We are very proud to bring Lens back to the European Cup. We know that during the off-season, there are always departures, arrivals, that’s part of the lot but the most important thing is to keep our state of mind. »
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