2023-11-04 03:49:56
Like every Friday since August, Stéphane Gilli had to wait until the end of the last training session to resolve the final uncertainties about the state of his group. “Already, there are no additional injuries, that’s already it,” quips the Paris FC coach, who has learned to be fatalistic. But there will be no returns. If Samir Chergui should resume next week, additional bad news has fallen.
It concerns Julien Lopez. He will have surgery on Monday to clean a knee and will not return until after the winter break, like Lamine Gueye (knee) and Lohann Doucet (clavicle). For Paul Lasne and Timothée Kolodziejczak, we will also have to wait a few weeks to see them on the field again. But in terms of physical preparation, there has been a change. After the sidelining of Christophe Manouvrier, it was Armand Séne who took over this function.
“Since the start of the season, we have used, by force of circumstances, all the systems, the 4-2-3-1, the 4-3-3, the 3-5-2 and the 4-4-2 , explains Gilli. What reassures me is that each time, the players were able to adapt. Against Troyes, the 4-4-2 with Pythou (Hamel) and Lamine (Diaby Fadiga) in front worked rather well. Having rewatched the match twice with a clear head, I am even more frustrated than I was on Saturday. We would have lost this match (2-2) at the start of the season. That’s why it hurts me that we only remember what happened at the end with our supporters. »
“It’s both understandable because we weren’t supposed to be in this place, but also a little complicated to hear,” considers midfielder Adama Camara. Because in this match, we gave everything, we didn’t give up to come back. »
“We don’t go there thinking that it’s already a foregone conclusion”
Saturday after the match, for more than half an hour, president Pierre Ferracci and his coach wanted to send a message of unity to the dissatisfied supporters. Despite this start of divorce, many will go to Geoffroy-Guichard this Saturday for the most anticipated trip of the season. The atmosphere looks set to be very warm. Saint-Étienne is in fact celebrating its 90th anniversary and the stadium will be sold out (35,000 spectators expected). On the field, the team of Laurent Batlles, 2nd, has been irresistible in recent weeks.
“10 games without defeat, the last six games without conceding a goal, Gilli counts. But we don’t go there thinking that it’s already a foregone conclusion. As I repeated to the players: we play football to play matches like this, with fervor and a full stadium. We must not go there as expiatory victims. On the contrary, this context must transcend us to perform. It’s certainly a big challenge, but I have a team that loves challenges. »
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— Paris FC (@ParisFC) November 2, 2023
For some who have never experienced such an atmosphere like Adama Camara, who was still playing for Racing (N2) last season, we will have to manage the emotional side. “I’m going to discover a legendary stadium, it’s also the first time that I’m going to play in front of so many people and live on the BeIN poster,” smiles the midfielder. But it’s good pressure. In terms of content, we are pretty good, we now have to erase the small errors that ruin everything and become more efficient. »
“Since the start of the season, no team has mistreated us,” says Gilli. We must not make this match a mountain. You’ll have to be just right and almost perfect to bring home something. But the players have the ability to do it. We are on two matches without defeat, it is the first time that this has happened to us. We are going to Saint-Étienne to continue this series. There will then be two important matches at home, Bastia and Bordeaux, but this match in Saint-Étienne should not be a parenthesis. The minimum objective is to reach 20 points at the break. »
Match sheet
SAINT-ETIENNE – PARIS FC, Saturday (3 p.m. on BeIN SPORT), Geoffroy-Guichard stadium. Referee: Mr. Valnet.
Paris FC: Nkambadio – Alakouch, Core, Mbow, Gaudin – Mandouki (cap.), Camara – Kebbal, Hamel, Diaby Fadiga, Lukembila. Rempl. : Filipovic (g.), Stop, Oualengbe, Demoncy, Toure, Gory, Pembele. Entr. : Gilli.
Absent: Chergui, Gueye, Lasne, Lopez, Doucet, Kolodziejczak (injured).
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