2023-12-16 19:47:31
The Rugby World Cup was there and, since then, the lawn of the Decathlon-Pierre-Mauroy Arena in Lille has struggled to get back on track. While the president of Losc Olivier Létang multiplies the rants, describing in particular the Lille turf as a “scandal”, things have visibly changed little and the captain of the Dogues Benjamin André was keen to remind us of this this Saturday, at a press conference, on the eve of the reception of PSG.
When it was pointed out to him that some of his teammates thought the pitch was in better condition, the former Rennes player retorted: “I don’t agree at all with my teammates. It’s very complicated. From above or on TV, we could tell ourselves that things are getting better. But there are always rebounds and parts where it is very difficult. Especially since we have a game where we try to emerge cleanly from our own camp. By wanting to do so, our risk-taking is amplified because of the lawn. I know that gardeners are doing their best but it is not necessarily going in the right direction. » While waiting to find a pitch worthy of a major Ligue 1 club, the Losc players are tinkering. “We adapt with the choice of crampons, discussions with the assistants, the fact of watering more or less,” continued the Lille captain. We try to adapt as best we can. We repeat, we are not looking for excuses. We’ll make do with it. »
“In Paris, high-quality players have left, but others have arrived”
If this penalizes Lille, it will certainly also penalize PSG, accustomed to billiards at the Parc des Princes. However, André necessarily sees it as a complicated match. “They have so many individual qualities. They allow them to make a difference every moment, everywhere. We had a very good match in Paris and we lost it. We reworked certain principles. But everything has to match and go in the right direction to beat Paris. »
“They are a little more aggressive with their pressing and their replacement too,” he notes, when asked if the current PSG is stronger than last season. “They worked a lot on it. Some high-quality players have left, but others have arrived. This is their greatest strength. There is not just one player to settle on, but many. Like every season, you will have to be very attentive. Play a full match and try to win the game in front of our audience. »
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