2024-01-31 05:24:23
The lap of honor of the Paris FC players to thank their large audience necessarily had a bitter taste. There it’s finished. Paris FC has multiplied its exploits (elimination of Arsenal, Wolfsburg, double success against Real Madrid), created a buzz on the networks with promotional films shot and scripted by the players to fill Charléty (13,274 spectators, broken record) and dreamed.
The Champions League campaign for Sandrine Soubeyrand’s players was magnificent, even exceptional, rich in learning and memories. But it logically and suddenly stopped (0-4) this Tuesday, January 30 during the last match of the group stages against the ogre Chelsea.
The scenario of qualifying for the quarters already remained very hypothetical: obligatory victory against Chelsea combined with a draw or a defeat for the Swedes of Häcken at Real Madrid. But this slim hope only lasted ten minutes. The Charléty stadium was just starting to fill up with its many latecomers when English international Fran Kirby, with a header, cooled the atmosphere (0-1, 10th).
Thea Greboval caught in the vice of the London players. (Photo by Daniel Derajinski/Icon Sport) 2024 Icon Sport
If Paris FC did not give up anything as in this rush followed by the strike of the indestructible Gaëtane Thiney (20th), this strike from Mathilde Bourdieu deflected by the goalkeeper (21st), this cross shot missed by Julie Dufour (25th) or this recovery from Celina Ould Houcine (28th) above, Chelsea, surgical, stood out on a new header signed Mia Fishel (0-2, 37th).
In the other match, Häcken took the lead at Real Madrid in the 63rd minute. Enough to alleviate regrets… Because in these conditions, even an exploit against Chelsea would have been in vain for Paris FC.
Despite everything, the encouragement from Charléty’s large audience did not diminish. The Parisian players continued to attack but were crucified again following a disagreement between Chiamaka Nnadozie and Julie Soyer exploited by Guro Reiten (0-3, 74th). Often decisive in previous Champions League matches, the Nigerian goalkeeper, voted best in Africa in 2023, came through against the English who even added a 4th goal by Maren Mjelde (0-4, 78th).
Given its career so far, Paris FC did not deserve to leave the Champions League in such a rout. But he was able to realize what still separated him from the European elite.
“I don’t know if the score reflects the match,” admits Sandrine Soubeyrand. But it shows that in high-level matches you have to be effective on both surfaces. In the first half, they scored twice from two shots, we had ten and we only scored once. We need to put things back in order. We discovered the group stage. We are a 2nd division club for boys, we do not have the financial means of the others. I don’t know if we could place Paris FC on the map of Europe. We managed to register him. There is not much that separates us from qualification. But the big teams have experience and know how to take advantage of everything. I have no regrets, we had a fantastic six months. We have players with high potential while Chelsea only have internationals. There is a gap between a good D1 player and an international player. But tomorrow, when I wake up, I’m going to take away something positive. I am very proud to coach this team. It’s also a real victory to manage to bring so many people back to the stadium in Paris at 6:45 p.m….”
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Match sheet
PARIS FC – CHELSEA: 0-4 (0-2).
Spectators: 13,274.
Butt. Chelsea: Kirby (10th), Fishel (37th), Reiten (74th), Mjelde (79th).
Paris FC : Nnadozie – Soyer, Ould Hocine, Greboval, Bogaert (Ndongala, 86e) – Corboz, Le Mouël (Korosec, 67e) – Mateo (Fleury, 86e), Thiney (cap.), Dufour (Bussy, 75e) – Bourdieu (Ribadeira, 75e). Entr. : Soubeyrand.
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