Freediving in Ligue 1 for lack of victory, Reims hopes to offer a breath of European air Thursday in Hungary (6 p.m.) for the third preliminary round of the Europa League against Fehervar, the opportunity to gain confidence and get closer to the group stage.
For its first participation in a European competition in 57 years, it is on the continental stage that the Stade de Reims has known, for the moment, the only joy of this sluggish start to the season.
Out of the five matches played by the Reims team this season, it only won one, its Europa League second preliminary round match against Servette Geneva (1-0) last week.
A success without much brilliance, symbol of an eleven still in progress before its European shock Thursday, then the reception of Paris SG in L1 Sunday.
"For most players, it was their first European meeting, we expected this excitement," coach David Guion downplayed Tuesday at a press conference.
"We will have to be much more enterprising and ambitious in Hungary."
Its qualities, the Stade de Reims had difficulty in deploying them during its first four league meetings.
After an encouraging draw in Monaco (2-2), the Champenois experienced three defeats on the smallest of the margins against Lille (1-0), Angers (1-0) and Metz (2-1).
On these last two days of L1, the Rémois even finished each time ten against eleven, after the exclusions of Wout Faes and Marshall Munetsi.
"They are two young defenders, they pay to learn," said David Guion.
When we play young players, we have to assume.
They can be wrong, but they also learn. ”
“It's not easy to have two ways. But we have a young group that needs to go through matches. ”
Thomas foket
And this youth could play tricks in Reims when it comes to playing a European match in a dry match 1,300 km from Champagne, which will necessarily require a lot of concentration and energy.
“It's not easy to play on two fronts, conceded right-back Thomas Foket.
But we have a young group that needs to chain matches.
Sometimes it's good to have another competition to be able to gain confidence. ”
The Belgian international (2 caps) was recruited in the summer of 2018 for his experience, he who has accumulated 25 European matches played with La Gantoise (Belgian D1).
The defender and his team even reached the knockout stages of the Champions League in 2016, then the Europa League in 2017, eliminating Tottenham in the round of 16 (1-0, 2-2).
“I remember when we beat Tottenham (in 2017), it wasn't our best time in the league,” Thomas Foket recalled.
A victory in the European Cup can allow us to have a better dynamic in the league. "
Fehervar, leader of the Hungarian championship
Thursday evening, the Rémois will face them a Hungarian team more accustomed to this kind of games.
Vice-champion last season, Fehervar is better known by his old name, Videoton.
The club located in the hometown of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is a fervent supporter, had eliminated Bordeaux at the same stage three years ago (1-2, 1-0).
Leader of its championship after four days, the Mol Fehervar, named after its main shareholder, the oil and gas company Mol, should pose more problems to the Champenois than the Servette.
“They are a very experienced team, with very interesting attacking power and which play in the European Cup every year.
We take a step forward, ”admits David Guion.
And after this chopping match, there will remain a possible play-off on October 1 against the Belgians from Standard Liège or the Serbs from Vojvodina Novi Sad, for a place in the group stage which would fill the Stade de Reims.
But before that, the Rémois will receive the PSG, Sunday, for the 5th day of L1.
Everything except an easy calendar ...
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