As one man, the whole rostrum rises.
With a smile on their lips, the joy is immense for the supporters of FC Versailles 78. For the first time in their history, they will experience the semi-finals of the French Football Cup.
The seven hours of travel to get to Périgueux (Dordogne) and the 90 minutes to sing are rewarded, despite a tight score (1-1, 4-5 tab).
On the steps of the Francis-Rongieras stadium, the 54 people on the bus are joined by around twenty supporters who have made the trip on their side.
Among them, a dozen relatives of Kapit Djoco, FC Versailles striker, the only scorer in the previous round against Toulouse Football Club.
Read alsoCoupe de France: jubilant, Versailles supporters set the market square on fire
The city of Pré-Saint-Gervais (Seine-Saint-Denis), where he is from, chartered a minibus in which Zacharya, 28, and his friends took place.
At the back of the stand, he explains that he follows his friend wherever he goes: “we support Versailles but the fact that he is in the team amplifies this feeling of belonging.
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"We are the king's kop"
Forty-five minutes before the start of the meeting, the appearance of Paul Fauvel, son of the president of Bergerac, provoked the ire of the kop.
It was enough for them to continue to sing and drum even louder.
At the whistle of the referee, the chants repeated in the bus begin to be sung.
The grandstand begins to shake under the blow of the jumps, in chorus with the "Who does not jump is not Versailles" launched by Pierre, 42, who holds the megaphone.
LP/Dylan Berrached
Defensive interventions, technical gestures, rough duels... Each action is a good excuse to shout, applaud and encourage.
Without forgetting to nag the referee when he is slow to whistle.
The rusk is unanimously claimed after a foul by Bergerac in the fifth minute of play.
The songs in honor of the team and the city of Versailles follow one another.
"We are the king's kop" is repeated several times.
Clément and Nicolas, both 24, came dressed up as kings.
With a white wig on their head and a blue flag with golden fleur-de-lis on their backs, they "proudly assume" the history of the city.
Supporters who still want to dream
In the fifteenth minute, Diarrassouba's opener made the whole gallery exult.
The supporters approach the field to show their support for the players of Versailles.
But barriers and security stand in front of them.
The match is definitively launched and the supporters do not stop any more.
The clappings, "To arms" and other "Go to Versailles" follow one another.
At halftime, optimism reigns.
Zacharia, euphoric, confides to having appreciated the performance of his friend Kapit Djoco, so far: “We are confident, we will continue to motivate them.
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During half-time, a banner “It's not Versailles here… Turn them off!
is deployed in front of the Versailles kop.
It was enough to revive the passion of the supporters.
"In terms of voice, it's starting to get complicated," admits David, who has abandoned the megaphone for the drum.
In the second half, Versailles was dominated by a team from Bergerac who wanted to come back to score.
The red card of number nine and the equalizer of Axel Tressens for Bergerac surprise the supporters of the club.
The penalty shootout saw FC Versailles win.
“Next year is the Europa League.
We will go to Russia if necessary, ”said the supporters, still as determined.
