A scent of madness floated on the Notre Dame de Versailles market square (Yvelines), this Wednesday evening, for a historic quarter-final in the Coupe de France.
A place where a retransmission of this duel against Bergerac, another National 2 club (4th division) was planned.
It got off to a good start with spectators arriving with family or friends, but the scenario of the evening changed the situation for broadcasting on a giant screen.
It must be said that Inza Diarrassouba was responsible for raising the temperature very quickly by several degrees by opening the scoring in the 14th minute.
Suddenly, the square was ablaze with the cries of joy of a thousand people massed behind the barriers.
500 kilometers from their evening heroes, the Versaillese, young and old, pushed their team like never before.
“Me, I see them training at the Porchefontaine stadium, they will win”, ignites Camille, young goalkeeper of the U10s of the Yvelin club.
“They are gaining momentum and deserve what is happening to them”, abounds Emmanuel, Versailles for twenty years.
“They will go to the Stade de France for the final”
"2-1", "2-0", "Qualification for penalties", Everyone went there with their prognosis before the end of the duel.
“They will go to the Stade de France for the final”, cries Thomas, who came with his high school friends and his father Stéphane.
"We followed their entire epic, at the stadium and then on TV during the exploit in Toulouse", specifies the father who lives rue Montbauron, opposite the den of Versailles.
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At half-time, the striker's interview on TV sets the crowd on fire.
Especially since in the process, the images of the square are in turn broadcast on the big screen.
"Here is Versailles, here is Versailles!"
The chants start up again, and in unison.
“We are at half-time of an incredible feat”, proclaims the announcer Laurent, just to give a layer…
A native of Versailles, speaker Laurent spared no effort to set fire to the public massed in the market square.
At 45, this native of the royal city is living a waking dream on February 9, 2022. “Versailles is my life, football too, my father Jean-Pierre was captain of the club… And my passion is animation for 10 years.
I couldn't have hoped for such a party… As soon as I could, I proposed to the town hall to be speaker during this retransmission.
” Civil co-ownership manager, Laurent gave everything for 90 minutes.
Like the players of Versailles, who clung like starved to their small goal in advance.
Smoke bombs, Marseillaise…
At game time, the first smoke bombs ignited in the crowd.
Ten minutes later, the Marseillaise is sung by a definitely jubilant audience… The last minutes are tense… In the front row, some little ones prefer not to look at the screen anymore.
They do not see Bergerac's equalizer at the very last minute.
But they open their eyes for the penalty shootout, tense.
But won.
The marketplace can finally let its joy burst forth.
One last time.
While waiting for the semi-finals, where all of Versailles will still be there to dream this time of a royal final at the Stade de France.
From where he is, Louis XIV must not believe his eyes...