Leader of Ligue 2 with Lorient, Christophe Pélissier is not mistaken in priority. If the 16th final of the Coupe de France against PSG on Sunday is an important meeting for his club, he should not slow him down on the way to the rise in Ligue 1.
Is it a dream or a nightmare for a Ligue 2 club to fall on PSG in the Coupe de France?
CHRISTOPHE PÉLISSIER. A bit of both. Some of my players have experienced Ligue 1, so it's not a dream like it can be for a Regional 1 club. But when we see what performance level PSG is in, it's still a chance to face it. The negative side is that this match comes in a very important championship period for us. The PSG must not haunt the spirits and eat us all the energy we will need to negotiate what happens behind.
The best would be to face them with or without the fantastic four?
With! It is a chance to face players of this caliber. I hope the best will be there. But I understand that Thomas Tuchel has other imperatives and that he runs. Anyway, from “reservists” to stars, there are only super players in Paris.
Is it the same job as being a coach at Lorient and at PSG?
It is the same profession in the technical and athletic preparation of matches. But it's different in the management and the management of the stars. I rebel against the received idea that everyone could be a champion with a workforce like that of Paris. On the contrary, I think that very few coaches are capable of managing a workforce like this one and Thomas Tuchel is one of them. Of course, it's always easier with talented players, but you still have to know how to lead them to performance.
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What do you think of his work?
How hard it must be! Of course, on a daily basis there must be a whole lot of satisfaction, the sessions must be exceptional. But still, Thomas Tuchel does a huge job. We do not arrive at positions like these with luck, it is the talent and the work which allow him today to be the coach of PSG.
And for you, is the match against PSG the easiest or the most difficult to prepare?
Paris is the easiest match to prepare, but the most difficult to play. Before, we will not need to discuss the motivation aspect. On the other hand, whatever the result, it will undoubtedly have to be managed after Paris.
In the league, PSG had fallen (2-1) in Dijon, current 16th in Ligue 1. Does this leave hopes for the L2 leader that you are?
I watched this game. There are days, like that, when nothing is going right, when one has the impression that the balloon is magnetic to flee the frame. It's the kind of thing that happens once in ten, and again! For Paris, it was that evening. Sunday, we know that if the two teams play at their level, there will be no photo. We are aiming to show the best of ourselves.
What is the best strategy to try to win or not lose?
If there was a strategy to beat Paris, it would be known! Today, everyone takes at least 3 or 4 against this team. Faced with such a striking force, the strategy is to show your best profile with the few balls you will have. Our goal is not to play once PSG in the Coupe de France this year, but twice in Ligue 1 next season.
