The Pink Soldiers do nothing like the others. Last of the Top 14 last year (with only five victories in 17 days) before the season was stopped due to the health crisis, the Parisians are back in the foreground this year. Present in the final phase for the first time since 2015, year of their last title of champion of France. “
We qualified because we scored 70 points this year. It's high, I don't know if a club has already finished sixth with so many points,
insists manager Gonzalo Quesada.
There was in the group the desire to want to change the history of recent seasons. "
All was not, however, rosy for Stade Français. At the end of March, the capital club lost against Clermont (34-27) and fell back to 9th place in the standings. At the time, not many people believed in a possible return. But the Parisians do not give up and end the season with a cannon ball, with six successes in a row, topping Toulon and Castres at the post. “
We didn't have much choice to qualify,”
recalls rear Kylan Hamdaoui.
We have built up trust. Previously, we had had a lot of games lost on the wire. Now, with confidence, these kinds of matches can be won.
"
And this beautiful series (no one did better in the Top 14) began against… Racing 92. A success at Paris La Défense Arena (29-35) which had galvanized Quesada's troops. “
This victory was the trigger. Thanks to her, we were able to continue to believe in these final stages. If we lost there, we knew very well that it was over and that we were almost on vacation,
recognizes the third line Mathieu de Giovanni, a pure product of the Parisian training.
We found spirit by winning there. We thought we could do it. This is what happened. But being in the final phase is not an end in itself.
"And to insist:"
We do not fall into an excess of confidence, we know very well that Racing is a big team. Apparently, behind are the Galactics, but we will try to compete.
"
This season, Stade Français has been able to cope despite many headwinds. First there was the cluster affair at the end of a preseason camp in Nice, with no less than 30 positive players. Opening match against UBB postponed and Paris singled out by several opposing managers (Urios, Mignoni…). Then came the sudden death of the club icon, Christophe Dominici. A drama that deeply touched the Parisian club which had, in the process, won only two of its eight matches. To make matters worse, the captain of the Pumas had been caught in turmoil for a sinister affair of xenophobic tweets, published when he was 18 ... In the end, that's a lot of hitches on the same exercise.
It is the work of a whole season.
We took a little time to assimilate the new game plan. There, we acquired it well, that's why we made good performances
Kylan Hamdaoui
“At the start of the season, we tried to talk about a team project, to try to change the habits, the culture, the way of functioning. We had to create a group before creating a team, then have a game project that is related to this team project,
says Gonzalo Quesada.
I think we did it well, even if it was interrupted by
the three weeks of separation that we had to respect because of the Covid just before the start of the season
. All the players have invested a lot. Today, it pays, but we are still far from the level of stability that we will need to obtain in the future. ”
Now it's time for this final phase derby, like six years ago when the Parisians - on their way to Brennus - had triumphed over their neighbors and rivals in the jump-off. Already at the head of the club, Gonzalo Quesada remembers: “
I see a lot of similarities with the 2013-2014 season. The club was coming out of a period when there had been a lot of coaching changes. When we arrived, the group had little foundation, little stability. I remember we finished seventh in the regular season at one point before qualifying. Something had really happened during that season.
"This qualification with forceps for the top 6,"
it is the work of a whole season,
continues Kylan Hamdaoui.
There were some complicated times, with a lot of changes.
We took a little time to assimilate the new game plan. There, we acquired it well, that's why we made good performances.
"
The JIFF puzzle
Even if the season for the Porte d'Auteuil players is already successful, they do not intend to stop there.
“It's a bit of the paradox of the week. There is the happiness of going from last
(last season)
to qualified. It's a huge performance, it's already a goal fulfilled. But it would be mediocrity to say to yourself,
"Now that's just a bonus."
I don't like that expression. We talked about qualifying, it is not to overuse this dam. We come out of six victories, we are not overflowing with energy, it has left its mark. But we prepared to compete and be present on Friday night. ”
And with a derby against Ciel et Blanc, the motivation is all found. Mathieu de Giovanni does not hide it: “
It's the best game possible. The one we want to play. Kiki (Hamdaoui) does not remember the dam six years ago. I was at the stadium, in the stands, and I remember it very well. There it will be totally different. But it's a match, when you're a supporter, that scores. There we go to Racing. Six years ago they had come. There is nothing in common, but this match will mark the history of both clubs.
"
Last concern, and not the least: Stade Français was forced to align 16 JIFF (players from training courses) in order to respect the standards imposed by the League, depriving itself of a major player like Veainu to start the inexperienced Lapègue on the wing. In the event of non-compliance with these quotas, the Parisian club would have exposed itself to a penalty of four points for the classification of next season. A real headache. "
When you see what awaits us next season, including the European Cup to play, our workforce will have a giant challenge to meet
", justified Gonzalo Quesada, stressing the "
big risk of leaving with a handicap of 4 points before even starting ...
”Yet another obstacle to overcome.