FC Saint-Leu 95 had put the small dishes in the big this Saturday for the baptism of the stadium of honor which is now called Gérard-Houllier stadium in honor of the former coach of the Blues and coach of PSG and of Liverpool died on December 14, 2020 at the age of 73. The stadium of the Val-d'Oisien club, which will celebrate its 110 years next year, did not have a name. "We wanted the name of the stadium to have an international dimension because we are a preparation center for the 2024 Games and we will certainly welcome a team," explains Jean-Michel Castelli, the deputy mayor in charge of sports for the city of Saint-Leu. We have been in contact with his brother Serge since the beginning of the year. We are very proud. It is the first stadium inaugurated after his death.It is located right next to the Michel-Hidalgo stadium (former national coach) in Saint-Gratien, it's a nice nod to the France team. "
After the inauguration, a gala match pitted the veterans of Saint-Leu against the Bleck Stars led by former PSG and Blues striker Amara Simba.
Many former PSG players but also the Blues came for the occasion such as Luis Fernandez, Bernard Lama, Mustapha Dahleb and Jean-Marc Pilorget.
“He meant a lot to me, I was very attached to Gérard,” says Luis Fernandez.
It is a duty of respect to be here for someone who gave me the captain's armband and who offered us the first PSG title (in 1986).
"
At his side, Bernard Lama agrees with him. “I wanted to honor his memory. I knew him when I played in Lille and he coached Nœux-les-Mines, remembers the 1998 world champion. Gérard had a magnificent career without coming from the world of football. He put his qualities at the service of football. He was a precursor to it. It is a very beautiful thing to give this name to a stadium of a club which has already made a name for itself in football (8th finalist in the Coupe de France in 1995). The tribute continued throughout the afternoon with a gala match between the veterans of Saint-Leu and the Black Stars led by former PSG and Blues striker Amara Simba. "I am very touched that we are thinking of him," concludes Serge, Gérard Houllier's brother. He is a character who brought amateur and professional French football. "
