Reigning French champion, Losc receives its Parisian dolphin from last season on Sunday (8:45 p.m.), at the end of the 23rd day of Ligue 1. A clash between the two French representatives in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
And it will be in front of a full Pierre-Mauroy stadium, after the lifting of the gauges in the stadiums.
“
5000 people in Pierre-Mauroy, it's empty… That's the feeling it gives.
Having full stadiums is more energizing, more festive.
It's better for everyone
, ”rejoices Jocelyn Gourvennec, the Lille coach and his players also returning from an internship of a few days in Spain.
"
It was a good experience, we were able to change context, we had sunshine and it allowed us to do a serious internship and do different activities with the group.
We did a good mix of work and team building
, ”says Gourvennec.
To discover
Calendar and results Ligue 1
League 1 standings
The opportunity to say things to each other too?
“
We are focused, we are working, the group is working very well, there is no problem between us
”, corrects Benjamin André.
“
We are competitors and we are not satisfied with what we produce in the last performances.
When we don't necessarily do what we had planned to do and when we don't apply what we had worked on, there is a bit of frustration more than tension
,” he adds.
There was tension when Burak Yilmaz left, for example... "
It's settled between him and the coach and it stays between them
," adds the 31-year-old midfielder.
“Even though they may not be as dominant as they once were, they're still a very strong team. »
Jocelyn Gourvennec
One thing is certain: the Mastiffs do not expect a healthy walk against this Paris Saint-Germain still under construction mid-season and which concentrates criticism, after the elimination in the Coupe de France against Nice but also more generally for the quality of his game. "
We play a very strong team, whatever one wants to say... Very criticized, but also very strong
", underlines Gourvennec.
And the 49-year-old coach continues: “
I remind you that she has only lost three matches this season, at Manchester City (2-1) and Rennes (2-0) and against us (1-0), at the Champions Trophy.
They don't drop a lot of points en route.
While they may not be as dominant as they once were, they're still a very strong team.
Compared to the configuration of the match, it will be necessary to be very good.
“Recall that, despite its difficulties, PSG is the leader in the L1 standings, with 21 points more than Lille, 11th.
In the meantime, Lille are preparing to experience a busy month of February, between Paris and the round of 16 of C1 against the Chelsea of Thomas Tuchel, outgoing European champion.
First leg on February 22 at Stamford Bridge.
“
Play Paris, Chelsea?
Everyone wants to play this kind of game.
We want to relaunch a good dynamic.
Personally, I feel better when I can go on than when there is only one game in the week.
I think that's the case for most players.
When you're used to playing every three days, you want to play every three days, you're hungry, the body needs it
, "says Benjamin André, adding that it's"
now that you have to let go of the horses
. ", after the "
coup d'
the differences are not very significant
” in the classification.
Europe in sight?
Losc, who remained on nine matches without defeat in Ligue 1 before Brest, a setback suffered… at the Parc des Princes, against PSG (2-1), at the end of October, is indeed only three small points from Strasbourg , fourth in the national hierarchy.
Respectively second and third, Nice and Marseille have 42 and 40 points, against the 32 units of the reigning French champions, still in time to grab Europe.
Especially if they continue on the dynamic that allowed them to win their group in the Champions League…
