After Samir Chergui last Saturday in Amiens (2-1), it was Maxime Bernauer's turn against Grenoble (2-0).
During this final sprint, the defenders of Paris FC open their counter in Ligue 2 and above all score capital goals.
While his team was groping until then, Bernauer's header (52nd) was a lifesaver against Grenoble.
At 1-0, the sequel was a little more manageable.
“This first goal in L2, I was waiting for it, he smiles.
I wondered when he was coming.
It's good that he arrives tonight
(Saturday)
.
It's a goal that matters.
He put us on the right path in an important game.
It shows that everyone can score in the team, it's good that it doesn't always come from the same people.
It rewards our collective.
»
Very happy to have scored my first professional goal tonight with @ParisFC 🙏🏼 The job is done for tonight, the hardest part remains to be done.
Everyone at Charlety on Tuesday evening, we will need you #tousensemble ❤️ https://t.co/EFYjBJtOAt
– Maxime Bernauer (@Maxime_Bernauer) May 14, 2022
Paris FC will therefore have the advantage of playing at home against Sochaux on Tuesday during the first play-off.
Already beautiful against Grenoble with the anniversary (
12 years
) of the Old Clan
(one of the two Kops
), the atmosphere in Charléty should still show crescendo.
"Even if we weren't playing our life, we were keen to win to offer a home game to our supporters, admits Bernauer.
They deserve it because they have followed us all season.
It is up to us, thanks to our results, to help attract people, to inspire them.
It's starting to come… Their support galvanizes us.
After the Covid, it's good to be able to experience moments like this.
We didn't do everything perfectly against Grenoble.
But after Amiens, this second victory in a row gives us confidence for Sochaux.
»
"We don't want to stop there"
The big black spot of the evening are the injuries of Ousmane Camara
(buttocks
) and especially Khalid Boutaïb (knee).
"I'm worried, his knee has moved," said Thierry Laurey after the match.
He will take additional exams but pessimism reigned in the corridors of Charléty.
The watchword will therefore be recovery by Tuesday.
“Even if the season has been long, we are still hungry and we want to pick up all the crumbs, says Bernauer.
We finished with 70 points, which is quite exceptional.
But all that is forgotten.
A new competition is about to begin.
We don't want to stop there.
Inevitably, if we lose against Sochaux on Tuesday, we will have a lot of regrets.
It would be as if everything we had done this season had been for nothing.
»
A precise preparation
But as Laurey pointed out, the preparation since the defeat at Bastia (2-1) on April 22 has been totally focused on these play-offs.
“For several games, we know that we will have to go through this, explains Bernauer.
The staff asked us to pay attention to care, to our lifestyle, to sleep… We are lucky to find a group with players who come back and who are mentally fresher.
We are ready for these dams.
»
It will be the first summit of his young career.
Arrived last July from Le Mans (National) for 200,000 euros after several weeks of tight negotiations (
the leaders of Le Mans asked for 500,000 euros at the start),
Bernauer, 23, discovered the L2 this season.
Aligned as a right-back or a central defender, the native of Hennebont (Morbihan) trained in Rennes (L1) where he signed pro in 2018, has experienced ups and downs.
But he always hung on and the results are rather positive.
“There were games and moments that were more difficult than others,” he admits.
This is my first season in L2 and there is a higher course to pass.
I was lucky to come across a very good group.
I am still learning.
But what is certain is that I have always given everything for the team.
»