Paris FC will still have broken a record during this season weighed down by injuries or Charléty's pitch problems.
That of his best away series in L2 since the season… 1976-1977 (December-May).
The Parisians have not lost on the road since September 23 (2-1 at AC Ajaccio), i.e. 9 matches (4 wins, 5 draws).
Continuing this series in Caen will not be easy.
The Caennais, back in the Top 5, have not lost in their Michel-d'Ornano stadium since September 30, i.e. 8 matches (5 wins, 3 draws).
It has even become an impregnable fortress with 572 minutes without conceding a goal at home.
“It's a great challenge to try to continue our series away from home against a team in good form, in a full stadium (more than 16,000 spectators announced), estimates Stéphane Gilli.
Afterwards, from an accounting point of view, it would perhaps have been better to lose a match and win at least one more, because draws don't make much money.
»
This season, Paris FC nevertheless played its most successful matches away from home, such as against Saint-Étienne (1-0) or Amiens (1-1).
So there is no coincidence.
“It’s not just that, but there is a rational explanation with the land,” continues Gilli.
What happened last weekend shed more light on this big problem.
But we have been talking about it for a long time now.
»
“At home, we have less spontaneity, we add a touch or two”
As things currently stand, Paris FC is not at all certain of being able to host AC Ajaccio at Charléty on Saturday March 16.
He could still be forced into exile.
The responsibilities of the Paris town hall and the failing service provider, the Botanica company, are enormous in this matter...
In the meantime, Stéphane Gilli recognizes that “unconsciously”, the approach to matches is different between the cursed lawn of Charléty and the (often) beautiful lawns of the stadiums outside.
“Often, I hear players talking before home matches,” continues the Paris FC coach.
Before entering the field, they say to themselves
we are going to play on a bad field
.
For those who were already there last year, it's been two seasons.
Unconsciously and psychologically, it plays a role... We have less spontaneity, we add a touch or two, there is a problem with support.
These are concrete elements even if I do not want them to be used as excuses.
»
Read alsoParis FC: “I’m going to call Anne Hidalgo”, President Ferracci fumes against the Charléty lawn
In Caen, things will therefore be different.
“There will be a beautiful field and two teams playing,” smiles Gilli.
Everything comes together to make it a great match and for us to transcend ourselves.
As we did against Saint-Étienne, we must show that we are capable of competing with any team.
We are between the two with the relegation zone which is not far away (
5 points
).
The next 3-4 matches will determine the rest of our season.
»
The Parisians will have to be wary of Alexandre Mendy, top scorer in L2 and Ali Abdi, the Tunisian international left back, who is only one goal away from equaling his record for the 2020-2021 season with Paris FC (9 achievements).
“We are often in danger when we have the ball, so we will have to insist on preventive defense and concentration,” warns Gilli.
Mendy doesn't need a lot of space and balls to be effective.
We will therefore have to be attentive.
As for Ali, we know him well, we know that he is a great counter-attacker who projects quickly.
»
Effectively, Pierre Yves Hamel is “able to play even more minutes” according to Stéphane Gilli who also joins for the first time, one of the January recruits, Vincent Marchetti, who arrived injured after playing his last match with AC Ajaccio on December 9.
Match sheet
CAEN - PARIS FC,
Saturday (7 p.m.), Michel-d'Ornano stadium.
Referee: Mr. Legat.
Paris FC:
Nkambadio - Dabila, Chergui, Mbow, Gaudin, - Mandouki (cap.), Camara - Gory, Kebbal, Lopez - Dicko (or Hamel).
Substitutes: Riou (l.), Ollila, Koré, Doucet, Marchetti, Diaby Fadiga, Lukembila, Hamel or Dicko.
Enter.
: Gilli.
Absent
: Kolodziejczak, Lasne, Pembelé, Jabbari, Gueye, Alakouch, Touré (injured), Colau, Filipovic (choice).