This Monday evening, the Ruthenian captain, Rémy Boissier, and his coach, Didier Santini, were not particularly thrilled by the draw for the knockout stages of the Coupe de France sending their Rodez (17th in L2) to Auxerre ( 19th in L1), February 7 or 8.
“I’m a little disappointed, because we really wanted to host Paul-Lignon.” A few minutes after discovering the trip that awaits him in two weeks, in Auxerre, we cannot say that the Ruthenian captain, Rémy Boissier, was jumping for joy. It must be said that if he hoped to fall on a resident of Ligue 1, which he finally had, he wanted to play this 8th even more at home. “With the new stadium, I think we deserve to receive. So now it’s up to us to seek qualification against Auxerre, to hope to do so in the next round”, he anticipates. On the side of his coach, Didier Santini, the feeling was much the same: “I have the impression that we will not be able to play once at home… It would have been good for our supporters if that were the case. We will have to deal with it, but it is not the best draw possible.”
“There is a way to get an extra lap”
Beyond the symbolic character that an 8th in the Coupe de France at home would have represented, this match in Auxerre on February 7 or 8, namely a Tuesday or a Wednesday, will weigh down Raf’s schedule with an additional trip, in a week with three matches (Sochaux, then Nîmes at home). “Playing three days later, it would have been very, very good to play at home”, recognizes Santini. Boissier still prefers to put the impact of such a trip into perspective: “We’re starting to get used to weekday matches. The club is managing travel better and better, and everyone’s recuperation. I’m not too worried about that.” And, moreover, he is not necessarily worried either about the ability of his people to be able to play the spoilsports against a Ligue 1: “Their ranking in the league will not necessarily reflect the game we are going to play there. They had a big game against Niort (victoire 4-0). It won’t be an easy match, that’s for sure, but we’ll give everything to try to win it, as we’ve been doing since the start of this Coupe de France. I think there is still a way to go for an extra lap.”
