No official competition but no rest for all that. “If we had given them a week’s vacation, I’m sure they wouldn’t have wanted it”, even slips Jocelyn Prêcheur, assistant coach of the women’s section of PSG. Still in the running for the two national trophies, the Coupe de France and the championship, the Parisiennes are entering an unprecedented period of the season: between their success on Sunday at Guingamp (1-0) and the reception of Paris FC on May 7, they will live three whole weeks without a match.
An astonishing situation that Jocelyn Prêcheur has never experienced at this stage of a season. “It’s the first time I’ve faced this configuration, assures the son of Gérard Prêcheur, head coach. We would have preferred that not to be the case and play the semi-finals of the Champions League (eliminated in the quarter-finals against Wolfsburg) but it’s like that. We have to try to see the period as an opportunity to manage the home stretch well with these two titles to go for”.
But how do you keep your troops in shape with such a break as decisive moments approach? “No complete rest, specifies Jocelyn Prêcheur. We will see at the end of the week if we give a few days off. But on the first days, we will alternate predominantly technical sessions with treatments. We will start to work tactically in the second part. The priority is the regeneration and recharging of the batteries. We had five matches in the fortnight before the international break and, during the break, the players left for selection. The legs are heavy. »
A friendly match or an internal opposition?
In terms of motivation, Jocelyn Prêcheur has “no doubts” about her group. However, is a physical relaxation possible? “It’s a risk,” he said. Everything must be calculated correctly. Organizations are tired, that’s obvious. One thing is certain: the problems are individual. Each player will have a different program because the situations are not the same”. We think in particular of Grace Geyoro or Élisa De Almeida, very much in demand in recent weeks at PSG as in the selection.
The Parisian staff also want to take advantage of the period to recover their injuries, from Amanda Ilestedt to Jackie Groenen via Kadidiatou Diani, victim of a fractured right clavicle on March 30, even if it will be “difficult” for the latter. before mid-May. Jocelyn Prêcheur also explains that a friendly match could take place: “We are thinking about it. It remains to be seen whether we face an outside team or whether we organize an internal opposition. We are lucky to have a large quality group and, if I may say so, it sends! Hoping to find the right recipe to win a third title in three years, the real challenge of the season.
