An undeniable disadvantage when playing an important match. It is, in fact, a seriously decimated FC Versailles which will face this Monday evening (9 p.m.) Niort, runner-up to Red Star, at the end of the 26th day of National. Still in the fight for maintenance with only two steps ahead of the first relegation (Marignane), the Yvelines club (10th) will present itself without 5 of its players selected for selection: Djibril Bangoura (U23 Guinea), Mondy Prunier (Haiti), Lassana Diakhaby (Mauritania), Venuste Baboula (Central African Republic) and Florian Lapis (Martinique).
If the last two are no longer retained in the Versailles group, the first three will play in the selection this week. Defensive midfielder Kevin Nadje, who faced the Bleuets with his Ivorian Espoir selection (2-3) Friday evening in Châteauroux, will have to play a series of matches and will not appear in the best physical condition against Niort.
The regulations favor French internationals
“We are strongly impacted. I have 4 starters who left for selection and I only get one back. It’s a detriment, complains coach Jean-Luc Vasseur. I don’t understand why we play National in international periods. I also don’t understand why the rule of the Federation is to cancel matches only when there are two French internationals who are called up… In addition, some of our players are dual nationals…”
The coach who arrived last month to replace Grégory Vignal on the Versailles bench continues: “This National Championship is a bit shaky between the professional world and the amateur world. The problem will have to be resolved. A consensus must be found so that this championship has a professional status with respect for Fifa windows. That we cannot be impacted by an international window would be a form of recognition of the quality of your squad and the choices made with regard to its players. This championship needs clarification. I simply ask that the level and investment of people, both financial and human, be respected. »
In addition to those absent due to selection, FC Versailles will have to cope without its striker Mehdi Baaloudj (thigh), one of the best players in the National this season. “We’ll make do. It’s up to me to find solutions to cast a little wider net, says Jean-Luc Vasseur. It’s a shame to only be able to put 16 players on the match sheet and not 18. We can’t wait to be able to benchmark ourselves against a team that is playing for promotion. We want to keep the same dynamic and the same state of mind as for 3 matches. »
Undefeated since the arrival of its new coach (2 wins and a draw), the Yvelines team would move up to 9th place with a small lead over the red zone if successful. Thibaut Jaques’ partners know what they have to do.
