Football – Ligue 2. Behind closed doors, slaughter in defense… What you need to know before Troyes

The challenge: do the work so as not to worry about May 22

It could have been a great final for the maintenance. Not so long ago, the FCA would have even signed for it to be so. But the incidents of Friday May 3 during Troyes – Valenciennes, stopped in the 89th minute with a score of 1-1, removed a large part of the sporting interest from this last day. It seems inconceivable that the LFP would give the Aube club a chance to recover against Valenciennes when its own supporters caused the match to be stopped.

For the first time, coach Laurent Guyot spoke on the subject: “There is an investigation underway, conclusions and sanctions will be drawn on the evening of May 22, after the end of the championship. I still remember what was said to us last season. The only question for us would be the story of a replayed match whereas last year we were told that this was not possible after the end of the championship (following the end of the Bordeaux – Rodez match). Unless the regulations have changed… I have no particular concerns but I am impatiently awaiting the conclusions of the investigations. »

To avoid having to glance at your smartphone next Wednesday, the FCA must not lose this Friday. “It’s very easy to keep the group involved because if we take at least one point the question won’t arise,” confirms Guyot. Because, against Angers (2-1 defeat), even if the situation was already the same, the Haut-Savoyards had difficulty celebrating an evening of defeat in a stadium which had nevertheless been full. The head wasn’t there. “I was very disappointed, I think it showed,” Guyot smiled a week later. All the conditions were in place to finish in style. We weren’t far from doing it, the boys had a great match. We can be blamed for the last 20 minutes but we had given a lot. This is perhaps also the difference between a team which “really” has something extraordinary to achieve (Editor’s note: the rise to L1) and a team which had a little less to achieve. But I think we deserved a draw. Indeed, the disappointment took over the satisfaction of having maintained the club. »

The Annéciens want to end this crazy season on a good note also to beat last season’s total of 45 points, which seems to be close to their hearts. “We are going to go to Troyes to give everything and do our best to take three points. In my opinion, maintenance has been achieved even if there is always an element of distrust, the work has been done. Even if we feel supported, we will play this match to the fullest. If we win, we won’t wait until May 22 to be sure. » After starting the season with a match behind closed doors against Guingamp (4-1 defeat), the FCA will also end it in an empty stadium.

>> Calendar and classification of Ligue 2

The opponent: Troyes does not give up

After seven games in a row without a victory (3d, 4d), Troyes regained victory last Friday in Laval (2-1) after two months without success. “It’s a team that will be determined,” predicts Delphis. Relegated from L1, the Trojans seem on their way to a second relegation in a row given the sanctions which should fall on the club on May 22.

But, by winning in Laval, the group of ex-Chambéry coach David Guion showed that he would like to finish the season as best as possible, after having cleaned up internally and sidelined the four players who had relaunched the smoke bombs thrown onto the pitch by the supporters in the stands.

“They are going to do everything they can to take points, with the question of 17th place,” notes Guyot. The FCA itself got away with this last summer, being drafted following the administrative relegation of Sochaux and while, for example, the economic situation of Bordeaux appears complicated at the end of the season.

The phrase: “It’s time for this to stop”

Laurent Guyot: “Going from -7 points to +5 points in the red zone is not common, especially in ten games. It required a lot of effort and investment. The cut, as for all the other teams, comes at the right time because it is time for it to stop too. We need to recover. This season, I am designing it over two years. Last year, the break was almost non-existent psychologically for many people. »

The group: the FCA without its hinge

For the last of the season, Guyot will have to rethink his defense which will be deprived of the Mouanga-Soukouna starting hinge against Angers a week ago. The first was injured during the match, replaced by Barry, while the second was injured this week in training just like Goncalves who will therefore no longer wear the Annecy jersey. The FCA will find Camara, who returned from his qualification for the Olympics with Guinea last Thursday. The Escales, Adeline, Kodjia and Spano season had already ended a few weeks ago.