Paris FC has no room for error! Traveling to Raon-l’Étape (Vosges) this Saturday for his debut in the Coupe de France, the promoted Parisian faces this Saturday (6 p.m.) an opponent from the sixth division (Regional 1), well within his reach on paper. “It’s a trap match, but it’s also the ideal match for some to regain confidence,” wants to believe coach Stéphane Gilli, present this Friday at a press conference.
Because after three delicate weeks marked by executive injuries and disappointing results in Ligue 1 – two draws against direct opponents for maintenance (1-1 against Auxerre at home, 0-0 at Le Havre) and a heavy defeat against Toulouse (0-3) – Paris FC must finish the 2025 financial year on a good note.
“Qualification is important to continue to be in this competition but above all to finish the year well and for the players to go on vacation with an average first part of the season… (he hesitates), explains Stéphane Gilli. And then if we spend one lap, two laps, three laps… We want to go as far as possible. »
The coach will be “uncompromising on the attitudes” of his players
Before that, we will have to succeed in getting rid of a rather playful Regional 1 team (19 goals scored and 18 conceded since the start of the season) and which dreams of an exploit like the Coupe de France regularly offers. “I have already been in the Place du Petit Poucet, before arriving at Paris FC, I played as an amateur so I experienced these matches,” recalls Julien Lopez, who after four short appearances in Ligue 1 this season should get more playing time this Saturday. There are a lot of surprises. Tomorrow, at the end, we will only remember if we passed, if we qualified. »
Without the five internationals who left at the start of the week for the African Cup of Nations (Ilan Kebbal, Samir Chergui, Jean-Philippe Krasso, Moses Simon and Hamari Traoré), without captain Maxime Lopez, suspended, and without five other players physically affected (including Pierre Lees-Melou and Nouha Dicko), the Parisian staff will have to adapt but will not tolerate a lack of involvement from the players present on the field.
“I am waiting for a reaction from my group, and with all the respect I have for Raon-l’Étape, I want to show the divisions between our two teams,” insists the technician. I expect a lot from this match, especially in terms of intentions and attitudes. We don’t have to have any excuses, we go there to perform, so that we see this difference. We have to see it from the first to the last minute. »
Stéphane Gilli continues: “Often in the Coupe de France, unconsciously we say to ourselves: it will pass. Maybe we’re making a little less effort. I warned them. There may be technical errors, but in attitudes, I expect them. I will be uncompromising. » The players will absolutely have to relaunch themselves offensively after three matches without having scored a goal during the course of the game.
“We know that the hierarchy will have to be respected,” concluded Julien Lopez. We are a Ligue 1 team, we will have to show it tomorrow. » Under penalty of going on vacation with a much less light mind…
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