By meeting his old friend Laurent Blanc, ex-Parisian coach, on Sunday, Christophe Galtier will be able to discuss the difficulties of the PSG coaching profession, he who has been going through a storm since the club’s ousting in the Champions League and the rout against Rennes. two weeks ago.
Moreover, “Galette” does not forget to salute “Lolo”, with whom he was European U23 champion in 1988. PSG, I know he will be well received, many people will take pleasure in greeting him, ”anticipates Galtier, who is never whistled by the Park, as was Mauricio Pochettino his predecessor.
If the Cévenol had been sacked in 2016 just after being extended and crowned champion of France, the Provençal has been rocking a little in recent weeks.
“Not to take it easy”
There is still a title to win from the Marseillais so as not to end up fanny. He feels “legitimate” and “preparing for next season” with Luis Campos, the club’s sports director, even if he does not have this title (he is a football advisor).
This end of ten last matches, “personally I approach it with a lot of determination and lucidity”, assures the Parisian technician. Six points ahead of Marseille (2nd), held in check Friday by Montpellier (1-1), his team seems safe. But she has already conceded seven defeats in 2023, including four in L1.
After Lyon, only 10th at nine lengths from the European places, Paris will have to face Nice (7th), undefeated since January 2 and Lens (3rd), candidate for the Champions League. “If we perform well, starting on Sunday, that will allow us to maintain a significant gap, or even more,” launches Galtier, optimistic.
“We must not take the easy way out,” he stresses. In football, “everything can go very quickly, you have to be very vigilant and keep the determination and the desire to win matches and yet another title”, continues Galtier.
Lyon have the lead in their semi-final
And then “when we look at our calendar, behind these three matches, we are dealing with teams that play their maintenance, it will always be difficult”, he adds. Paris must in particular go to Angers, red lantern with only two victories (the last in September 2022), and face Troyes, Ajaccio, Auxerre, Strasbourg and Clermont.
Lyon is having a difficult season, on alternating current, but Galtier is wary of it. “Three days later they have an important match in the Coupe de France (semi-final against Nantes, editor’s note) and a victory in the final would give them access to European competition, which is Lyon’s objective, but I don’t imagine Laurent come with a second team to protect his match on Wednesday, ”warns the coach.
PSG-OL, “it’s a poster for our championship, a great display, the good players from Olympique Lyonnais, the internationals, will want to express themselves on Sunday evening”. Galtier is probably thinking of Alexandre Lacazette, the Lyon captain, who has scored three goals in two games since returning from injury.
The Parisian can always count on the new captain of the France team, Kylian Mbappé, but Neymar will not play again for the season and Lionel Messi is very disappointing. The world champion, at the end of the contract, is in negotiations, but his future, “it remains very confidential”only loose Galtier.
After calling a lot of “Titis” from the training center while “everyone was scattered all over Europe and the world with the selections, whether among young people or experienced players “, Galtier must restart the machine. The eleventh title, a record, is not very far away, but to win it, PSG must stop losing.
