The Caen press room was a little fuller than usual this Thursday for the traditional pre-match press briefing.
“It’s funny because usually we never talk about the opponent s’amuse Stephane Moulin. This shows how the adversary is different from the others. You start by asking me a question about Toulouse and it’s quite logical given the supremacy that the team has shown since the start of the championship and even more in the period in which we find ourselves since they remain on five straight wins and ten games unbeaten.”
On the way, the SM Caeneleventh in Ligue 2 , had surprised the TFC at the Stadium (2-3). Six months later, the footballers are still glued to the second part of the classification but remain one of the only two teams to have beaten the leader of Ligue 2 with Niort.
“We managed to do it once. Will we be able to do it a second time, asks the Caen coach. The task looks difficult but obviously we will try everything, try everything – beyond the fact of being the first to beat them twice – to take the points we need. This is what matters to me first. It’s not a gala match on Saturday. It’s a match that is worth three pts like the others. And we must do everything we can to take them despite once again the quality of the opponent.”
This match is all the more important as the Malherbistes will then follow up with a trip to Valenciennes on Tuesday and the derby in Le Havre the following Saturday.
The return of Philippe Montanier to D’Ornano
Guardian of SM Caen during the golden age of the Norman football club, Philippe Montanier will return to the Ornano stadium where he will only have played one season.
“I’m at home, I’m in my heart club explained the TFC coach at a press conference. I knew the University there, Ligue 1, Ligue 2, the European Cup too. It’s true that it always makes me happy and besides the family, I still have a lot of friends there. In thirty-six years of career (Player and coach), this is not the first time that I come back. It’s not a pinch, it’s always a pleasure. It’s a beautiful stadium. The fans are really warm.”
The former Malherbiste has won more than 47% in 167 matches coached in Ligue 2 (Boulogne, Lens and Toulouse).
Caen workforce
Stade Malherbe Caen recovers its two midfielders suspended during the previous match (Captain Jessy Deminguet and Johann Lepenant) and his top scorer, Alexandre Mendyabsent in the last two meetings.
On the absent side, Stéphane Moulin will have to do without five players: attacking midfielders Caleb Zady Séry and Mehdi Chahiri are stopped for a long time. The defenders Adolphe Teikeu (elongation) and jonathan rivierez (Sick) are also unavailable as well as the midfielder Anthony Gonçalves who will miss their third game
Sullivan Péansick last week, will play in reserve this Saturday against the reserve of Lorient. “He was sick, he needs to play”explains his coach.
The SM Caen group to choose from : Rémy Riou, Yannis Clementia – Yoël Armougom, Ibrahim Cissé, Prince Oniangué, Ali Abdi, Hugo Vandermersch – Djibril Diani, Brahim Traoré, Franklin Wadja, Yoann Court, Steve Shamal, Ilyes Najim, Jessy Deminguet, Johann Lepenant – Nuno Da Costa, Andréas Hountondji, Benjamin Jeannot and Alexandre Mendy.
SM Caen – Toulouse to follow live on France Bleu
–
