By meeting his old friend Laurent Blanc on the Rhone bench, Christophe Galtier will be able to discuss the difficulties of the PSG coaching profession during this 29th day of Ligue 1.
Besides, “Galette” does not forget to greet “Lolo”, with whom he was European Espoirs champion in 1988.
“Already, it’s Laurent Blanc’s return to the Park, who has had a very good career with PSG, I know he will be well received, many people will take pleasure in greeting him”, anticipates Galtier, who does not is never whistled by the Park, as was Mauricio Pochettino his predecessor.
If the Cévenol had been sacked in 2016 just following being extended and crowned champion of France, the Provençal pitches a little following being eliminated in the round of 16 in the Coupe de France as in the Champions League.
“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 sporting director, even if he does not have this title (he is a football adviser).
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, and remains in a completely failed match at the Parc once morest Rennes (2-0).
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, this 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.
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 head to their semi-final
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 once morest 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 bis 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 of 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 not on Sergio Ramos, absent from the group unveiled on Saturday. Neymar will not play once more for the season and Lionel Messi is very disappointing.
The Argentine 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 young 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.
