Best attack, second best defence, best scorer, best passer. Toulouse FC is having a full season, two years after being downgraded at the end of a Ligue 1 exercise marked by eighteen consecutive games without a single victory, including seventeen defeats. Eight games from the end, the Toulousains play a first final, Saturday April 2, against Paris FC, which could allow them to take a ten-point lead over their rivals of the day, currently second.
With 69 goals scored, the Violets are rolling in Ligue 2. The latest victim, Auxerre, in the fight for the climb, beaten 2-1 at Abbé-Deschamps. A more flattering score than the 6-0 conceded in the first leg. In the last eight games played, Philippe Montanier’s players have won seven times, thus taking the lead in the standings as the final sprint approaches.
A solo rider who owes a lot to Branco van den Boomen. The Dutchman, author of 12 goals and 17 assists, is a real artificer capable of bringing danger into the area with his strikes or his crosses. He is no stranger to the 25 goals scored from set pieces by the Violets this season. On eleven occasions, the opposing nets trembled following his corners. His precision on a free kick also allowed Toulouse to shake the net nine times.
#TFCUSLD
⚽️ Branco van den Boomen opens the scoring with a free kick! pic.twitter.com/92hymUILyH— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) March 7, 2022
Arrived in the summer of 2020, just after relegation, he is the image of the successful recruitments by the TFC not to experience the same misadventures as other clubs, suffering after the descent into Ligue 2. Rhys Healey, arrived from English D3 and top scorer in the championship this season (15 goals) or Brecht Dejaegere, captain of the team who passed through La Gantoise where he knew Europe, illustrate this Toulouse recruitment across Europe.
A recipe, combined with young people from the training center, which proved its worth last year when Téfécé failed at the gates of Ligue 1. Third two points from a directly qualifying place, the players of Patrice Garande, coach last year, had come up against Nantes in the play-offs for an away goal.
For me it was a blow, the biggest disappointment of my career
Brecht Dejaegere, TFC captainfrance info: sports
A doubt then settled, in the group as among the supporters. The loss of Amine Adli, Janis Antiste, Deiver Machado or Ruben Gabrielsen, the captain, could raise fears of a more complicated season. The arrival of Philippe Montanier on the bench and a new successful recruitment with in particular Ado Onaiwu, from Japan (8 goals), and Rafael Ratao, Brazilian recruited in Slovakia (9 goals). The advent of Nathan Ngoumou (8 goals) who had started to be established at the end of last season also brings to this group.
A popular enthusiasm has also been recreated around the team. Visible last year at the arrivals of the bus, the stadium being closed to the public due to health constraints, this support will be record against Paris. On Friday, the club indicated that the match between the two best teams in Ligue 2 will be sold out in front of more than 28,000 spectators. The season record, set by Le Havre on its anniversary against Caen (18,693) will therefore be largely beaten.
Here, we have no more words
In a last collective effort, we have just exceeded the milestone of 28,000 supporters for this shock #TFCPFC !
Stadium ticket offices are now CLOSED ❌ pic.twitter.com/nugmFnksdA
— Toulouse FC (@ToulouseFC) April 1, 2022
“The fans lived through difficult years with the team, but they never gave up, they never lost hope to come back”, underlines captain Brecht Dejaegere, happy that in the land of Oval, a whole city is pushing behind its footballers. The town hall has, moreover, already begun to anticipate the possible festivities in the event of a rise in Ligue 1.