All smiles when he left the visitor’s locker room at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Athens after the success of FC Nantes against Olympiakos,
this Thursday evening, Antoine Kombouaré expressed his pride and happiness to coach this team. While recalling that this euphoria was to carry the Canaries towards a new success outside, in the league this time. Interview with a happy but still very pragmatic technician.
“Crazy Emotions”
What feeling goes through you after this victory, synonymous with qualification for the 16th final of the Europa League?
They are crazy, seriously ill! It’s hard to explain what I feel, it’s a great pride. I also feel a lot of joy and at the same time they give us crazy emotions.
How do you analyze this meeting?
In the first half, I was not happy, I would even go so far as to say that we were bad. In the second half, however, we found a team with play and a lot of calm with the ball too. Above all, we defended very well and we were able to score that first goal. Then, the second took us to safety and allowed us to have no regrets. In addition, on arrival, there is the icing on the cake, it is exceptional.
I’m happy for this magical evening but I’m already thinking about Sunday.
Do you think the entry of Ludovic Blas after the break changed everything?
At halftime, I told the players that we were an amateur team. I didn’t like it because we rushed. When we had the ball, we threw it. We had to wait until the 43rd minute for us to make five assists. I told them : “Guys, we are a Ligue 1 team playing in the European Cup. It takes joy, confidence, taking risks in the game.“All got in tune with”Ludo“, Pedro’s entry felt good too. They understood that by playing one could create situationss and, in addition, we were efficient. It’s good.
“The European Cup is for the players and the supporters”
How did you experience the minutes that followed the end of the meeting?
I was waiting [la fin du match entre Qarabag et Fribourg, ndlr]. In the last ten minutes I was warned that Freiburg was leading and that in addition there was an expelled in Qarabag. So it looked good, even if they drew we passed, provided we scored and won. But the suspense was finally to the end, very long. If it is to ultimately experience exceptional emotions … Me, I was obviously in withdrawal. Admittedly, I am happy for this magical evening but I am already thinking of Sunday. I have already said it, the European Cup is for the players and the supporters. Me, I especially have to think about how to field a competitive team in Reims because you absolutely have to look for a result there, at least a point and why not victory.
I wish all coaches to live what I live.
Can we talk about an achievement about this qualification?
Sure ! We weren’t favourites. I heard a Greek journalist say that we are the small team. Of course we were on paper. We had left to discover this competition. But you can learn by doing the job. There, we finish second, it’s a crazy thing. Afterwards, we will continue to remain humble, to work and to play matches like the one we have just had. But I repeat, the near future is Reims. They are happy, me too, but you have to make them understand thatwe were able to seek Europe through the Cup but it’s better to stay in Ligue 1. The supporters are not crazy: they know that the most important thing for us is to stay in Ligue 1.
You finally win away, is that a relief for you?
Finally you are going to leave me with this question even if you’re right: it was starting to weigh on me a little bit. I told the players, shut them up on Sunday!
Do you want to draw FC Barcelona in the next round?
I heard the players laughing. Quite honestly, I don’t care what opponent we’re going to have. When you have just experienced what you have just experienced, today it is Reims and Ajaccio that count, then the holidays. We just experienced something powerful. I wish all coaches to live what I live! We must remember that against Olympiakos we won in the 93rd, against Qarabag in the 94th. A qualification is irrelevant. We must therefore remain calm, humbleespecially since we are still struggling to maintain it.