After more than two months of waiting, the Yellow and Blue are back on the pitch! That of the Bonal stadium in this case. To start this new Ligue 2 season, the FCSM receives Paris FC this Monday, August 1st. A poster that inevitably brings back good memories among supporters: the two teams met last May, during the first play-off for accession to Ligue 1. And the Sochaliens won 2-1 at Charléty, after a scenario completely crazy and this goal by Maxime Do Couto in added time.
The FCSM then narrowly missed the climb, losing on penalties against Auxerre. But since then, the fervor has not subsided! The staff and the players were able to notice it on Saturday, during training open to the public. More than 1000 fans came to give voice in the North stand.
“It was exceptional, that’s why we do this job! Sochaux is a historic club, where the fans have high expectations. It’s positive pressure. With my assistants and the players, we had a fantastic time during this training at Bonal”, Olivier Guégan, FCSM coach
“A season is a marathon”
During the session, the TNS ultras unfurled a banner reading “The place of the FCSM is Ligue 1!” An opinion shared by captain Gaétan Weissbeck: “We all know that Sochaux’s place is in the elite of French football, he explains. That’s also why I stayed here. I want to fight for this club, do everything to get it back up” Facing Paris FC, the Yellow and Blue are expecting a big challenge, even if the Parisians will have to do without several executives for the meeting, such as Guilavogui, Name or Demarconnay. In general, the competition will be extremely tough this season, as the new coach reminds us:
“The three relegated teams (Bordeaux, Saint-Etienne and Metz) have big resources. I believe that there are 13 teams in the championship which have already experienced Ligue 1. Everyone has ambitions on the starting line , but I repeat: our season, we have to build it, be present from the 1st to the 38th day. […] With my staff, we have been there for a month. We are not magicians. It takes work, time, for the principles of the game to be integrated”, Olivier Guégan
Ismaïl Aaneba absent against PFC
For this clash against the PFC, Olivier Guégan has called a group of 20 players. Defender Ismaïl Aaneba is not included, still hampered by his injury contracted during the last preparation match against FC Metz.
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard – Paris FC, first match of the season, it’s this Monday, August 1st. It is to be followed live and in full on France Bleu Belfort Montbéliard, with comments by Arnaud Roszak and Stéphane Crucet. See you at 8:30 p.m. for the pre-match!