Nineteen years since FC Nantes had not brought down the club from the capital in its lair in the Parc des Princes. This March 14, 2021, the proteges of Antoine Kombouaré, relegated to the kickoff of this closing match of this 29th day of Ligue 1, land on the lawn of the reigning triple champions of France with trembling legs. “Morale was at its lowest, very clearly“, remembers Julien Soyer, present for Ouest France. Before the unthinkable happened. In an empty stadium. Eight months after this match”out of time“, the rare Nantes journalists present have forgotten nothing of this crazy evening.
“Around me, everyone is incredulous”
Despite the signing of Antoine Kombouaré, replacing the short-lived Raymond Domenech, the storm was still raging loudly above the Yellows. The astonishing success against Angers, obtained a month earlier, was the only one in the bag of the Canaries on their last 20 outings. Conversely, the PSG and its pleiad of stars were playing elbows in the race for the title. “This is the moment when Kombouaré tries a blow with a three-way defense, rewinds Maxime Le Lay from Presse Océan. Despite everything, you tell yourself that it will not hold. In addition, Nantes take a goal just before half-time on a twist of fate. At that moment you tell yourself it’s over. “
We wondered what was going on because, clearly, the odds of a victory for Nantes were at 2000.
One eye on the game, another on their computer screen, print journalists are tapping at lightning speed. Every minute is counted, the deadline for sending the articles to the editors being fixed, almost, at the final whistle. The Yellow and Green are also accelerating on the lawn. Sparkling that night, Randal Kolo Muani puts the two teams back on an equal footing. Before he delivers the second to Moses Simon on a platter. “Around me everyone is in disbelief, loose Matthieu Bellee from Nantes Sport. It was amazing. “”Me, I only see the end of the action since I’m writing, engages Julien Soyer. I need slow motion to see it all“Sitting next door, Maxime Le Lay must also review his entire article.”I said to myself at the same time: it’s amazing what I’m going through. And damn I have to start over knowing that I have to deliver my item at the final whistle. “
“It’s a bit like David versus Goliath revisited in Nantes sauce”
Paris Saint-Germain is stumbling. To experience a huge disappointment. However, no bronca in the stadium. A few arms raised, smiles but no euphoria among the visitors. The stadium is empty. “Everything remains rather well balanced, organized, confirms Julien Soyer, assiduous follower of the news of the Yellow for seven years for the daily newspaper. And I think that this context, for once, still served Nantes once it led. “” Still, Julien and I are like madmen in the gallery “, smiles Maxime Le Lay. And FC Nantes is holding. Until the end, despite endless additional time.
Nantes had, in my opinion never really achieved a feat and there it did.
“Even in the nicest dreams of the people of Nantes, I don’t think we ever could have thought of that, blows the pen of Nantes Sport, which does not avoid the fact that the exit of Angel Di Maria, victim of a burglary at his home, could have had consequences for the second half. We wondered what was happening because clearly, the odds of a victory for Nantes were at 2000. “”It’s a little David versus Goliath revisited with Nantes sauce“, tries the journalist of Presse Océan. A success which definitively launched the band in Kombouaré towards the maintenance, admitted Andrei Girotto, this Thursday.
In the press gallery, in the conference room where players and coaches follow one another, an air of knockout emerges. “It’s not the best performance, but it’s still the best achievement in the history of FC Nantes, analysis with hindsight Julien Soyer. It seems curious because Nantes had fabulous runs in the Champions League and in the league. But if we look, in 1996 when they qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League, they beat Spartak Moscow but they did not have a benchmark match like Bordeaux could have against AC Milan or OM. . For me, this is the only major feat, the one Nantes was looking for the year. In 1982/1983, when the Canaries largely dominated France, they lost in the final of the Coupe de France against PSG. They don’t do the double. Nantes had, in my opinion, never really realized this and there, they did it. “