The Provençal derby has never been as indecisive as this year. Indeed, the soft underbelly of this Starligue truly resembles roads in the sun for a departure from vacation. It's a mess between the first relegated team (Istres, 15th) and the top 6 (Nîmes, 7th): only 5 points apart… So much so that on any given day, everything can shift to one side or the other.
In the middle of this flow, Aix plays yo-yo. The surprise defeat at Chartres left the Aix staff in knots after two convincing successes against Chambéry and Limoges. So, obviously, this shock is worth gold before the big winter break.
A 4-point match. “We missed our match in Chartres and we all want to make amends, explains PAUC captain Gabriel Loesch. It's so close in this championship. And if we want to be involved in the second part of the season, victory is imperative. But it's a regional derby. Istres will not give up.”
Same feeling for Matthieu Ong: “It will be a tough match. And as usual, the team that manages to control their nerves for as long as possible will come out on top.”
A top 6 in the sights
The PAUC – which will only be deprived of Andrea Parisini and Hugo Brouzet – has one last push to give itself a breath of fresh air and dream stronger for 2025. Because the ambitions of Jean-Marc's club Gobbi were displayed at the start of the season, namely finding height and a top 6.
And if the workforce has been renewed by more than 50% – and it risks changing again next year with in particular the departures of Ian Tarrafeta and Romain Lagarde – the Aix president intends to still weigh in the French landscape as a attractive club. It remains to find results that match.
This derby always remains a match like no other where all the details will count double.
