In an exceptional event exceptional preparation: rather than strikes, crosses, dives, the FC Valence players fight each other two by two on the mat of UNIK, a ju-jitsu club in Guilherand-Granges. The goal of this sport: to make the opponent give up through holds and techniques, without hitting him. “It teaches you to keep calm, when someone is there trying to strangle you, you can’t give up, you have to find a solution”explains Rémy Marcon, co-manager of the club. “This is not the first time that a team sport has called on us, generally to put combat at the center of the game”smiled Remy. On the mat, the twenty players pause, take a breath. “It’s a hyper cardio sport, that alone helps us on the pitch”testifies Djalil Guerbas, midfielder.
Cold-bloodedness and combativeness
It was through the coincidences of their jobs that Rémy Marcon and Eliès Khodja, coach of the FC Valence team, met. So, seduced by Brazilian ju-jitsu, the Football coach decided to try it with his players. “We play teams several levels above, we cannot control the way we control in the Regional 3 championship. You have to learn to endure, accept to defend, seize the window to attack, keep your cool. is important for my team which has a lot of character”.
And it worked in the 7th round of the Coupe de France, when FC Valence overthrew a team playing four levels above. “We had good concentration, control, solidarity. These training sessions bring us together, because they put us in difficulty”analyzes the goalkeeper, Ilies Belkacem. The ju-jitsu club, very famous with several international level fighters, willingly lends itself to the game and even comes to support the FCV in the stands.
Alexandre Berthaud
The Valencia Olympics in bowling mode
Far from combat sports but also far from the football fields, the players of the Olympique de Valence (Regional 1) prepared themselves by playing pétanque. They are looking for their feat because they have so far eliminated “only” teams of lower or equal rank, but they face Bourgoin-Jallieu this Saturday, a team playing one level above (National 3) and at the top of the ranking.
“The French Cup allows you to have fun, to gain confidence for the championship, but also to showcase the club”explains the vice-president, Jacques Diagana. “We should pass this round, we did what we had to do, and then dream of a big poster…”. From the next round, the Ligue 1 teams enter the competition in the French Cup.
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