Tours FC intends to “play its own game” to create a surprise against Lorient

Tours FC
FC Lorient

On the eve of an exceptional match, some clubs decide to change everything to give their players a different week. Monnaie pulled out all the stops before facing Lorient in the 8th^e round of this Coupe de France. This was not the case for the Tourangeaux before the 32^e of the final this Saturday, December 21 against the Merlus.

“There is no reason to change what works well. For the most part, my players will eat lunch at Flunch, as they usually do on game days, and they will have fries. The important thing is that they feel good, that they are calm, without any particular pressure regarding this meeting”assure Bryan Bergougnoux.

Play your own game against the Lorientais

It must be said that everything is going well at the moment for the Ciel et Noir, with fourteen consecutive victories in all competitions. After a delicate start to the season, the Tours FC coach has found the recipe and he does not want to change it. “We will try to play our game against a team that is very similar to us but in a developed version. My players would not understand why we are changing philosophy”explains the former striker.

“If we have to do it (the feat)this must be because we will have played with our values, our convictions and we will have all managed to be at 90 or 95% of what we know how to do. Often I hear that you have to be at 120 or 200%. But if we try to run faster, the players will all be exhausted after two seconds and we won't last. You just have to get into the rhythm you're used to.details the man who scored 34 goals with TFC. Everyone has to have a perfect day and, perhaps, Lorient has to have a slightly less good day. »

“Show our identity”

However, against the leader of Ligue 2, he shows himself “oddly confident”its players having little to lose. Unlike Olivier Pantaloni, back in the Cher Valley, who does not want his team to make the headlines on Sunday after an early elimination against an R1 team.

“The result doesn’t matter to us. What matters is showing our identity. Shedding a little light on this is an incredible opportunity.”rejoices Bryan Bergougnoux. Thus, 10,000 people are expected (6,000 places were sold on Thursday at midday) in the Touraine area. Enough to allow as many people as possible to see “the courage, the solidarity, the team-oriented state of mind that the players have demonstrated since the start of the season”.

Not the end but the beginning of an adventure

A little suspended moment, during which the fervor and the atmosphere should bring back memories to nostalgic people, the last 32^e of the Coupe de France final which took place in 2020 against Nîmes (2-2, 2-4 tab). “The players are impatient, excited but they are hardly dreading the match. They know that it's a bonus, a way to highlight what they were able to learn in the championship and during previous rounds.”estimates the coach.

However, he does not want this meeting to be an end in itself. He believes in the feat: “We're not crazy, Lorient has a 90% chance of qualifying, but 10% is huge. I don't want my players to see this match as the apotheosis and the end of something. This must be the start of a great adventure, we don't know where we can stop in this Cup. » An ambitious observation. But Bryan Bergougnoux knows it, against the Bretons, he has the opportunity to “create a beautiful page in the history of Tours FC”.

This Saturday, December 21 at 6 p.m., Vallée du Cher stadium. Live on beIN Sports Max 8. Ticket office: https://tours-fc-boutique.sumupstore.com/, at the stadium from 3 p.m. Saturday. Prices: North stand €15, East €10, South-west/North-west/North-east and visitors €10.