INTERVIEW. TFC: “On my list for Santa Claus, there is a European ticket!” Vincent Sierro, the Toulouse captain, firmly believes in it

Vincent, the night must have been pleasant…
Of course. It’s always nice to win, and at the Stadium. It’s easier to fall asleep when you’re winning, anyway.

Especially given the scenario since it is the first time that TFC has won this season, after being led.
This shows the character of the group. The dynamic we are in, the confidence in our qualities. When we score, we have no doubt: we manage to get back on track straight away. Afterwards, we felt that we had that little something to go over the top and, in the end, win the match. There you have it, this is the third consecutive victory at home. Being the master of your own home is what we missed last year.

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The team has gained in maturity, does not lose track of the match, continues to apply the game plan. You are making real progress, right?
Quite. For me, it has been glaring for two months. Our latest successes are built with tranquility, I would say. We do not try to play at all costs, when that is not possible; we adapt to the part, its needs, its scenario. For example, against Saint-Étienne, we had much less possession than we expected. However, we conceded very few chances. We act accordingly.

How can we explain, precisely, this change in the face of Tef?
It’s a whole. We must not forget that there have been quite a few departures this summer and, therefore, arrivals. It takes time for the alchemy to happen. So that the automation is put in place; It doesn’t happen in one or two weeks. Knowing that McKenzie plays like that, that King wants the ball in a certain area… We started the Championship and the results were not satisfactory; nevertheless, we felt that we were close to reaping the fruits. This little extra success to score… Naturally there are still a lot of things to improve because everything is not perfect. We are on the right track, in any case.

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The coach keeps praising your state of mind, the fact that you fight for each other…
We are one of the teams that concede the fewestexpected goals an L1 [la deuxième, même, derrière le Paris-SG avec 1,06 occasion de but/match]that means something. It’s everyone’s job: it’s not just down to the goalkeeper who works miracles, the defenders who defend well or the midfielders who help accordingly. If we have to be low, everyone plays the game; if you have to press, same thing. This is why I think TFC is not easy to play for our opponents. We are a block. Everyone runs, everyone respects defensive tasks.

You are today at the gates of Europe. What does this inspire you?
(smile) The goal is always to rank as high as possible. We would like to climb again, it would be magnificent. This will require consistency because what counts will be on the evening of the 34^e daytime. There are many points on which we can improve in order to achieve results against the big players in the Championship. Let’s be more efficient in all areas.

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Carles Martinez Novell said at the final whistle: “We give ourselves the right to dream.” What are the ambitions of Toulouse Footbal-Club for 2025?
We would all like to return to Europe – the supporters are just asking for that, and so are we players. The condition is to perform well throughout the entire season. There are no secrets.

A year ago, to the day, Toulouse spent the holidays in a roadblock position. We have come a long way!
The team, I insist, has grown a lot. Last year the coach was new, this season too the squad – as we said – has changed quite a bit; in short, a new process had to be set up. And if we focus on 2024 only, we are still one of the L1 teams to have capitalized the most (6^ewith 50 points in 32 games, over the calendar year). We work well during the week, the coach knows what he wants to establish for the match while knowing that our principles remain the same. Video, lots of details, lots of discussions during the sessions, whether from the coach, his assistants, the analysts. Result: in the long run, the team knows perfectly well what it must do. Everyone is going in the same direction.

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What is the identity of TFC 2024-2025 in your opinion?
Difficult to summarize. We like to play, to be in small spaces as well as in depth. Small perimeter and verticality, we have the two strings to our bow. Because the goal is not to have the ball for the sake of having the ball, but to create danger.

Six clean sheets, or 40%. Behind, even without Nicolaisen injured (right ankle) who will not return until January, you have found your cruising speed.
Clearly. Now, once again, it starts from the front with the harassment of the attackers. Then backgrounds. This allows our defenders to be less exposed.

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In front, Gboho diminished, it was Babicka who was lined up from the start against ASSE and he scored. The danger is multiple, is that your opinion?
We are lucky to have different profiles. And substitutes who come in and can unlock a match.

In the middle of the field, we come there: you make the doublet with Casseres then there are the pistons Dönnum who often transplants inside and Suazo who overtakes him. Does the sector seem fairly balanced from the outside?
I think so. Cristian and I have a lot of play. And fortunately because we can often find ourselves numerically inferior against 3 or 4 or even 5 opponents. You have to chain the races, the kilometers, cover and cover each other. Sometimes it’s physically hard but, yes, I think we’re doing pretty well. We are generous (laughs). Aron doesn’t cheat either; Gabriel is the same thing: a warrior that you see tackling everywhere. When you have your teammate stripping on the pitch, you just want to imitate him. This is true solidarity; it’s not about speaking before the match in long sentences. It happens on the field, when you see your friend on the ground and you come back for him. I feel like we all do it.

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You are keen on tactics. With your role as captain, do you have privileged conversations with Carles Martinez Novell?
Yes, it can happen… and it’s funny because in the national team, during the Euro, we played a bit in this same system with a right-footed midfielder, who was a left-back. And which, in the possession phase, created the surplus. For us, in Switzerland, it’s Aebischer; in Toulouse, it’s Dönnum. We discussed it at the start of the season with the coach. Afterwards, he is so good at tactics, he watches lots of matches, he talks to you about lots of players. Then there is Jordan (Galtier, assistant) who films the training, dissects small sequences and we work on it. It makes you progress.

Personally, how do you judge your first part of the season?
I had some pretty good matches then there were others where I was less happy, let’s say. I was also less decisive with the goal than I had been in the return phase last year (his 6 goals were scored between J18 and J27). I try to adapt to the needs of the XI, that remains the most important. There are times when the job is thankless, however if it helps the TFC to perform, I do it willingly. I also try to make differences by passing, in the last 30 meters, and I know that I can still have better stats.

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What are you going to put on your list for Santa?
(last smile) A European ticket. That wouldn’t be bad, right?