While the Maritimes won the game of fear in League 2 against QRM last week, coming from behind (2-1), the Dunkirk club saw the meeting between Troyes and Valenciennes interrupted before its end due to the throwing of smoke bombs on the pitch at the Stade de l’Aube. An event which makes the race to maintain itself very strange since ESTAC now has a match behind, which will probably not be replayed, over its direct competitors. For Luis Castro, there is still no question of relaxing on the 37th day, despite his team’s significant lead. Still without Gnanduillet, Thiam nor Mughe, the coach of Dunkirk will have to compose a competitive formation against Stade Malherbe since until proven otherwise, the USLD is not yet completely saved.
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“It’s not over, it’s important to stay focused. As I usually say, we are much better today than in 2023. But we need to finish the job, tomorrow’s match will be very, very important […]. Troyes-Valenciennes is not something I can control. It’s normal that I have my opinion on the matter, but I only control my team against Caen. That’s what I’m going to work on. It’s important to have a good match, I think our supporters will come to the stadium because they see all the efforts that the players are making, especially in 2024 to maintain the club. In all matches, they give their all. You can’t win every game, that’s normal, but I think the players deserve to play with the 12th man. »
“The pressure is the same for me. When you’re a coach, your job is to take an exam every week. There are jobs in which in a year, if you do well or poorly at work, nothing different happens. But the coaches have to take the exam every week, with the people who can judge whether the players have worked or not. There is also another team on the other side and often one team wins and the other loses. The one who loses can work well too, but the two opponents cannot both win. So I keep the pressure on 100%. I work with the same intensity, the same concentration, we watch Caen as we watch all the other clubs. If we don’t do that, we lose the match, that’s for sure. If you are not 100% concentrated in Ligue 2, you will lose for sure. »
Photo Anthony Bibard/FEP/Icon Sport
