Twenty years ago, the world of football was different. The video analyses, using binoculars, were however already pushed to the extreme at LOSC, ready to play their first Champions League campaign.
It was a time that those under twenty cannot experience. They, who recently celebrated LOSC's victory over Real Madrid and Atlético in the Champions League, would undoubtedly have shuddered with pleasure on August 8, 2001, when their idols managed to bring down the great Parma club on the pitch. from the Ennio Tardini Stadium. This match, which is part of our selection of notable matches of each decade, was recently reviewed by Vahid Halilhodžić, LOSC coach at that time.
“I remember that many Italian newspapers made fun of us a littleexplains the 72-year-old technician, prestigious guest of the LOSC communications unit at the Templeuve cinema in a format published a few days before the club's 80th anniversary. We were ready physically and mentally, with a lot of modesty, but also a lot of determination. The boys wanted to achieve something. It was truly a group capable of doing great things.”he remembers.
“This match is one of the most important moments of my career”
That day, despite the imbalance that there might have been on paper, LOSC followed its plan to the letter. A strategy put together by Vahid Halilhodžić, who increased efforts to best thwart opposing tactics: “You know, to prepare for this match, I went with my assistant Bruno Baronchelli to the Aosta Valley. I knew that Parma was preparing there on mountain terrain. We hid in the forest, even though Bruno Baronchelli had fallen into a ravine. He had hurt himself a little, but we weren't very far from their land. We were hidden and camouflaged so as not to be spotted”admits the Lille coach.
A few days later, LOSC were the big winners. Little Thumb defeated Parma in his den (0-2) thanks to goals from Bassir and Johnny Ecker (0-2).
“It was the first time we did thats'amuse Vahid Halilhodžić. We even camouflaged ourselves. With Bruno, we laughed about it after the match. We were laughing like crazy. So I saw what the coach had prepared and, with that in mind, I could return to Lille and meticulously prepare every little detail of our preparation. And I think that in the first leg, we played the perfect match. »
On the way back, in Lille, the Mastiffs lost by a small goal and this minimal gap allowed them to qualify for the Champions League. It was a great first. Two years earlier, LOSC was in great difficulty in Ligue 2. “We could never have imagined thisalso recognizes the Bosnian coach. This match is one of the most important moments of my career. […] You know, I've been gone for 22 years and people still say THANK YOU when they pass me in restaurants. It’s a recognition that is truly…”he concluded, with tears in his eyes. Vahid Halilhodžić will be present this Sunday to celebrate LOSC's 80th anniversary and there is still time to thank him properly.
