More than ten years ago, LOSC won the Coupe de France, its first trophy in fifty-six years. This could, by another version of the story, never have been raised. So that’s the multiverse.
“A legendary free kick”this is how the LOSC communications unit describes the missile sent by Ludovic Obraniak into the Parisian cages on May 14, 2011. This achievement, which will remain forever in the memories of the Lille people, could well have never been recorded in due to the tactical choices made by Rudi Garcia.
“The starting eleven was often the same, and we knew it, but in this final, Flo' (Balmont) is absent. He is injured. So, for me, I will play in a three-way environment with Yo' (Cabaye) and Rio (Mavuba). We have a talk, the slideshow unfolds and the composition comes out. I'm looking for my name and I can't find it. I see Idrissa (Gana Gueye) who starts the match. I'm a replacement. Something rises inside me. I experienced it as an injustice given the role of joker that I had had all season. I got up and left in the middle of a chat”confides Ludovic Obraniak, X factor during this final and prestigious guest of the LOSC communications unit at the Templeuve cinema in a format published a few days before the club's 80th anniversary.
“If I had missed that moment, I would have blamed myself for it all my life”
The Polish international remembers: “I'm so angry I'm calling a taxi, I want to leave. In my mind, I didn't want to play it (the final) and leave. Flo' saw me and ran with Pierrot (Pierre Alain-Frau). They come knocking on my bedroom door. I'm packing my bag, I was going to leave. They blew me off, telling me that I was a little c**t, selfish, that I only thought about myself, that I had no right to ruin the team's work and that I might never experience a final again. They manage to convince me to stay and everyone acts like nothing happened. When I get on the bus, the taxi is there, parking. I act as if nothing happened. I was pulling a face, it’s impossible”he smiles today.
Ludovic Obraniak was indeed present during this final, and his anger too: “During the first period, I tried to channel this anger, because I was still convinced that I should have been startedhe explains.
I'm warming up at halftime, so I think I'll be back pretty quickly, but time is running out and nothing's happening. I was on fire. The 89th minute arrives. I used to (on a free kick) aim for the far post a bit like that.
To be honest, I hit it a little hard. Ultimately, she is driven by emotion. I am in such a daze, that this balloon is carried by the emotions of the day”and shook the nets to offer victory to LOSC (0-1) and the title in the Coupe de France.
“If I had missed that moment, I would have blamed myself for the rest of my life. I am eternally grateful to them (Florent Balmont and Pierre-Alain Frau). […] I would like to relive it, I would pay to relive it”concludes Ludovic Obraniak, a notable figure in the modern history of LOSC.
