Between workforce management and trap match, PSG to attack the small thumb Cassel in the Coupe de France

Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin 12:26 a.m., January 23, 2023

Pays de Cassel will face an opponent who dominates Ligue 1, Kylian Mbappé's Paris Saint-Germain.

Quite a highlight for a club that has less than five years of existence.

Born from the merger of Arnèke, Hardifort, Noordpeene-Zuytpeene and Bavinchove-Cassel, six small towns in Flanders with a total of 6,500 inhabitants, the entity lives a daily life very far from that of the pros.

"We played 12 out of 14 away matches because our grass pitch didn't match the division and we only had synthetic in January. Both at home, we played them at Esquelbecq , a neighboring town, and Marcq-en-Baroeul, where I played and kept very good relationships," coach Samuel Goethals told AFP.

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8 climbs in 15 years

Permanent adaptation, which also involves the rental of temporary locker rooms, is the consequence of rapid growth: Arnèke, a club which neighbors joined to form Pays de Cassel, has climbed eight times in the last fifteen seasons.

"You need the time and the means to structure yourself, the conditions are not necessarily up to our level of competition, but the people are very invested and involved", continues the coach, who has kept the usual schedule despite the challenge. , simply adding a practice session at Bollaert on Sunday.

At only 34 years old, he is young in the business but already has experience.

Reserve coach of Marcq-en-Baroeul, in the Lille suburbs, while he was still a player with the first team, he also faced Auxerre (2-6 in 2014) and Lens (0-3 in 2016). ) crampons on the feet.

"They were in Ligue 2 and it was already difficult in the balance of power. The players want to face the best, the staff is preparing as if Mbappé, Neymar and Messi were going to be aligned but, whatever happens , there will be a difference in level", recognizes Samuel Goethals, who admits a mixture of impatience in front of "an extremely rare opportunity, perhaps not the goal of a life but an accomplishment".

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The whole PSG?

But it remains to be seen whether Paris Saint-Germain will line up their stars this Monday evening.

A priori, Lionel Messi should not be present on the lawn.

Neymar and Kylian Mbappé will make the trip well but their tenure is not certain.

"It's above all a match where you have to try to spare the best players in the squad," said Nabil Djellit in

, before continuing: "There is a season management" that PSG must have.

For Laurent Fournier, it's quite the opportunity to meet on the football level: "In matches like that you have to try to find simplicity to restore your confidence."

PSG is therefore advancing in northern land accompanied by popular fervor and amateur players who will waver between wonder and the desire for exploits.