There was a tiny bit of hope, and still. In recent weeks, the climate around FC Nantes has been deleterious, even anxiety-provoking. It must be said that the legendary French club is heading more than ever towards Ligue 2. And if in previous years, the questionable choices of the presidency embodied by Waldemar Kita had been saved by a firefighter on duty at the end of the season (often Antoine Kombouaré), this time the miracle did not take place for the Nantes team. Since the return of Vahid Halilhodzic (73) to the bench, the club has not recovered at all. On the contrary.
After the cruel draw this weekend against Brest leading to the heavy suspension of the Bosnian coach at the same time, FC Nantes, penultimate in the championship, was going to challenge PSG at the Parc des Princes with very few accounting ambitions. And it didn’t fail. Faced with a Parisian team that was too strong, the Nantes residents could only note the difference in level with this big defeat (3-0). And proof that nothing is going well this season, Anthony Lopes’ teammates were weighed down by a cruel penalty from the start of the match signaled by the VAR. This same VAR which immediately canceled the Nantes equalizer for an offside position.
Facts of the game against FC Nantes
When it doesn’t want, it doesn’t want. This is generally the speech given by the former OL goalkeeper in the mixed zone after the match. “There is disappointment because we came with the intention of achieving a result here. Afterwards, it was complicated because after 10 minutes, there was this ultra-logical penalty for an obvious handball (irony). From there, I’m not going to say that the game plan falls apart, but almost. We tried to defend ourselves with our weapons, we deserved to score a little but that’s how it is. It’s not my temperament to throw in the towel when there are points remaining and mathematically, maintaining is possible. The day this is no longer the case, I will tell you. Today, there is VAR which is present; it comes down to very few things. The tool is there so you have to make do with it. We really thought we would equalize and continue doing what we were doing well. After that, we had to put our heads back together and it’s not easy.”
A speech which is a continuation of coach Vahid Halilhodzic, who first appeared disappointed at the microphone of League 1+ then at a press conference. “I was thinking of stopping with football. Nantes called me for 2 months, I thought I would help. Unfortunately, today it’s almost over. We will continue to hope but I am so sad for Nantes and the supporters. If we go down, I hope the club comes back up as quickly as possible. I’m really sad, it’s hard to go through this. I have never experienced this in my career, since my arrival, everything has been against us. If I had arrived a month earlier, perhaps it would have changed a lot of things. This situation is unacceptable. Why did this happen? I’m not going to say anything tonight. We played against the best team in the world. When PSG plays against Liverpool, it’s a laugh. With this team, PSG will be European champion and even World champion. »
