The Reims stadium lived a nightmare evening for the fence of the season. On the move in Lille, the Champagnes certainly lost 2-1, but they thought they had limited the breakage. At the final whistle, there were still 15th, out of the red zone. Except that everything changed in Strasbourg, where Le Havre, then in a barragist position, overthrew the steam in the very last seconds.
While Strasbourg led 2-1, Le Havre equalized, then obtained a penalty in the last seconds. In the 100th minute, Abdoulaye Touré tried – and succeeded – a panenka. This liberating goal propels Le Havre to 15th place and sends Reims to a barragist position. Scenario unthinkable a few minutes earlier for the Rémois, who had left Lille's lawn without suspecting the drama to come.
With this 16th place, Reims will have to play its survival against FC Metz, 3rd in Ligue 2. The first leg is scheduled for May 21 in Metz, the return to Reims on the 29th. And between these two decisive meetings, the final of the Coupe de France against Paris Saint-Germain slips on May 25. Three high pressure matches in eight days: the calendar becomes a nightmare.
Reims collapses at the last second: the dam that hurts
At the end of the Lille stadium, Jean-Pierre Caillot, president of Reims, refused to express themselves. Obviously in shock, he left the stadium without a word, betraying the state of general abatement. In the locker room, the atmosphere was for dismay. The coach Samba Diawara now has a complex equation to be resolved: saving the club or playing a prestigious final against PSG?
Because yes, internally, the idea begins to germinate: neglect the French Cup final to preserve the frames for the dams. If this posture shocks the purists, it illustrates the urgency of the situation. For Reims, the time is no longer for dreams of glory, but for survival. And this brutal turnaround leaves a bitter taste to an entire region.
