During the preparation for his first match in the Coupe de France this Sunday (against Lorient at 2.45pm), Walter Benitez spoke to OGCNICE.com. Including his arrival and debut in red and black, the young Argentinian goalkeeper (23 years old) talks about his daily routine and details his ambitions. With an element of calmness and determination.

Walter, how has the winter break been for you?
I spent Christmas back in Argentina. It was the first time that I have been back since I arrived in Nice this summer. I have come back ready for the second half of the season.

It has been six months since you arrived in Nice, how have you settled in?
Very well! In six months I have been able to learn French and to get used to the city, the club, the coaching staff and my teammates. Now, I feel at home.

Can you talk us through your debut for Le Gym?
Even though the match against Krasnodar (2-1 victory in the Europa League) had little importance, because we were unable to qualify at that point, it was important for me as I made my first appearance after six months without playing due to a tibia injury. I have been feeling better and better as I have built up game time and I felt particularly good against Bordeaux in the league when I came on midway through the match (replacing the injured Yoan Cardinale in the 56thminute).

“TRAINING SESSIONS ON THE STAIRS”

Can you describe your training sessions? How do they differ from what you were used to before joining the club?
Lionel (Letizi) prepares some very specific sessions for us. For example, once or twice a week, we work on the stairs, in order to improve our coordination. That helps us with those small adjustments that need to be made to our game. That can be seen on the pitch, where I can feel the progress that I have made since I joined.

How is the role of the goalkeeper seen by the coaching staff?
The message from the manager, coaches and Lionel is always to play with our feet. We work a lot tactically too. I was already used to this style because my coach in Argentina had the same philosophy.

Are you aware of the strong Gym tradition in this position?
Yes, I have followed the careers of both (Hugo) Lloris and (David) Ospina particularly. It's a source of extra motivation. I work every day to be a good goalkeeper.

What do you feel are the areas you need to work on?
I know that I need to improve with the ball at my feet. I am only 23 years old and I need to work daily to become even better. Every aspect is important.

“GOOD PLAYERS WHO FORM A GREAT TEAM”

What conclusions can you take from the first half of the season?
We have a good squad. My teammates are good guys and good players. They have really shown that they make a good team on the pitch. Personally, I am not surprised because I followed the team last season and Le Gym were already playing very well.

What are the traps to avoid during the second half of the season?
We need to forget the league table and focus on our work, every day. It is this work during training that will allow us to be in the best conditions to come up against our rivals.

“TO GO ON A CUP RUN”

On Sunday, Le Gym will make their entrance into the Coupe de France. Yoan (Cardinale) is unavailable and you will therefore be in goal for the Niçois. What do you know about this competition?
I know that it was the last trophy won by the club (in 1997). It is a very important match ahead of us, and we hope to start a cup run in the match against Lorient. It doesn't matter who we play, we want to win the game.

Does the Cup have a special importance in Argentina?
Yes, the Copa Argentina is equally very popular. Like in France, it is open to amateur clubs and sometimes there can be upsets in which the “small” teams beat the “big” ones.

To conclude, what is your wish for the new year?
It's a really important year. Personally, I hope that I will perform when called upon. My wish for 2017 is that we will go as far as possible in the league and in the cup. We are going to have to work very hard in order to achieve this.

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