Here’s what Claude Puel and Dante had to say ahead of the "lay-off return leg against Saint-Étienne, which kicks off this Friday at 20:45.

Act 2

Claude Puel: “We’re always looking to do better. In the first leg, we could and should have done better with the ball. That result, in a stadium completely behind Saint-Étienne, isn’t a bad result. Now, it’s time for Act 2. The return leg will be different, approached differently. We’re not drawing any conclusions from the first leg. We could have said we’d naturally build on the cup final, which was quite successful in terms of our play. That’s not the case now; this is something else, a different contest. There are consequences that could be significant. Both clubs, both teams, felt that in the first leg and found it very difficult to really go for it.”

Dante: “Everyone thought the final was a gift, that it was wonderful. Lens were favourites, so we just had to enjoy ourselves. But when you ask yourself: ‘Why, three or four days later, have so many things changed in terms of attitude and confidence?’ One thing needs to be made clear. The final in Paris was a gift, but staying up against Saint-Étienne isn’t a punishment! It’s also a gift to be able to play such important matches. This match could make a lot of people happy. That’s the mindset we need to approach it with, telling ourselves we’re going to give it our all. We have to believe there will be positives at the end. Happiness. We did it in Paris against Lens, but we were tense in Saint-Etienne. We can’t perform at that level again. In any case, the result will come in the end, with or without fear, with or without anxiety. So we need to really cut loose!”

The mindset

Dante: “We know the context, we know the situation. Now we need to find the right balance between the responsibility, the tension and the pressure that are all part of football. Nor must we forget that there’s a positive side to this: we need to win a home game to secure our survival, to safeguard the jobs of many people at the club, to make them a little happier. Let’s finish the season in a manner worthy of the players we are, worthy of the club, the supporters and the staff. It’s the right kind of pressure, and it’s us who will bring joy to these people. We have an incredible opportunity to make them happy. We must make the most of it and bring out the best in every player on the pitch tomorrow.”

Saint-Étienne 

Claude Puel: “We must expect anything. This is a team that showed, in the first leg, a well-organised defence. One that was difficult to break down. We know they’ll try to defend well and exploit every opportunity, particularly through quick attacks and counter-attacks. We must be ready for whatever this team throws at us, whether it’s similar to what they showed in the first leg or something different. We need to be prepared and have the answers. I hope that in this match, we’ll manage to find a bit of breathing space to perform at our best. It will largely come down to which side can gain the psychological upper hand over the other. I hope that will be within our reach.”

Behind closed doors

Claude Puel: “We’d love to have our supporters there. When you see the support Saint-Etienne had in the first leg, it really is very important. It’s difficult to play behind closed doors. But I think it will be difficult for them too because they’re not used to it either. It will be difficult for both teams. The team that manages to adapt to this environment the quickest will be the one that performs better.”

Dante: “We won’t have our supporters, unfortunately. They would have given us an extra boost; we’ll have to do without them. It’s emotional for me to finish in an empty stadium. I wanted to be with the fans, with the people who’ve made me so happy over the last ten years. I thank them for their respect and the appreciation they've shown for everything I’ve given and tried to give to the club. We’re not perfect; I’ve made mistakes too. That’s how history is; we can’t change it. Once again, the most important thing is staying up. If I have to, I’ll come back to see them again; I’ll go and watch a match in the South Stand to celebrate it all. They’ve been very important to me. I want to thank them again enormously for everything they’ve done.”

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