The Saint-Etienne coach has indicated that he intends to continue to establish Jessy Moulin next season.
Stéphane Ruffier’s adventure at AS Saint-Etienne is about to end in pudding water. An indisputable part of ASSE under Christophe Galtier, the former goalkeeper of AS Monaco has often saved the Greens in big games and shone several seasons, allowing his team to grab a place in the Europa League several times. But the 2019-2020 season was a long, endless tunnel for the goalkeeper of AS Saint-Etienne.
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Less successful, Stéphane Ruffier was the big loser with the arrival of Claude Puel at the head of the Greens. The French technician, disappointed with his performance, placed the vice-captain on the bench for the benefit of Jessy Moulin in mid-February and until the end of the season. But that’s not all, this situation will continue for the Greens. In an interview with Le Progrès, Claude Puel confirmed Jessy Moulin’s number 1 status, and has already notified Stéphane Ruffier.
Puel wants to play the Europa League
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“I had a discussion with Stéphane to tell him that Jessy will start the season. At the start of this story, I planned to blow Stéphane a game or two. And then there was a situation that overflowed things extra-sports that happened. At the time, I wanted to see Jessy Moulin position other than in an interim position. He had a given opportunity and Jessy knew how to seize it“, explained the ASSE coach.
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After formalizing the status of number 1 for Jessy Moulin, and therefore number 2 for Stéphane Ruffier, Claude Puel opened the door to the departure of the 33-year-old goalkeeper: “Stéphane still has one year of contract and I will respect his decision. We will study, if he wishes, any possibility that arisesAs a reminder, Stéphane Ruffier is under contract until June 2021 with AS Saint-Etienne. The Greens’ coach hopes to play in the Europa League next season if the final of the Coupe de France is not played.
“We fought to get there. Is it written where in the texts that the 5th or 6th of the championship could take our place? Our presidents (Bernard Caïazzo and Roland Romeyer) and Noël Le Graët (president of the Federation) must meet about the final. The impossibility to play it was not foreseen in the regulations. Even if we will comply with the decision of the Federation, it would be inconceivable that the Coupe de France has no representative in European Cup”, explained the former coach of Nice, Lyon and Lille.