The disappointment of the final digested thanks to the five days of rest granted by the staff the day after the defeat against PSG (1-0) last Friday, the Saint-Etienne players returned to training on Thursday.
Under overwhelming heat, but in a good mood. Even if a big void must have been felt in the locker room in place of Loïc Perrin, their officially retired captain. This is the end of a great story, and Claude Puel wants to write a new one, already slated for the trip to Marseille on August 21 for the opening of the championship.
Neyou must confirm
The ASSE manager will have four friendlies (Bordeaux this Saturday, another on the 7th against an opponent to be determined, Rennes on the 12th and Angers on the 15th) to find the ideal eleven capable of finally winning at the Vélodrome.
The reception of the Girondins in a Geoffroy-Guichard behind closed doors should see Puel field two different eleven, with the great debut of Adil Aouchiche, the very promising attacking player trained in Paris that the Castrese convinced to sign. Yvan Neyou’s game will also be closely scrutinized, whose stunning performance at the Stade de France will require confirmation.
Bordeaux do not have many certainties. Between injured players (Adli and Pablo) and especially the procrastination of his coach Paulo Sousa who wants to leave … but remains clinging to his post while waiting for a check that his managers refuse to give him to release him, the Portuguese technician should carry out a large workforce review. Physically, it is likely that there is a gap between two teams that are not at the same point in their preparation.