Clermont-MHSC: six months after the firecracker of the first leg, a loop to complete in Auvergne for Montpellier

Ce dimanche, Jordan Ferri et le MHSC peuvent exorciser les stigmates du 8 octobre et du match aller face à Clermont, arrêté pour un pétard. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

The Montpellier club can virtually secure its continuation in Ligue 1, while turning the page on the incidents and the firecracker of the first leg, this Sunday, April 14 (3 p.m.) in Clermont.

The images have gone down to posterity. Ghosts of a wasted season, they have haunted Montpellier HSC since October 8. Pink jersey, stunning success but canceled and firecracker in the ears, the Hérault club has never forgotten these snapshots of a nightmare day. As he did not recover for a long time afterwards, this match to be replayed ended in a draw (1-1) in an empty Mosson and these points of withdrawal, the close and the one on reprieve. So many stigmas that he can exorcise, this Sunday, on the lawn of Clermont, an opponent whose name has parasitized a campaign to harp on and scare people. Until today, a new date when the MHSC can virtually secure its maintenance, while sinking the Auvergnats.

Nordin: "It still stays in the back of my mind"

The wink would be ironic and the circle would come full circle. A page turned on a heady chapter. "It still stays in the back of my mind, that's why we are keen to win in Clermont’ quot;, recognized Arnaud Nordin on Friday. While putting into perspective the scope of this firecracker whose smoke was not the only one to confuse the Montpellier residents, blockaders a month ago. "It was part of the season , it was a notable event, like others, tempers the winger. Now we've moved on anyway. If we stay on it too much, we just think and that's not good."

The probable compositions of Clermont-MHSC. ML – Midi Libre

After the incidents at the beginning of October, the MHSC had played the card of revenge, of “more than a match” when replaying this meeting, at the end of November. The effect was the opposite and Téji Savanier's partners only had to avoid a total nightmare thanks to a penalty from their captain. Enough to explain, undoubtedly, the posture of Michel Der Zakarian, this time very silent on the passive.

Clermont's last chance ?

"The goal is to play a good match to win, quite simply. It would be nice to have a third consecutive victory", insisted the Hérault coach to the media on Friday. Because, indeed, success in Auvergne would mean confirmed or almost confirmed survival in L1. Even if the technician assures that we must aim for 38 points. But before challenging Reims, Nantes, Toulouse then finishing with Monaco and Lens, three points at the foot of the volcanoes would stifle the risk of eruption.

League 1 ranking

For Clermont, the bottom of the crater is a reality hanging by a thread. And this reception from the MHSC marks "one last chance", we whisper to CF63, five-point red lantern of the barrage, Lorient. Even the statistics do not come to his aid: never has a last player with such a delay avoided relegation. But the final draw in Paris, against a very overhauled PSG, kept a thin flame alive.

The same one that the MHSC has reignited for a month with three victories in four matches. The very one on which its supporters, expected in large numbers at the Gabriel-Montpied stadium, intend to breathe this Sunday. To never remember again that day when she lit a fuse.

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