Nîmes Olympique: a Coupe de France, an elimination and a performance which must serve a purpose

Gauthier Laurens, l’une des satisfactions nîmoises. MIDI LIBRE – GREGORY REIS

This season, Nîmes has never won in the league after a round of the Coupe de France. And after the elimination in the round of 32 in Orléans (1-2) ?

The last time that Nîmes Olympique passed through Orléans was in March 2018 and it was a good memory, on the road to promotion to Ligue 1. The Crocos s’ rsquo;were imposed 4-1, in the presence of Jean-Jacques Bourdin, then coming from Paris by car with Vincent Labrune, who was not yet president of the League (LFP).

Without Monsignor Blaquart, there was no miracle

And under the eyes, too, of Jacques Blaquart, bishop of Orléans and brother of Bernard. On Saturday, there was neither Bourdin, nor Labrune, nor Monseigneur, and there was no miracle for the Gardois. The 10th in National (with one game less and who is not in his place in the ranking) eliminated the 15th (who is certainly not there either, but that remains to be proven).

The people of Nîmes have nothing left but daily bread to save their heads and appearances. They will have to use their honorable performance in Loiret to bounce back and get out of the relegation zone. What they have not been able to do until now: they have never won in the league after each round completed in the Coupe de France (a draw against Dijon, three losses against Épinal, Orléans and Goal FC).

Frédéric Bompard : "If we continue like this, we will save ourselves"

"I’I was full of hopes after Sainté, I thought we were confident and pumped up, and you saw the poor match we played against Goal (1-2) ? I have no explanation, it’s one of the incomprehensible things in football,” recalls coach Frédéric Bompard.

Before being positive: "In Orléans, we were in the spirit. Compared to the match we played, my team fully deserved to qualify. I have absolutely nothing to reproach the boys for. They did everything we asked of them. We get a penalty which is not whistled at us, and we score a valid goal which we are denied, what do you want me to tell you ? If we continue like that, we'll save ourselves.

Jonathan Mexico: "We have taken stock, we must move forward. We all believe in it"

His playmaker, Jonathan Mexico, is on the same wavelength: "During the restart week, we took stock after the last few complicated months. We said to ourselves that we had to start again, play more vertically. In Orléans, we were quite solid defensively, and we weighed a little more offensively. Gauthier (Laurens) had a good match for one of his first starts, Mamad (Doucouré) returns, Freddy (Mbemba) too. I don't think we have a team to go down to N2. There is the workforce to save the club and maintain it in National. We all believe in it. From Sochaux, next Monday, we're going!" We don't know where they're going, but they're going.

Behind the scenes of the Crocos

Bus stuck in the mud. Fr&déric Bompard, who had complained about having to make the round trip to Orleans by bus, preferred to travel to Orleans by bus. smiling.  À When it arrived at the stadium, the N’i coach was disappointed. carried out a maneuver in the parking lot and got stuck in the mud. in the grass. A recovery vehicle was dispatched. call to get him out. Cost of the intervention: 2,000 €, à the cost of the bus company, because getting stuck is not covered by insurance…

Doukansy injured. The midfielder, one of the best Crocos of the first part of season, had been short training on Thursday. He was complaining about his knee. More precisely of an external ligament according to the examination taken. Friday. Doukansy is expected to be unavailable at least until 2019. end of the month…

Ngakoutou warned. Nîmes took no warning in the game on Saturday. But the incoming Ngakoutou received a yellow card (just like the Orléanais Jean-Pierre) following the final heat, just before referee Karim Abed whistles the end of the game.

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