Following a severe defeat against Rennes, the Le Havre club was faced with a delicate period in the fight for the retention in Ligue 1. Former defender Sébastien Puygrenier, with his personal experience with AS Nancy, warns against premature complacency. He pointed out that leaving the area of relegation under no circumstances guaranteed security, recalling that his former team, despite a spectacular rise after the truce, had finally been relegated due to a loss of confidence and increased pressure. In his view, this period of psychological decompression can be as dangerous as the initial situation, and Le Havre may well suffer the consequences.

The schedule of upcoming meetings is particularly challenging for Le Havre, with confrontations against leading teams such as Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Auxerre, Olympique de Marseille and Strasbourg. These games, which mostly take place outside, will represent considerable challenges and will require maximum commitment from players. At the same time, the AS Saint-Étienne, with a favourable schedule including several home matches and with the support of its audience, is positioned as a formidable competitor in this race to maintain, ready to reverse the situation.

Finally, Sébastien Puygrenier stresses the paramount importance of the mind in this crucial phase of the season. The ability of Le Havre players to maintain their intensity and avoid relaxation will be crucial. The risk of seeing Saint-Étienne, galvanized by his situation and his desire to redeem himself, go back to the red zone is very real, stressing that the real challenge lies not only in the exit of the area of relegation, but also in keeping this threat at a distance.