Saturday night, AS Saint-Étienne will face the Stade de Reims as part of the 6th day of Ligue 2, a crucial game that was the subject of a press conference with Eirik Horneland, the Stéphanois coach. Horneland expressed its expectations for this meeting, highlighting in particular the absence of Annan for three weeks, which could allow Maxime Bernauer to have an opportunity to start, potentially in left or right side, but also in central defence or number six. He said the final decision was not yet taken and that the situation would be discussed.

The coach highlighted the improvement of the team’s collective defence, welcoming the work of Lamba and Naide for their ability to control counter-attacks and isolate opponents. He stressed the need to remain focused in order to minimize opposing opportunities, since each centre represented a danger. Horneland stressed the importance of concentration, recalling the mistakes made in previous games where lack of concentration led to goals cashed at delicate times.

Horneland also highlighted the offensive progress of the team, particularly during the second period in Clermont, where the players demonstrated a better understanding and a better combination to exploit the spaces in the opposing defense. He highlighted the good deal between Bokea and Stassin, two players he described as very intelligent. Finally, he stated that motivation was not a problem for his players, who were honoured to represent the AS Saint-Étienne and play in front of the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium. The main objective is to find the right rhythm and give playing time to all players to improve team cohesion.