LOSC and FC Metz left on a sad show yesterday. In addition to a very poor 0-0, Frédéric Antonetti, the Messin coach, and Sylvain Armand, the Lille sports coordinator, came to blows.
The show was not a pretty sight. Yesterday at the start of the 25th day of Ligue 1, LOSC conceded a very sad draw on their lawn at Pierre-Mauroy against Metz (0-0), yet ranked 19th at kick-off. At the end of a tasteless and uninspired performance, the Mastiffs had to settle for this meager point, which does not help their business. While there are nine games left to play this weekend, they are 9th but they can still lose two places depending on the results.
Above all, there is cause for concern three days before a trip which promises to be perilous on the Chelsea side for the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League. “There is no conclusion to draw for the preparation of this match where we will be in a completely different configuration. Of course, we would have preferred to reassure ourselves by winning, but Tuesday will be something else.defended Jocelyn Gourvennec in a press conference after the meeting.
Tension at the four corners of the field
The match had just ended with a lot of tension on and off the pitch. After a frankly boring 80 minutes, everything got carried away with the entry of Edon Zhegrova. After a warning given to Caillard for saving time (79th), and a second given to the young Lille striker for an unobvious simulation (80th), the nervousness went up a notch. Mr. Dechepy had to warn a Fonte who was a little too vehement (87th), then expelled Zhegrova for a sole on Amadou (90th +1).
This is nothing compared to the events that followed. Down on the lawn at the end of the game, Olivier Létang and Sylvain Armand were volleyed by Frédéric Antonetti because the two men occupied his technical zone. The words quickly gave way to blows between the Metz coach and the LOSC sports coordinator. It was the sidelines that had to separate the protagonists, who ended up on the ground. A very bad image given to Ligue 1.
A fight to conclude
“Why are the leaders of Lille upset? Because he can’t do it on the pitch so they put the pressure on. But you find it normal that they come to my technical area. So, there’s a scuffle behind me and I don’t have to say anything? You love BCBG coaches, I’m not BCBG. You don’t like coaches with temperament in France, I’m not liked I know it” Antonetti cursed during a press conference where he appeared furious.
“I’m going to be very frank, I didn’t get involved in that, I didn’t want to get out of the game. I saw a regroup, I didn’t want to go into it, I didn’t watch, I wanted to finish my match, put my energy on what time we had left., reported Gourvennec. The fight ended on the edge of the lawn, the players did not really calm down on the ground with an altercation between Amadou and Djalo, warned, unlike a Renato Sanches who was very nervous, no doubt frustrated by the nine small minutes that he disputed. There is better to prepare for the biggest game of the season…
