Rodez secured a victory at Bauer (3-2) on Tuesday, May 12, and advanced to the second playoff on Friday, May 15 in Saint-Étienne.
Didier Santini, Rodez coach: “I feel like we switched gears. It was a crazy scenario, a bit like us. Even when facing difficulties and being behind, my players never give up. They stick to their principles, always trying to come back. It was a complicated match, but every time we conceded a goal, we managed to quickly equalize. It wasn’t our best performance in terms of our principles, there weren’t enough runs, especially in the first half. We improved later on.”
Raphaël Lipinski, Rodez defender: “It was a crazy match. It reflected our style, with a lot of madness and intensity. That contributed to our success today. Scoring two goals in quick succession was insane. We needed to stay grounded, keep calm to maintain the result, especially after conceding two goals. Our strength lies in being able to change moods quickly, whether calm or very lively. We need to quickly adjust to get a result in Saint-Étienne, something we didn’t achieve two years ago.”
Loni Laurent: “We knew what we were getting into. We knew that by playing our game, we could succeed. They had a strong start, but we remained strong, solid, and struck at the right moment. I believe we can do even better, we tend to make matches harder towards the end. Saint-Étienne? Of course we have ambitions! We are going there to get a result, and as long as we’re there, we won’t hide or shy away. The president and coaches told us to dream more than reminisce. The dream is the next step. It’s up to us to make it happen in the Saint-Étienne match.”
Mathis Magnin on his goal: “It was from areas we work on in training, and I managed to capitalize on it, even with a bit of luck due to the deflection. But to score goals, you have to give it your all.”
Regarding the sequence of matches: “Recovery is crucial, of course. But if we have players on the bench ready to come in and step up, it’s even better.”
On the victory scenario: “No matter the circumstances, we never give up! It’s been like that since the start of the season, and we know that if Willy scores, we will win, there is no other option!”
Willity Younoussa on his goal: “It’s my first of the season, I think! I was waiting for the right moment, usually when I score, we lose!”
