Jean-Louis Gasset: "Playing as underdogs"

Was the break profitable for ASSE?

It was a bit more complicated than expected when all was said and done. We would have liked to have worked more on our offensive instincts but Wahbi (Khazri) was playing at the International level and Rémy (Cabella) had hurt his knee. So we tried to work on the groups of players who were present.

ASSE and Paris Saint-Germain are the only two undefeated clubs in the championship. What does that make you think of?

We know the difficulty of playing in the Parc des Princes. We’ll certainly run after the ball because Paris often has possession. We’ll be playing as underdogs, we’ll have to play almost perfectly in order to earn a good outcome. It would be a great victory to remain undefeated after this match. For our part, we’ll try to play a third of the match without conceding a goal against a team that has already scored 17 goals since the beginning of the season.

Do you count on being inspired by the match that your team already played against PSG this past April (1-1)?

Today, the situation is different, it won’t be the same teams that play each other. With their nonstandard offensive quartet and several interesting young players, we know that PSG has the team needed to win the four national titles no matter the players fielded but they also have important deadlines coming up for the UEFA European Football Championship. If we have a good state of mind and if we exploit the 30% ball possession that we’ll have well, we’ll be able to do something.

What type of match are you expecting?

The players that begin the match for Paris will do everything in order to ensure a victory as quickly as possible. They’re going to hit the ground running, we’ll have to resist and then make them doubt themselves. The more time that passes, the more they’ll think of the match coming up against Liverpool Tuesday. For this match, time will be our friend. Of course, I would really like to have possession of the ball but Paris won’t let that happen. So when you don’t have it, you have to keep your team organized in order to get it back and counter your opponent.

What are ASSE’s chances?

I hope that Paris will not be at 100% because when they are they’re unplayable in these conditions. They’re capable of remaining undefeated for 38 matches. But if they’re fatigued or if they have their heads elsewhere, we’ll have a chance if, on our part, we’re at 110%.

Are you feeling any sort of pressure before this match?

Pressure is part of our job. For the moment, like Thomas Tuchel, I number among the coaches who are searching for the right strategy. I communicate with my staff, we have meetings and I see the players but you have to be patient with the players. Rémy Cabella’s last season is the proof of that. In any case, I don’t want the team to be pessimistic about the beginning of the season. Today, if we had two more points, everyone would say that Saint-Etienne began the season well. These two points, we would have had them if we had capitalized on a penalty or if we had not been denied a goal made offside against Amiens. 

This match will allow you to return to the Parc des Princes where you worked with Laurent Blanc.

I only experienced great moments with Paris Saint-Germain. I won eleven out of twelve of my trophies there and competed in three quarters of the finale of the UEFA Champions League. PSG is a great club with great players who are also great people. It will a great pleasure to see them again.