Solène Champagnac: "Right from the preparation, we laid solid foundations."

Off to a Flying Start

From the very first day of preparation on July 17, I felt great. The new players brought a lot of freshness and character to the team. That’s what allowed us to reach our current position in the standings. We quickly realized that we shared the same vision of football. Thanks to that, we managed to secure three consecutive victories, including one against Paris FC. Right from the preparation phase, we laid solid foundations that have allowed us to perform well since. Honestly, it’s been a great start to the season, and it’s fantastic!

Overcoming Challenges

After our first three victories, we gained a lot of confidence, but Le Havre brought us to a sudden halt. That defeat was a tough blow for the team. We had to rally everyone together and ensure that the whole group felt involved in analyzing our performance, recognizing our mistakes, and deciding to bounce back — which we successfully did. That moment of uncertainty during the first half of the season was difficult, but after that, we found our rhythm again.

Goals for 2025

Our main objective remains the same: staying in the league. The sooner we achieve this goal, the better. It could allow us to aim for higher positions, even though we know qualifying for the Playoffs will be very challenging. On a personal level, I want to continue progressing as I have since arriving at Saint-Étienne. Beyond that, staying healthy, avoiding injuries, and continuing to thrive at the club are my priorities.

A United Group

The team is doing very well, despite our defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at Geoffroy-Guichard. Despite the result, there were positives, and no one gave up. During the video analysis, the overall content of our play was good. We head into the break with 15 points, sitting in 7th place in the standings, which is fantastic and in line with our goals. Now, we’ll all take time to rest and prepare for January 8, when we face Reims. Overall, the group is doing very well, and our first objective has been achieved.

An Invaluable Asset

I want to thank our supporters for their unwavering support since the very first league match. Compared to last season, attendance has doubled. It’s incredible, and we hope they’ll continue showing up in the same numbers for the second half of the season because their support is crucial for us. They drive us, especially during tough times. We felt it particularly during the match against PSG at Geoffroy-Guichard, where we broke an attendance record and were supported from start to finish. It’s always a pleasure to step out of the locker room and see all those fans in the stands. We hope this continues because it means so much to us. We try to give back on the field, and I hope they can feel it.