Women’s PSG: victory over Real Madrid, his role as manager, Deschamps as a ‘winner’… Gerard Precher talks about everything

Gérard Precher, content to be “not there” (“My speech is still going on”), was relieved at a press conference this Friday night after PSG’s success against Real Madrid (2-1) in the Champions League. The Parisian coach admits that he is pleased that his team became the first in the championship and reached the quarterfinals of the European Championship. He is also sending his words of support to Didier Deschamps, Kylian Mbappé and Marcus Thuram, whom he knew from INF Clairefontaine, ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday.

We saw you raise your hands in stoppage time, being the first to join the ultras. What relief does this victory bring?

Gerard Preacher. This is real satisfaction. We had a game in hand with the score 2:0. I found that we radiated calmness and technical prowess. We even have the opportunity to hide. But this goal resets everything. There may be several questions… The players wanted it that way (smiles). It was good for the audience, a little less for my heart.

Can we get news about Kadidiatou Diani, which is subject to extra time?

I think it’s more of a cramp. We’re waiting for the medical station, but it’s not an ankle.

This is an important victory for you…

(he cuts) It’s a tough time. I’m in restraint with you (media). But I expressed some difficulties with scheduling, files, late recruiting… It was a lot and we won a lot of hard-fought matches with a lot of effort. I get satisfaction from a job well done. It’s a pleasant feeling. There were periods of doubt, and December is a very good month. I will try to be as objective and as calm as possible: being the first before OL and reaching the quarterfinals is a very, very good result.

“Players continue to comply well”

Tonight Sandy Baltimore showed his qualities again. What do you think of his match?

You know, I asked her to play on the right. She was hostile, but I don’t want to repeat myself. There she made a big match. It’s good for her. And for me ? Sometimes I ask myself a question… I am demanding of myself. Taking a step back, I see that the players are still complying well. They showed it in the last games and tonight.

As in Lyon, PSG made the difference with a corner kick at the near post. How do you work with it?

During my long stay in the domestic technical direction, we have studied many standard provisions. Almost 3/4 of the goals are scored from the near post. I spoke with Jocelyn (his first mate and his son). I don’t do standards. I have nothing to do with it (laughs). Except directions. At the beginning of the season, I told the girls: stop climbing! There was a period when we took a lot of corners but didn’t score. He suggested this solution to me. And so it was two games in a row. And I would like to send a message to Elise (de Almeida, the first goalscorer), I hope she doesn’t mind me. But the fact that it is she who scores and opens the door to qualifying, I am very happy for her. A beautiful revenge, because in the first match against Chelsea (1-0 defeat), she was responsible for the goal. So I’m happy.

“I realized that winning is a skill”

Are you a coach who talks a lot with his players?

I’ll tell you what, we had 30 minutes to prepare for this match. I will explain to you. I’m talking about tactical work. 30 minutes ! What a shame for the coach… Twenty minutes on Wednesday afternoon for high control and finishing. And ten minutes yesterday at the end of the bench press workout. That’s not a lot. So we compensate for everything with video editing. In the 48 hours of going green, we should have had 5 or 6 meetings. To represent Real Madrid, take stock of the win in Lyon and the three small group meetings. We discussed a lot. And I have a feeling they listened well.

Could you tell us a few words about Didier Deschamps and Kylian Mbappe that you saw in Clairefontaine…

(cut) And I have Marcus Thuram! DTN didn’t want him to join Clairefontaine and I fought for him to join. His father Lilian sent me a message before the start of the World Championships. Deschamps is extraordinary. He is a “winner” par excellence. He wins! I realized that winning is a skill. Either we have it or we don’t. Didier Deschamps is a perfect example of this. He has won everything as a player and as a coach. Monaco, Turin, the Blues… I think we will win. I admire what he does and what the French team does. He’s like Alex Ferguson and others. Kaylian, I know him well. We discovered his abilities and his potential very early on. First, I say this humbly, that’s what I thought his first quality was that he was tactically and technically strong, as well as fast. He was already very young. His development is perfect. The French team is waiting for a great match.