Galtier, first in her new garden

The Parc des Princes will roar again. Almost three months after their last appearance at Porte de Saint-Cloud, the Parisians will find their beloved enclosure this Saturday (9 p.m.), against Montpellier, during the second day of Ligue 1. Since then, there have been the holidays, a salvo of three friendly matches, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye and in Japan, before the Champions Trophy in Tel Aviv (4-0 victory against Nantes) and a card in Clermont (5-0) in order to begin the defense of their title in L1. PSG-MHSC, it will also and above all be a necessarily special moment for Christophe Galtier, who will experience his first match in Paris as coach of the capital club. “There will be emotion because it will be full, it’s the first game of the season (at home) and I’ll be on the right side at 55, I’m very happy to be there“, he smiles in a press conference. And to add:I think we will have a warm welcome because since July 4 (date of the resumption), the players deserve a warm welcome.»

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Indeed, Paris Saint-Germain “made in Galtier” has everything to please, both in attitude and results. In fact, it’s mostly a global software change driven by the revenant’s extension Kylian Mbappé, summoned this Saturday evening after missing the last two matcheswhich allowed the French champions to leave in 2022-23 on a positive dynamic after a failed 2021-22 exercise under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino.

I want my team to get the fans behind them.

Christophe Galtier

Nevertheless, the work of Galtier is to be welcomed, even if the former coach of Saint-Etienne, Lille and Nice prefers to focus on the behavior of his players. “The past is the past. There is a blank page, a blank notebook that has been opened since July 4th. The players have been working hard since the restart, they have been beyond repair on the tour and in preparation, they have been good and efficient against Nantes and Clermont. There is a good state of mind. I want my team to get the fans behind them. In terms of behavior, investment, intensity, rhythm, you have to be irreproachable. Obviously, you have to win. But we have more chances of winning when we are irreproachable, when we put rhythm and intensity, when some play for the others. That’s what I’ve been seeing since July 4 and there’s no reason we can’t see it Saturday night at the Parc des Princes in front of our supporters for the home premiere.»

It will be against Montpellier who suffered at the end of last season and in preparation before winning against Troyes (3-2) last Sunday, thanks to the inevitable Téji Savanier. “It is said that it is better to take them at the beginning, but those who took them at the beginning had a hard time… I don’t think there is a rule on the matter. It is a decided PSG, turned towards its season. They are already full. We feel that this team is already running… They are already well launched“, underlines Olivier Dall’Oglio, the Montpellier coach, guessing that the players”adhere to ideasfrom his counterpart.

lack of taste

Montpellier, a slightly higher opposition than against Nantes and Clermont in sight for PSG? Maybe. Maybe not. To follow, it will be Lille on the road and AS Monaco, again at the Park. Serious. In the meantime, Galtier arrives on velvet in front of his new audience after this unblemished start to his mandate. And this despite his Marseille origins, his lack of experience at a very high level and… his slight lack of taste regarding the atmosphere at the Parc des Princes. “It may not be the place where there is the biggest atmosphere, but it is surely one of the stadiums that marks you the most, already by its beauty, and its name, the Parc des Princes“, he had said via the media of the club. Galtier, master communicator? Not here…

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This declaration had not failed to make the side of the Canebière laugh and cringe the teeth of the Parisian Ultras, Romain Mabille, president of the CUP, evoking remarks “useless and hurtful» in the columns of the Parisian. “I misspoke. There are no great clubs without great supporters. I can’t wait to see the atmosphere of the Park during the big evenings. I know that when the supporters have decided to push, the Park is a sounding board where we can no longer agree», he corrected in an interview with The Team he who had recently described the Parc des Princes as “symbol of french football“. “When you are faced with the phrase “Ici c’est Paris”, you immediately feel the expectations. These expectations will all require working together to make people happy. I measure very precisely the responsibility given to me. I prepared for it. If I accepted this position, these responsibilities, it is because I am capable of it.», he said during this first Parisian press conference, also ensuring “understand skeptics».

People have short memories in football.

Olivier Dall’Oglio

Which skeptics are at their expense in this promising start to the season. “It’s the start of the season. People have short memories in football. What they are doing well today, maybe they will be worse in a month and they will be criticized“, tempers Dall’Oglio, not failing to underline that the Parisian leaders “are in a rush“, it is “The best“. He is probably thinking of Leo Messi and Neymar, indeed in good shape, they who were forgotten in the list of 30 nominated for the 2022 Ballon d’Or. The Montpellier coach will also have to deal with Kylian Mbappé, back in business after missing the first two matches of Paris-SG in 2022-23, due to suspension and then injury.

One thing is certain: Galtier intends to see his team continue their good start to the season on this lawn which has often succeeded in recent times. The 55-year-old technician remains in effect on three matches without defeat at the Parc des Princes with Nice (qualification 0-0 ap, 6-5 pens in the Coupe de France, 0-0 in L1) and Lille (victory 1-0). “A message to the supporters? I don’t have a message to convey, we have a message to convey, the team. It’s that we are here and that in terms of investment and behavior, we must be irreproachable“, insists Galtier. That’s good: the regulars at the Parc des Princes, who have not seen a defeat with their eyes in L1 since April 2021 against Losc de… Galtier, are just waiting for this.