Respectively, eighth and ninth in their regional group 2, Portuguese Amiens and AC Amiens (b) are still more than ever in the fight for preservation. It is enough to give 100% more importance to the Amiens derby, even if Benoit Sturbois wants it to be measured perfectly. maintenance.
Benot, every time we approach a match between Portuguese Amiens and AC Amiens, we inevitably think of you…
No, this is not my game. I have no animosity or resentment and it remains a game like any other. The only thing that will make it special is that we play maintenance and they are only four points behind us. We’ll have to leave them far behind, at least four points, but it would be very smart to put them at seven.
Is this a real turning point in the season?
From a maintenance perspective, it could, yes, because the spot we’re currently in (note: eighth) could be synonymous with coming off at the end of the season. It could be a turning point because we can put them far enough away and that could allow us to get a difference ahead of us. In the case of a poor performer, they will come close and we will see who is ahead of us make a small gap.
Is the first leg still feeling regret?
It’s a bit of a regret yes, even if there is significant opposition up front. We were still ahead on points but made a couple of big mistakes, even though we were down ten at the start due to injury and didn’t refill fast enough. It leaves us feeling sorry, but it’s not the match that leaves us the most. Beyond that, even if we could and should have won, the lottery wasn’t completely irrational. I wanted AC Amiens to be able to give that kind of opposition in every match because even so they allied themselves with Slidja, Kwinta, Boukhelifa, Khelif and I forgot some.
We’ve turned the page at this start to the season and won’t talk about missing points again, or else we’re risking some of our fingers. Since 2022 we have been trying to see the positive, that is, we did not lose with two wins and two draws, it is very interesting and we would like to maintain this dynamic. Against BOVET, we were able not to lose despite a very delicate start as we conceded two goals in twenty minutes. Far from our bases, we have difficulties, but here we will not be far, hundreds of meters from our stadium. It’s still an away game against a great team. We will try to play well in defense and then cause them offensive problems because we have the weapons to score a few goals for them.
There is still a certain tension in this match…
What you have to say is it’s a derby and there’s always more commitment. Players know each other and do not want to lose to those who know them. We want to show that we are above and that derbies are always special matches. After that, whether it’s AC Amiens, Camon, Longueau or Ailly, it’s still the Derby. I went to see Camon-Longueau and he was also very committed, but it’s the idea of the derby that makes it so. After that I don’t want to win more than usual because it’s AC Amiens. I have the same desire as in other games. The main reason is that we are facing a direct competitor that keeps us vigilant. There are all the factors that make us say we really have to win this weekend.
However, it motivates the season to fight this type of confrontation…
If we had to fight geographically to be the best team in the Somme we would only have AC Amiens and Gamaches, yeah. We lost 4-1 to Gamaches and went 2-2 against AC Amiens, so we’re not in a particularly good position. It would be nice to win to increase our advantage, to show that the Somme teams are not ridiculous. Then, all these notions of distance, north, somme, walis, we discard. We do not care. What we want is a good sequence of performances, winning matches, getting as many points as possible. You have to get your ass out of the blackberries (sic) to prepare for the next season as much as possible and no matter what matches are coming up, you have to win and that affects the standings. There is a gap between the teams that are waiting for us and between the two teams. If we want to reduce the margin, we will have to win this weekend.
Interview by Romain Bacon with Adrien Rocher
Amiens (B) – Portuguese Amiens
Twelfth Day of Regional 2
Sunday February 27, 3pm
Henri Leclerc Stadium, Amiens
Referee: Mr. Pollart
