Ligue 1: “We are still alive”, warns Gastien, the Clermont coach

After the defeat in Monaco (4-1), Pascal Gastien, the coach of the red lantern Clermont, assured that it was “out of the question that we let go of the last two matches”.

“As I speak, we are still alive,” Gastien said. Maybe it's not over yet. We're not going to give up. Whatever happens, there's no way we're going to let go of the last two matches." After recognizing “a difference between the second and the last in the championship”, he clarified: “If we still have a chance, from next weekend, we will start again to try to maintain ourselves.”

“We have always tried to maintain our desire to play and create,” he analyzed, taking stock of the season. “It didn’t work this season, but it had worked before with these values. I hope it will continue for many more seasons,” concluded the coach who will not continue his mission. His Monegasque counterpart, Adi Hütter, considered that Monaco had taken “one more step towards the Champions League”.

“There are two important matches left, Montpellier and Nantes,” he continued. We want to finish the season in 2nd place. Lille and Brest will not give any gifts. My job is to keep the players involved.” If “the first half was not the best in recent weeks”, “the key moment was the quick equalizer from Breel Embolo”, whose match Hütter appreciated.

The coach also liked the meetings of Takumi Minamino and Wissam Ben Yedder, “back with four goals in two matches” and for whom he remained evasive regarding a potential extension while the captain will be free. “We are discussing Wissam, Thiago (Scuro, the general director, Editor’s note) and me,” he agreed. We have an agreement (to talk about it, editor’s note). Yes, it is a possibility that he extends. We talk internally about this subject.”