Friday, May 24, 2019

 Dijon FCO 2-1 Toulouse FC 

Antoine Kombouaré (Dijon coach): "I'm not going to talk about a miracle. We have squeezed into the play-offs but we did put in the match we wanted to. I would like to congratulate my players and thank them for the emotions this evening. That's why we love football. I hope we'll have the same emotions multiplied by 100 on Sunday June 2 after the return leg against Lens as that will mean we are still in Ligue 1."

Alain Casanova (Toulouse coach): "I think that their substitutions worked for them, especially Sliti who added a lot to their game. I think we dropped off our level in the second half after playing very well in the first half. We didn't have the same discipline and rigour in the second half."

 SM Caen  0 - 1  Girondins de Bordeaux 

Rolland Courbis (Caen): "I came here to help Caen stay up and I'm obviously disappointed. It's a pity as I would have liked us to have played in the play-offs. I want to rest now as it has been very difficult. It's not out of the question that I'll stay but this evening I won't be capable of making the right decision, one way or the other."

Paulo Sousa (Bordeaux coach): "The attitude we showed here is the attitude we need to have every day. The first half was well controlled by us, even if we need to find more solutions when we get close to goal, show more ambition in terms of creating chances, and add more depth to the game. We need players who enjoy having the ball and have the mentality of winners."

 Nîmes Olympique 2 - 3 Olympique Lyonnais 

Bernard Blaquart (Nîmes coach): "All that was missing was the win. We had the chances to make the game safe but we didn't manage to score the third goal. At the end of the game fatigue set in. We lost the match but this was an unexpected and magnificent season given our small resources. We have learned a lot and we made the most of the entire season."

Bruno Genesio (Lyon coach): "I am proud and happy. I asked the players to finish off the season well and they did. It's the end of a story and it needed to be a beautiful ending. We won because we gave up on nothing, even if there was nothing at stake in this match. The squad is a quality squad even if we didn't control things when they countered. The match rather sums up our season."

 Angers SCO 1-1 AS Saint-Etienne 

Stéphane Moulin (Angers coach): "It was good and similar to what we have produced for the bulk of the season. I think a draw was a fair result. I would like to congratulate my players as they played with freedom. I have thanked them and congratulated them for our good season. Once again we proved we're capable of competing with a top team."

Jean-Louis Gasset (Saint-Etienne coach): "A lot of things went through my mind. This match wasn't going to change our position and the objective was for the players to enjoy themselves. We've done a lot of partying and I didn't know if we'd be able to last the 90 minutes. Getting a draw away from home is still a good result. I'm now going back to Montpellier for mother's day. I'm going to go to a restaurant and enjoy seeing my children and grandchildren."

 OGC Nice 2-0 AS Monaco 

Patrick Vieira (Nice coach): "It was very important to finish off on a high note. That was our objective and it was a perfect evening even if we had trouble getting going. We lacked a finisher in order to finish higher in the table but the players worked hard and I think I got an enormous amount out of them. Now we want to work on next season."

Leonardo Jardim (Monaco coach): "This season was very difficult for everybody and not only for me, given I benefited from three months away from the club. Maybe it's in analyzing the errors that were made that we'll be able to think about the future. The main thing is that we're still in Ligue 1 and sincerely I am very relieved and very happy."

 FC Nantes 0-1 RC Strasbourg Alsace

Vahid Halilhodzic (Nantes coach): "The defeat hurts as I wanted to finish well to say thanks to the fans after all we've been through. I have responsibilities here and still one year left on my contract. My words are often interpreted and all I want to say is that there's major reconstruction going on with 10 or so players on their way out, while others will come in."

Thierry Laurey (Strasbourg coach): "I am progressing and so is the team. It's my best season. We're satisfied to have finished 11th. We'd targeted 45 points and finished on 49. We have qualified for Europe the wrong year though as it's going to be tricky given that this summer there are competitions such as the Copa America, the Africa Cup of Nations and the Under-20s World Cup taking place. I'm going to allow the players to rest and hope they come back to us smiling."

 Olympique de Marseille 1-0 Montpellier Hérault SC 

Rudi Garcia (Marseille coach): "It was important to finish on a high note by winning at the Vélodrome and finishing fifth, even if that's not a European finish. My players did the job against a team that's difficult to move around. Me first and foremost, and also the players, haven't been up to it this season but we finished the campaign well. I'm always positive and I am very happy with the 32 months I spent here."

Michel Der Zakarian (Montpellier coach): "We're disappointed to have lost as we could have done better. We were naïve with the first goal we conceded. We've had a good season overall: at the start of the season we would have been happy to finish where we have even if I think we could have done better. This season we're going to try to keep almost everybody and bring in two to three players."

 Stade Rennais FC 3-1 LOSC 

Julien Stéphan (Rennes coach): "This was a good match for the last game of the season against a fine Lille team that attack a lot. It was a match with a lot of chances and both teams played football with great enthusiasm. It was an enjoyable game and it was one we deserved to win. Its' been a great season for Rennes, one that will mark the history of the club."

Christophe Galtier (Lille coach): "I saw two really good teams on the field. It wasn't an end of season game and Rennes have really grown this season. We played with the desire to win and we weren't able to because Rennes played well. It's been a magnificent season, a human adventure, and the players have grown at great pace. The experienced players have put in extraordinary work."

Stade de Reims  3 - 1  Paris Saint-Germain

David Guion (Reims coach): "I asked my players to be audacious and they were in the first half. We suffered a lot in the second half but had the resources to win. It was an emotional win as it was the last game of the season against the champions. It's been a magnificent season as finishing eighth with 55 points is the best Reims have managed in the modern era."

Thomas Tuchel (Paris Saint-Germain coach): "Today, I can tell you that I will be here next season but that in football things can change day by day. If things change it won't be me having decided it."

 Amiens SC  2 - 1  EA Guingamp 

Christophe Pelissier (Amiens coach): "It had been several games that we'd kept missing out on the win that would have allowed us to seal our top division place earlier. We maintained the suspense right until the end but we're going to remember this win. I'm very happy to keep Amiens in Ligue 1 for a third season after an exhausting campaign."

Jocelyn Gourvennec (Guingamp coach): "I decided to let this match take place, get out of this infernal spiral and then look at things. I've been contacted by three different clubs. I wanted to finish the season, and now I'm going to sit down and listen to the offers and decide what will be best for my future. Me and my staff gave 300% to this club and I'll leave Guingamp with my head held high."