Sunday, 8 December, 2019

Olympique de Marseille 3-1 Girondins de Bordeaux

André Villas-Boas (Olympique de Marseille coach): "We were a little disappointed at half-time because our work hadn't paid off. We dominated the whole game. ['Keeper Steve] Mandanda has been decisive all season but today he didn't have a save to make. We shot 24 times on goal against a team that was third in the standings. After the break, we changed a few things. [Left-back Jordan] Amavi's goal gave us the confidence boost we needed. It was a perfect match because the guys are mentally there and are in incredible physical condition."

Paulo Sousa (Girondins de Bordeaux coach): "My players' control of their emotions dipped [after the break] against a very experienced team, with good players, very well organised. Their supporters started to push as one mistake and then another gave motivation to our opponents. Otavio wasn't under too much pressure for Marseille's second goal (60th). He simply tried to play a ball into midfield and failed, there was no question of pressure. To compete at this level - the level we hope to reach - our team must have control of the game when in possession. I firmly believe that. What happened will help the players to develop. Everything we showed in the first half shows that we're on the right track, but a mistake on our part gave them the chance to get into the game. After that, we need to control matches better. But we keep making infantile mistakes."

FC Nantes 1-0 Dijon FCO

Christian Gourcuff (Nantes coach): "It's important take points to reassure ourselves. We could have started to get annoyed when we didn't put our chances away against a well-organised Dijon side. There was no space, but we managed to put pressure on them. We weren't good enough on our centres again, we weren't very precise in our moves, especially in the final third where we played standing still and that led to a lot of wastage. In the second half, we put in more rhythm, my fluidity, and we had some promising situations."

Stéphane Jobard (Dijon coach): "I often get the impression of going through the same games away from home, that is to say that we're too weak going forward to hope for better. Our good defensive organisation initially causes opponents problems, but when they find solutions, we can't react."

Stade de Reims 3-1 AS Saint-Étienne

David Guion (Reims coach): "We're very happy, because we played very well in the first half with a lot of character and intensity. The regret at half-time was that we hadn't got a second goal. In the second half, we suffered a bit and I regret the equaliser we gifted them. But I liked how my team responded, they showed character to be able to go back in front of a team like that. We saw my team's mental qualities today. We've got a very strong and united squad."

Claude Puel (Saint-Étienne coach): "We made a complete mess of the first half, we weren't at it in our challenges in our play. Reims deserved to lead and even if they didn't create a lot of chances, they could have doubled their lead. We were better in the second half and we're far off going 2-1 up. Their second goal hurt us and put an end to our hopes. I don't want to use tiredness as an excuse, even if we've played every three days for weeks now. We lacked the physical resources in the second half to be able to maintain the foothold our goal had given us. It's a shame, we came back well, but overall, Reims deserve their win."

Saturday, 7 December, 2019

Montpellier Hérault SC 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain

Michel Der Zakarian (Montpellier coach): "We shook up Paris and played really well in the first half. Our only regret concerns the second half. Even if we had the legs, we lost the ball too quickly. It's a pity because we had a chances for 2-0 when Gaëtan Laborde crossed for Andy Delort. It could have been 2-0 and yet five minutes later it was 1-1. We were up against quality players but we defended badly. My players gave everything they had."

Thomas Tuchel (Paris Saint-Germain coach): "The pitch was horrible, Montpellier were very strong, we soon had two players injured and the atmosphere was very special. We responded with quality and showed our mentality. It was an extraordinary match and a beautiful win, one that we deserved and I'd like to congratulate my team. Neymar and Mbappé? It hasn't been easy for them as they've both often been absent and they're only just starting to play together this season. Here it was hard for Kylian for a long time, while Neymar – who has more experience – responded superbly in a difficult atmosphere. At the end of the day they won us the game."

AS Monaco 3-0 Amiens SC

Leonardo Jardim (Monaco coach): "The opposition came here with two lines very close together and only one forward and that's why we played 4-3-3 at the start of the game. In the first half we weren't aggressive enough and didn't get in behind. My players don't have those qualities. Too many players dropped off the front in the first half and I changed things up in the second half. Things opened up after the first goal. Ben Yedder? We'd lost Falcao and we needed a scorer. At this club there have always been top strikers: Berbatov, before Falcao, or Kylian."

Luka Elsner (Amiens coach): "The Monaco corner was badly taken, the worst one they took. In these conditions you need to sacrifice yourself and ensure the opposition can't get a shot in. We didn't do that and that's unacceptable. Before the goal, we'd put in 60 minutes where they didn't have a chance. After their goal, we could have conceded 10. We lost confidence and we dropped off. When you are playing for your survival, you have to show a reaction."

Stade Rennais FC 2-1 Angers SCO

Julien Stéphan (Rennes coach): "Football is above all about taking your chances. We were more pragmatic and we won. We scored on a counter and then we rebalanced things in the second half. It's the first double Niang has scored this season and it won us the game. The relationship between Raphinha and Niang is in the process of being fine-tuned and they're getting on better and better. Of course that is going to lift our collective performance."

Stéphane Moulin (Angers coach): "In order to win games, you need to score goals. We have regrets again because we put in a quality performance and dominated Rennes. I've never seen them moved about like that. We didn't take our chances, whether that was through bad luck or clumsiness in front of goal, and they were clinical. Tonight we played with style and didn't get the result and it was the opposite scenario for Rennes."

OGC Nice 4-1 FC Metz

Patrick Vieira (Nice coach): "The victory against Metz doesn't erase the defeat to Saint-Etienne, but the performance was excellent from a defensive and attacking point of view. It was important to get back to winning ways and in style. We saw some good things out there and some less good things. The positive is that my players were very motivated when they didn't have the ball. We need to show the same rigour in away games now."

Vincent Hognon (Metz coach): "I'm upset because once again we were 2-0 down at half-time. Nice had two efforts on target and were 2-0 ahead and that's really tough. The lesson to take from it is that we need to be effective in both penalty boxes. We're in trouble in both. In football you end up being judged on your results. Goals are scored and conceded because of what happens in the last 30 metres of the pitch."

RC Strasbourg Alsace 4-2 Toulouse FC

Thierry Laurey (Strasbourg coach): "We showed we wanted to make up for a sad Tuesday display. We did that in style, especially in the first half. It was more difficult in the second half but it's positive that we managed to score four goals. We conceded nine goals in a week and we need to address that. Having 21 points is not all that bad and we still have two matches to play before Christmas, matches we need to take points from."

Antoine Kombouaré (Toulouse coach): "What we were lacking was a collective desire to put bodies on the line and defend. There's a feeling of shame as it's impossible to accept all these goals we are conceding. That's why we're in such difficulty and I'm not happy with my work. My message to the players isn't getting through."

Friday, 6 December, 2019

Nîmes Olympique 0-4 Olympique Lyonnais

Bernard Blaquart (Nîmes coach): "After some time at ten against 11 against Lyon, it's difficult. Then the penalty, then a second red card, it's over…We were the team with the least bookings in Ligue 1, we're not nasty. My players are really down. We'll try to prepare the best possible, and we'll play with all our hearts, if I'm still in charge of the team."

Rudi Garcia (Lyon coach): "We were very disciplined, we played intelligently, didn't use too much energy given we have the game against Leipzig. We didn't fall into the trap of going over the top and provocation that cost Nîmes. I hope Rafael isn't injured, he had to go off at half-time. His ankle and shin are injured. We feared the worst, we'll see on Satruday. Now we have three full days between games, and we can prepare calmly for Tuesday."

LOSC 1-0 Stade Brestois 29

Christophe Galtier (LOSC coach): "We had 16 shots, got 10 on target, their goalkeeper was very good. It's an important win. My team started the game well, and played a great opening 30 minutes. After that, we stopped playing, just played tippy-tappy footbal, and that annoyed me. We should have gone in at half-time with a bigger lead. We started the second half well, and then my players had to put in a big effort to keep the lead. I'm very happy for my players. That's three successive wins without conceding a goal. We're making progress defensively, but we have to improve going forward, we have to be more clinical."

Olivier Dall'Oglio (Brest coach): "It was a tough game against a good Lille side, well organised, well structured. In the first half, we struggled to keep the ball, we didn't bring it out cleanly. The ball came back at us often and we weren't at it. We lacked a little spark. Diallo had to be replaced at the last minute, then Castelletto got injured quickly and during that time, we conceded a goal. We didn't have a lot of luck in that game, without taking anything away from Lille. At the end of the game, I think we could have done better if we had not been quite so hasty."