Two-goal Strasbourg striker Nuno Da Costa felt his side backed up their Coupe de la Ligue BKT final win with a 4-0 return to league action vs Reims, whose coach David Guion was left ruing the end of a four-month unbeaten run.
Wednesday, 3 April 2019
RC Strasbourg Alsace 4-0 Stade de Reims 
Nuno Da Costa (RC Strasbourg Alsace striker): "We wanted to show that our winning the Coupe de la Ligue was no fluke and we put the ingredients together that we always bring in home matches. The fans were expecting even more and we gave it to them. On an individual level, when I feel good like I did tonight, I can help the team a lot by playing with a lot of intensity. It really paid off and I hope we can keep it up."
David Guion (Stade de Reims coach): "We had a great first half, and going into the break a goal down was really tough for my lads, as they knew they had dominated. They we conceded a painful goal early in the second half. It was paradoxical as we conceded from four counter-attacks away from home. It was really surprising for my team; we're not used to that. We failed to make the difference inky moments - that's the story of the match. For a promoted side to put together a four-month run [since their last league defeat, at home to Toulouse in Week 16] is really exceptional. We've made real progress. In three days, we're playing again [at home to LOSC] and it's good that the lads can turn their attention to another match right away, as tonight was extremely forgettable."
Montpellier Herault SC 2-0 En Avant Guingamp 
Michel Der Zakarian (Montpellier HSC coach): "We started well, as we did against Reims [a 4-2 defeat]. We used the ball well, created a lot of chances and scored. We took our foot off the gas for a while, but we scored a second goal and kept a clean sheet. That was great, as we hadn't managed it in a while. We need to hang onto this solidity and make fear individual errors."
Jocelyn Gourvennec (EA Guingamp coach): "I didn't feel that the lads were tired after final [of the Coupe de la Ligue, a penalty shoot-out loss to Strasbourg on Saturday], but we never really got into the match. I gave the lads a talking-to at half-time, but it didn't have the intended effect. We failed to trouble Montpellier even though we knew they tend to leak goals at home. We lacked grit and determination and we made two crucial errors that led to their goals. I think we were too nice about it all; I want to see lions take the pitch on Saturday [at home to Monaco]."
Monday, 1 April, 2019
AS Saint-Etienne 2-1 Nîmes Olympique 
Bernard Blaquart (Nîmes Olympique coach): "We gifted them their first goal. We had a few chances after that and we played 25 solid minutes in the second half. We were up against a good 'keeper but ours was in good form too. The outcome ended up being determined by refereeing decisions, and these haven't been going our way of late. It has been tough but it will pass. We deserve much better - a three-point haul, for example."
Yann M'vila (AS Saint-Etienne midfielder): "It was tough. We were up against as very good Nîmes side who were extremely determined. We did our best to fight them and it worked out for us, so we're very happy with the win. It could have gone the other way in the second half, for sure, but then again we could have gone into the break 4-1 up. It just shows that you really have to take your chances. We had some nervy moments in the second half; Nîmes are no quitters and they proved that after the break. We're in fourth place, but right now it's too early for that to mean all that much. We'll see where we are with just two matches left to play. We're not going to do a lot of talking, as sometimes you get caught out. I'd rather say that we'll do our best to collect as many points as possible and then see where we are at the end."
Sunday, 31 March, 2019
Toulouse FC 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain 
Thomas Tuchel (PSG coach): "It's never easy after an international break. Many of our players were called up and there was a bit of fatigue for some of them. We took the game seriously and acted as a team and that's something I like. We stayed together. Toulouse play with a lot of long balls forward but we had the answers for that. I'm happy with the mentality we showed. There could be many reasons to take it easy, especially given our lead in the league, but nobody is thinking like that and I like that too."
Alain Casanova (Toulouse coach): "We deserved to take a point. I'm frustrated for the team. Paris almost never had us in trouble defensively. We had two big chances and against a team like Paris you need to score them, but we didn't. [Alphonse] Areola made two miraculous saves, and then an extra-terrestrial [Kylian Mbappé] won them the game. We cause them some problems and we need to get over this disappointment."
Amiens SC 0-0 Girondins de Bordeaux 
Christophe Pélissier (Amiens coach): "We're moving forward. This is our sixth consecutive game without defeat. We're happy to take a point without conceding a goal. I congratulate the boys who stayed focused until the end. We lacked a cutting edge but we must remember how hard we worked. There are eight games left and if we keep playing like that we'll stay up."
Paulo Sousa (Bordeaux coach): "I'm more satisfied with the result than with our performance. We tried to play football, we did that in the first half but not later. We didn't press against a more physical opponent, there were a lot of long balls and challenges to win. We had a good attitude, but it's not enough. We must be more consistent and work in this direction in the future. I also want to congratulate the supporters of both sides who gave a nice atmosphere to this match."
Dijon FCO 0-1 OGC Nice 
Antoine Kombouaré (Dijon coach): "The result's catastrophic since we're now in last place. We didn't do the right thing. I don't have much to blame my players for but we lacked a spark, the determination it takes to score. But if we lost, it's not the referee's fault. I am disappointed for the fans, but we'll continue to fight."
Patrick Vieira (Nice, coach): "We're satisfied to have won away from home, that's not happened for a long time. We came here with the desire to do well, facing a team that also wanted to do well. We were solid defensively and our attackers sacrificed themselves for the team. For European qualification, this victory puts us in a position to dream. So, we'll continue to dream."
AS Monaco 0-1 SM Caen 
Leonardo Jardim (Monaco coach): "We came up against a great goalkeeper [Brice Samba] but we didn't provoke our opponents enough. But Caen won by playing a good match. We increased our speed of play in the second half but even so, we didn't manage to score. Sometimes the message gets through, sometimes it doesn't. I say the same thing every week: we continue to fight for our survival. Nothing is done. We have a seven-point cushion. That's nothing, three games!"
Fabien Mercadal (Caen coach): "Rolland Courbis is here because I want him to be here. We each play a specific role and we get along very well, we want to serve the interests of the club. We haven't had the season we wanted to have."
FC Nantes 2-3 LOSC 
Vahid Halilhodzic (Nantes coach): "Did we lose our nerve? I'm not sure, but you have to ask this question because it's not the first time this has happened. It may be a psychological problem, maybe they're afraid to win. It's inexplicable, it's really a total nightmare. Because I also think they played a good match! We worked so hard for this game and everything fell apart in seven minutes."
Christophe Galtier (LOSC coach): "It was a crazy game, it must have been fun for the spectators! There were a lot of twists and suspense but the most important thing is that we won. At this time, only points are important. We had the wind at our backs and we have the same advantage [four points] over Lyon. We have to focus the players but without curbing their attacking instincts."
Saturday, 30 March, 2019
Olympique de Marseille 2-2 Angers SCO 
Rudi Garcia (Marseille coach): "As long as it's mathematically possible we'll still believe we can qualify for the Champions League. Of course we believe but we still have to win matches, and tonight we had the opportunity given we were leading 2-0. It's a bump in the road, getting held at home. We'll have to recover points on the road. We have to be solid for the whole game. We lost balls that we shouldn't be losing and Angers took advantage. We played well for the first half-hour and then stopped attacking. We can't blame refereeing decisions for this."
Stéphane Moulin (Angers coach): "I congratulate my boys. We dug deep and we knew how to find the target. We know how to fight back. I'm very satisfied, even if we could've done even better. Nobody thought Marseille would lose points after going 2-0 ahead. But we knew we could do it. Marseille may have thought they'd won but we never let our heads go down."
Friday, 29 March, 2019
Stade Rennais FC 0-1 Olympique Lyonnais 
Julien Stéphan (Rennes coach): "The match became disjointed in the second half. We thought we could turn it around. It's so difficult to concede right after your best chance of the game. It's frustrating. We were without [Damien] Da Silva, [Clément] Grenier hadn't trained since Bordeaux [Rennes drew 1-1 there last Sunday] and we lost [James] Léa-Siliki early on. The players gave everything and this defeat is cruel. Lyon were already the favourites for the Coupe de France semi-final, and they still are. It will take a big effort to get the Rennes fans to the Stade de France."
Bruno Génésio (Lyon coach): "We made a good start and deserved to win in the end. We had a good game. I said before the match that there would be no lesson to learn for Tuesday [and the Coupe de France semi-final]. We wanted to win here simply to advance our objectives in Ligue 1. It was a strange game with both sides enjoying periods of dominance. Most importantly, we're happy with the result. Coaches are judged on results. I know what the president thinks of me and my work. I want the team to progress. What happens to me is secondary. The most important thing for me is to get the team qualified for next year's Champions League and into the final of the Coupe de France."
