The beautiful Caladoise series, which consisted of four consecutive matches without falling, came to an end last Friday against Dijon (1-2) in a high-stakes showdown, as Dijon, without making too many bets on the near future, is very likely to see Ligue 2 again at the end of the season.
On the other hand, Villefranche wants to taste the next Ligue 3, a goal that their journey since the beginning of 2026 allows them to aspire to. To further build their destiny at this level, they will have to go through Sochaux on Friday night.
Sochaux is a critical opponent that is playing for their promotion to the higher tier almost every matchday. This poses a tough challenge for FCVB, adding to an already tricky period filled with traps. The stakes will be high for both teams, as emphasized by Fabien Pujo in a press conference on Wednesday.
“Looking back, what is your analysis of the last defeat (1-2) suffered by your team against the National leader, Dijon, at home?”
“In hindsight, we are extremely disappointed and frustrated. We prepared for this match, thinking that we would play the perfect game against an opponent that logically allows you to achieve such a match. We are frustrated because there were coherent things. Such as the ability to compete in taking initiative, to challenge them in duels, at times. But ultimately, in crucial moments of the match, we were deficient. This is what we want to correct, in a different context, against a different opponent, Sochaux. Now, we must be pragmatic and accumulate points until we reach Ligue 3. We need to deliver a strong performance in the upcoming matches. We are faced with tough challenges, between this trip to Sochaux and hosting Valenciennes with a new coach, we only have big matches. We aim to complete a match from A to Z. And so far, we have not entirely done this. Against Dijon, frustration prevailed even though everything seemed to be in place. We were on an unbeaten streak. We had our full squad, except for our midfielder Sambaly Keita who was suspended. We were in front of our home crowd, with an atmosphere where we had everything to gain. Despite all that, we are disappointed over certain short moments in the match, particularly the two avoidable goals conceded.”
“How do you anticipate the absence of Assef, against Sochaux, where he will be suspended, even though he is one of the important elements of your offensive sector since January?”
“His absence may lead us to consider modifying our organization. That’s possible. Knowing that in the first leg match, in a formation (3-5-2) that brought us a lot of satisfaction, we were solid, and we won 1-0.”
“Does this mean that your reorganization will mainly focus on changing your defensive structure for a match where you might not have much possession?”
“One-on-one situations can be a vulnerability for us. The idea is perhaps not to get isolated against an attacker like Gomel. I mention him because he is the player in form at Sochaux right now. This was the consideration we had this week. Especially because it worked well in the first leg match. The crucial factor against Dijon was that at a certain point, we lost a bit of our ability to use the ball. Consequently, we defended a lot. We were somewhat suffocated physically and conceded more dangerous situations down there. At Bonal, I assume there will be over 10,000 people. Since Dijon isn’t playing, a Sochaux win can bring them closer in the standings. In this matchday, there is also Orleans-Rouen (a duel between 2nd and 4th place that can help Sochaux in the race for promotion to Ligue 2). So, this is a moment where they can truly show everyone that they are among the best. The whole stadium will be there to push them. It will be intense. If you are unable to control the ball at times, you will just end up defending. And defending at Bonal is tough. But we have nothing to lose down there.”
“It’s tough to defend at Bonal!”
“Is this the most high-pressure match since January 2026, in terms of pressure and the popular atmosphere awaiting you there?”
“It’s an easy match psychologically for the players. Because there, you are playing a Champions League match. We have everything to gain there. They have only lost once at home, against Dijon (0-1). It will be a fairly enjoyable match to play. However, certain elements need to be emphasized in this type of encounter: commitment, winning duels, the ability to compete in this area.”
“As the coach of Goal FC, you achieved a remarkable feat against Sochaux in September 2023, winning 3-0 at their home. Is this a memory that can help you this Friday with FCVB?”
“I have very fond memories of that match. Emotionally, it was powerful. Sochaux had just avoided relegation. It was their first home match of the season. They were not ready as a team. But around that match, there was a strong emotional atmosphere with all the people who had contributed to saving the club. I remember a strong performance that day, with a solid and rare idea. A match that was won on set pieces. We scored three goals that way. We were able to keep the ball and play out cleanly. If we can draw inspiration from that scenario, it suits me very well. Plus, I like to joke, as a coach, for now, I don’t know defeat against Sochaux…”
National: Where to watch Sochaux-FCVB this Friday?
On Friday, February 27th, the 23rd matchday of the National championship. At Sochaux, at Stade Bonal, at 7:30 pm, Sochaux-Montbelliard (3rd) hosts FCFC Villefranche-Beaujolais (11th). Refereed by Mr. Vincent. Match to follow on the FFF and BFM Lyon YouTube channels.
FCVB squad to choose from: Pélèan, Wilzius, Bayeye, Kena Kabeya, Camelo, Tshibuabua, Dekoke (?), Grippon, Marcel, Keita, Mroivili, Ahamada, Etoga (?), Louzif, Touho, Leye, Sabihi, Matip N’Gom, Testud, Mixtur.
