Benoît Kounkoud: 'I hope Lucio plays well, but that we win!'

Psg.fr: How would you describe the way our side have been playing differently in first halves and second halves in recent matches?
Benoît Kounkoud: It's true that recently we have alternated the very good and the much less good. We have to work on that. We are able to have good sequences where we are concentrated, assiduous, determined and efficient. In other phases, we're not shooting well and not effective in defence. That puts us in difficulty... These are the vagaries of a period in the season. We're not looking for excuses, we just want to work on that. We can't constantly play with fire.

You've won all your league matches, including those at Nantes (24-26) and Montpellier (32-36). Do you think you've done the hardest part of winning the title?
We're on a good track, with 16 wins in as many games. We've pulled off some great results. But every match is a fight. We have to fight to reach our goal of being French champions. I don't know if we've done the hardest part, but we're staying focused, because we know things can change quickly. We look at the results of other teams, but we stay focused on ourselves. If our competitors can drop points along the way, it will be good for us, but above all we have to do our job by winning as many matches as possible.

What did you think of your performance in Flensburg (28-27)?
We had one of the worst first halves of the season... We were down by nine goals at the break. We came back in the second half with different intentions and with a totally different fighting spirit. The game changed and the roles were reversed. They were the ones who started doubting themselves. We still made mistakes that cost us dearly. But this is a match that we could and should have won. It would have been good for our ranking. But that's part of the game. We're going to correct what didn't go right and move forward.

What memories do you have of the first-leg match against Elverum (35-29)?
They're a great team! They play very well and deserves their place in the competition. Their centre-half is good, the backs perform well and the wingers finish well. In addition, there is a certain Luc Abalo (Parisians from 2012 to 2020)! They are a dangerous team, who should not be underestimated. We're lucky enough to be playing them at home again. That avoids another trip in this complicated period. We'll have to be very focused!

Did you talk with Luc this week?
Yes! Elverum are in a difficult situation. Players cannot return to Norway because of health restrictions. So they are doing tour of away games. Lucio was stuck in Paris. It will be nice to see him again, as always. I hope he will perform well but, we will win!

(Credits: TeamPics/PSG)