Paris is perhaps the most productive city for player development in the world. But could you beat one of the richest, most global clubs in football using only players from the City of Lights? Martin Vert has been set that challenge.

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March ’24

April opens and we are in a very strong position in the hunt for European football. Which is kind of a miracle, given how much we struggle to score. PSG are miles out in front, and their stats are intimidating to say the least, but we’ll deal with them another time. For now, we have got through the difficult month full of our well-financed, globally reaching rivals in fourth, eight points clear of the European cut off and, unbelievably, only one point from the Champions League places. Our final game of the season is against Lyon, and at the moment that has all the makings of a Champions League playoff game.

But first we take on Montpellier. They sit safe from relegation, but unlikely to trouble the European places. Like us, they don’t score many, but they’ve conceded more and tend to be inconsistent, good against the weaker sides, weak against the better sides. The table says we are one of the better sides, and though I don’t quite trust that analysis, it’s important to push on from that surprise win against Nice. Sissoko’s injury means Daury comes in to the side, and Christ Mukelenge is fit enough for the bench so we might get some impact from him.

It’s another vintage Red Star performance. Traore wins a penalty early on and, to be honest, it’s probably a dive. That doesn’t stop Tattevin from blasting it into the top corner. And then we sit back and soak up the pressure again. A couple of chances go awry, but Montpellier are stopped from creating much of anything. The second half sees them come at us a bit more, but Camara is strong, and when they do get past him Fofana is unbeatable. Mukelenge gets some minutes into his legs, and marks his return with a glorious, curling shot into the corner from the edge of the box. Two goals, another clean sheet, job done.

PSG have beaten Troyes, which is good for us as it drops another rival off of our pace, and is handy for them because, for the third season running, they aren’t going to win the Champions League. Having take a two goal lead to the Camp Nou, they were smashed 4-0 in the last 16. Should Poch be worried about his job?

For us, an easier task than Barcelona in Barcelona, we welcome Lorient to the Pierre-Brisson. Lorient, like Montpellier, won’t be troubling the European places. Unlike Montpellier, they are deep in the relegation fight. Bottom of the league, they like to attack, but have the worst defence in the division. A couple of promising, and unexpected, wins against Rennes and Marseille have been followed by a demoralisingly close defeat to near rivals Metz, and then a humbling 4-1 loss to Lens. So they’re vulnerable. I’d expect three points here, no matter where we were in the table.

It’s a frustrating time to turn into our old Red Star selves again. Lorient really struggle to create anything of note, and we are strong all over, pushing forward, but wasteful in front of goal. Fofana does what is required of him, and defence doesn’t have much to do, but we just can’t get our noses is front – Tattevin comes closes when he lobs the onrushing keeper and sees his effort bounce off the bar – and it’s two dropped points.

Lyon have also dropped two points, drawing with Rennes, which still raises the prospect of a single-game Champions League playoff, but Lens also lost meaning they sit third now. Rennes, for their part, are snapping at our heels, and Lille have replaced Marseille in the final European place. I took the opportunity to twist the knife into Aliou Cisse, but it’s Lille who are our most immediate concern. They have been in good form since their managerial change, and Dejan Stankovic has slowly reeled the rest of us in. Alpha Sissoko is back, and we’ll need a performance.

We don’t really perform, and are lucky to come away with a point. Very lucky. Ok, so we all but FM’d them. Aside from our goal – a lovely finish from Fomba after a long Doukansy clearance – we are on the back foot throughout. Fofana makes himself a hero again, keeping out an astounding 13 shouts, which are only half the number they eventually have. When Jonathan David equalises with 25 to go, I fear the worst, but we hold firm and escape with the draw. Phew.

Nantes are our final April visitors to the Pierre-Brisson. They are safely in mid-table, and while an almighty turn of events could see them nick the Europa Conference League place, in reality their season is pretty much finished. They have averaged exactly one goal per game, and relied on Alban Lafont to keep clean sheets so they stay competitive, something with which we can relate. All of which makes the last time we crossed paths – a 3-3 draw in which neither goalkeeper covered themselves in glory – a strange aberration on both of our seasons. Still, we know all about Uros Durdevic now, and we must keep him quiet.

We deserved that. We cut through them time and again, like a hot knife through butter, and the only chance they really manage is a contentious penalty after we had cleared the ball away anyway. Barreto smashes home an early move, and even though the penalty brings them level we don’t panic. Two corners before half time finish the game, with Barreto finding Wooh on both occasions for his first and second goals of the season.

That brings April to a close. With three games to go, we have secured our highest ever league finish – our previous highest was 7^th. We have also, therefore, secured European football for next season! Which is a hell of an achievement for little Red Star, in our first top-flight season, in our borrowed stadium, with Ligue 2 players, and recruitment from a single city. But there are three games to go. Nine points. Can we push it one more, magical, step forward?

May ’24

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