This is Paris: February ’22

There’s a quiet hanging over the training ground. The players are dejected, the staff are disappointed, and the board, despite telling us all how proud they are of us, haven’t mustered much of a smile. It’s a difficult time. We took Ligue 1 Troyes as far as we could without winning the tie, and we were magnificent, and it wasn’t enough. That’s a tough pill to swallow.

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This is Paris: January ’22

It’s a new year in Paris, and Red Star are on the march. Promotion is looking more certain by the day, the Coupe de France has yielded an unlikely cup run, and players are beginning to sign for next season. Parisian players, of course. Martin Vert obviously doesn’t understand that compelling stories need tension, not just success…

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This is Paris: December ’21

The Christmas season is upon us. The Champs-Elysees has been transformed into a Christmas market, the streets are decked with Christmas lights, and our red and green badge feels decidedly festive. The players are on a high from the win against Paris FC, and we went through the whole of December with not only a 100% record, but also with no goals conceded. And we’re top of the league. So far, so good.

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This is Paris: August ’21

Record French Open Champion Rafael Nadal trains at the level of intensity that he uses in matches. He’s one of the few who put that much effort into training, with the received wisdom that you need to manage your exhaustion levels, be careful of injuries, and keep some freshness. 75% intensity is usually considered high. But when it comes down to the crunch, when Nadal has to dig deep and find that extra 2%, he knows its there. That’s why he’s won so many titles. It’s also, presumably, why he gets injured so much.

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