Ligue 1 – Strasbourg captain Dimitri Liénard: « We see players with a smile »
Dimitri Liénard has already experienced a lot of emotions under the Strasbourg jersey, from the National to Ligue 1 through victory in the League Cup. « The peasant of Belfort » – this is the nickname he gives himself – is enjoying new happiness this season. At 33, he was promoted Racing captain.
Captain, one more happiness in Racing
« It’s something that was close to my heart, that I missed with everything I’ve known in Racing, smiles Dimitri Liénard. I am proud to be able to represent all the Alsatians, to represent the blue people, to wear this armband and to go to war with my teammates « .
Julien Stephan did not hesitate to choose his captain. « He embodies the values of the club, which are also its values, explains the new Strasbourg coach. Someone whole, upright, generous. It must be the values of the group. It seemed to me to be this season the best profile to embody all that « .
At the start of the season, almost everything is smiling at Racing, seventh in Ligue 1, after twelve days. And the office of captain is therefore not difficult to assume for the one who has « always spoke in the locker room to motivate the guys ».
A pleasure shared between staff, players and the public
With the arrival of a new staff which is unanimous, the return of the fervent public of the Meinau, the positive results, Racing lives a much more serene start to the championship than the two previous seasons. « The players have a lot, a lot, a lot of fun, assures Dimitri Liénard. I receive a lot of messages from Alsatians and important people in Alsace – for ten years, I have started to know people – who are proud. I’m not even talking about the game, because it’s good right now, but they’re proud of the team’s state of mind. We see players with a smile. That’s the most important thing in Racing, it’s to have a group that pulls in the same direction « .
« Julien Stéphan always tries to be reassuring »
Like most of his teammates, Dimitri Liénard is laudatory when he talks about the contribution of his new coach, and not only on a tactical level: « Even when we’ve lost, he always tries to be reassuring, to put us forward. He wants to show us that he has confidence in us and that we shouldn’t be in doubt. I think it can be someone. of large « .
Despite the good start in Strasbourg, the peasant of Belfort watch the grain. « There is an osmosis that has settled with the staff, emphasizes the midfielder. We have a homogeneous team, attackers who could play in a lot of teams, an exceptional goalkeeper. I’m confident, now you have to be vigilant anyway. At any time, you can take a right that comes from you don’t know where. No matter how hard you fought, you take a knockout and you don’t know why « .
He could reach 300 games with Racing at the end of the season
The captain of Racing, who uses the metaphor of the boxer, achieves, on an individual basis, a decent start to the season. He was seven times holder in twelve games and delivered an assist. « I hope to play football as long as possible, tells the darling of Meinau, who has already played 278 official matches under the Strasbourg jersey, in just over eight seasons. But the day when I no longer have the level and when I feel that I am at the end of the day, I will say it for myself, because I don’t want to end up in a fishtail in Racing « .
If he goes to the end of his contract which expires in the summer of 2023, Dimitri Liénard will have worn (at least) for 10 years the Racing jersey.
