Bruno Genesio: “there are not many players like Griezmann left”

Bruno Genesio (Lyon , 1966) It’s the giant killer of seats. The Lille coach is now moving to Atletico Simeone. He managed to win the Champions League , after 36 matches, against Real Madrid, which has not lost since last January , and before that he won the match to Guardiola With Lyon and this same season in The art of throwing Mourinho is on his way to the Champions League. Serving Geneseo The brand name Before playing in Metropolitan. Although the ones who most characterize him are Ancelotti and Guardiola, he also admits that he is a fan of shulo and Spanish football. He does not, without hesitation, approach training one day in La Liga because it is in line with his culture in the game.

Ask your question: I imagine that it is already a matter of pride to live this Champions League after Fenerbahce and Slavia Prague left at rock bottom or beat Real Madrid with a team with less potential

The answer: Certainly, it is a matter of pride to be here already because for ten years the French club has not been able to pass the preliminary stage. We are still a young team but as a coach it is clear that this is the competition in which you also dream of participating.

S. Does a win over Madrid give you confidence?

R. It shows us that we can beat great teams. For me, Madrid is the best club in the world, but Atletico is a team that has been at the top for years, it is a reference in Europe, with a coach in the top ten and a team that has been competing great for years. It will also be useful for us to see what we can do.

Q:they are the favorites and it is clear to you then.

R. Yes, for sure, they are the long-time favorites , on the one hand they play at home and they have a team to go far in the Champions League and they have a much more important team than ours.

S. What do you think about this athlete?

R. When you play these games, like Madrid, you have to believe in yourself first. This Atletico is very well organized, everyone knows what they have to do, as we saw against Leganes, they never give up and are warriors in the image of their coach. But we have prepared the match well and we will play our best against Madrid.

Q: you beat Guardiola, Mourinho and Ancelotti, and you still have Cholo…

R. He is, of course, an additional motivation, but he is not just a coach, there is a team behind him. If we do that, it’s thanks to all my technical team and the players. I hope it will be the same against Atletico, but it will be a different game, against an opponent who has a different idea of the game.

Q.Do you dreamed about the Champions League or do you have your feet on the ground?

R. We are realistic, there are almost no chances to win the Champions League, but we want to do good things against important opponents and the truth is that I think reaching the top 24 is a reasonable goal. They say that it probably takes 9 points to get in, we won three points against Madrid that we didn’t expect, we still have six games left and we have the right to think that we can get in and it will be a nice bonus. We can dream, but we have to be realistic. The teams entering the quarters will be much superior to us, but we will enjoy ourselves. We deserve to be where we are and we want to do great things like beat Madrid.

S. The weak point and the strong point of Atletico?

R. They don’t have many weaknesses despite conceding four goals against Benfica. That was really weird. He does not concede almost any chances and in the attack they have Griezmann, Julie ocean, ochelvarez, Llorente, Kuki and Correa… It’s very difficult to put Atletico in trouble. Against this team we have to try not to be singled out first because that makes it more complicated. We have to defend well, but we also have to look for them because it’s our philosophy of the game.

S. Which Atletico players will you take to Lille?

R. I would like to take two: Antoine, of course, and Marcus Laurenti. I like him, he is effective, he has quality and he is a key player in the team. But there are many very good things. The first is clearly Antoine, but very close to him is Llorente.

S. Would you like to train in Spain?

R. I love Spanish football because regardless of the team, risks are taken, it is played well, it is a football country, the audience knows. Spain is part of the countries where you want to go for training. I have been to Lyon, Rennes and Lille and I was lucky enough to play in the Champions League where I was, but it is true that it will be interesting to manage in Spain. However, I know that it is difficult for the French coach.

Q: there is time for everything, well, look at Zidane…

R. Yes, it’s true, but Zizo is half Spanish, like madrilini (laughs).

S. Is Geneseo closer to any particular coach?

R. At the level of the game, with all modesty, I try to approach Guardiola’s idea, possession and manner of attack. At the management level rather Ancelotti. But they are all models for me, as well as Simeone, because they won. When you see Cholo 12 years in the same club and what he won… I know how hard it is to win matches, hold on to seats and win titles.

S. Were you surprised by Griezmann’s departure from the national team?

R. If you have decided on it because you thought it was time. I love Antoine because he represents everything I love about football. Of course, quality, he scores goals, plays for the team, defends even though he plays at the top and shows an ideal position with the rest of the team. Today there are only a few players like Antoine left, it is rare to see him and he had an unusual career. I imagine he wanted to take a break, it’s ten years with France and he will need to focus more on the club and have time for other things. I don’t know the reason for his decision, but I can understand it. He is an extraordinary football player.

S. What are your memories of training at Valdebebas with Ancelotti and Zidane?

R. I was about to get a vocational training diploma. The truth is that it was the most important moment of my training, and it is what contributed the most to me. Two weeks he talks to Zizou, Carlo, Benzema. Madrid is the best club in the world and when you go there you realize that. The exchange with the coach who won a lot gave me desire and confidence. If today I am a coach and I love this profession, it is largely due to this training. I went through other stages with Houllier, Lacombe, Aulas, people who were fundamental in my career, but the stage in Valdebebas was a starting point for me.

Q: I was the second man in charge of Houllier in Lyon with the young Benzema…

R. I was lucky to meet great players. Karim was very young, he first appeared at the age of 17 with us and they are guys who also lead you. There is so much demand on his part that you feel that you should be at his level to help him. The teaching staff is at the same time to learn from others, from his desire to reach the top, to work hard… Since I was a child I have been very clear about where I want to get to. He worked a lot, from a young age, then in Madrid he shared the dressing room with the best and this helped him. Winning the Golden Ball was extraordinary.

Q: I took Ferland Mendy to Lyon, but you saw that Zidane was irrevocably taking him to Madrid…

R. I was in second place, in Le Havre, I was the coach. Florian Morris has seen it and we have seen that it has great quality. We gave the green light to sign it without hesitation. He also had an atypical career, with so many difficulties as a young man, that he could have retired from football, but he talks about being able to overcome them. Then he has a good right and left foot, he has progressed, he is always a happy child, he helps and when he went to Madrid I thought he could also impose himself. And he has and I’m really happy. He deserves it. And like Karim he worked hard.