Paris Saint-Germain and Le Havre faced off this Friday at the Stade Océane for the 9th matchday of the 2026-2027 Ligue 1 season. The encounter ended in a 1-5 victory for the Parisians (see video highlights of Le Havre vs. PSG). Following the match, Le Havre head coach Didier Digard spoke to Ligue1+.
Digard: “They do things a bit too well and a bit too fast for us.”
It was a difficult evening, even though there were some positive moments?
Yes, it was very tough. The hardest part was conceding goals from situations we had studied all week—the players were well aware of them. They execute things a bit too well and a bit too fast for us; we weren’t able to respond offensively. We managed to create some opportunities, but we lacked the necessary efficiency in the final third. That led to a significant gap in the scoreline.
Digard: “It ruins all our plans.”
Was the first half decent?
Yes, the first half was certainly coherent. The third goal really hurt us—we should never have committed that foul. There are certain efforts that must be made and defensive situations that need to be handled better; I often feel that resorting to a foul is just taking the easy way out.
That could have been avoided, and this time, it proved costly. The subsequent play was also handled very poorly. It ruins all our plans, because once they have a two-goal lead, they become so demanding for the opposition that the match feels like an eternity.
Digard: “That’s the difference.”
What about that header that hit the post?
Especially when you see our players—downcast again tonight and at the end of the match—you realize just how much the fans are behind us, waiting for us to ignite the game. That’s the difference: we ended up with 14 shots to their 15, but the key is that we only put 5 on target, compared to their 10. They give themselves a better chance of scoring. Once we lost our balance a bit, they really made us pay.
Digard: “We have a week to find the right words and get everyone’s head back in the right place.”
Is this PSG side hard to contain? How are you feeling about the group?
It’s a receptive group, but I’d like us to be mentally stronger so we can react during difficult moments—and things are very difficult right now. But as long as we don’t lose our footing, stick to our strengths, and accept that we’re in a delicate situation—while striving to do better, or even more—we can move forward.
Now, we need to pick up points. It’s never easy after facing Paris and Marseille, and the match against Lorient will be very complicated. Even if we were playing against a reserve side, it would still be tough because our confidence has taken a hit. We have a week to find the right words and get everyone’s head back in the right place; it’ll be a hard night tonight, but tomorrow, we go again.
