Audel aiming to impress
Posted Friday, January 23, 2015 by PA
Experienced Nantes midfielder Johan Audel is hoping he has won over coach Michel Der Zakarian after being given a chance in midweek to prove he is far from over the hill.
Asked by Der Zakarian to start on the right wing for the French Cup clash at home to Lyon on Tuesday, Audel responded with an excellent display in a superb 3-2 victory over the Ligue 1 leaders.
It was the 31-year-old's first start since December 2, and only his fifth of the season, and now Audel is looking to follow up with another outing from the first whistle at Montpellier on Saturday.
"I finished 2014 well by scoring two goals in the last two games of the year," said Audel.
"From there I was hoping to scrounge more playing time in 2015, but I have not played too much.
"Then the coach put me in an unusual position on the right against Lyon.
"I'd played there against Reims earlier in the season and I scored, so in putting me there again it shows that he knows I can give back to that position.
"I tried to show my speed, that even at the age of 31 I still have legs, and it's of benefit to me because no-one has been permanently installed on the right.
"I gave the best of myself in that game, I happily performed well. It was one of my best games with Nantes."
Audel believes Nantes have set the standard now for future matches, starting with the clash at sixth-placed Montpellier, who are two places and one point above Der Zakarian's side.
"The victory has given us something to spice up our end of season," added Audel.
"If we can win the Coupe de France it will be the fastest and easiest way to be in Europe next season.
"But beating Lyon, a big team, shows we can beat anyone. For us, it is a reference match.
"We know we have the talent in this team, and we showed what we can do in that game."
Montpellier coach Rolland Courbis appreciates on the back of Nantes' win over Lyon they will be facing a team on a high.
"Nantes has been one of the best teams since the championship began," said Courbis.
"When we lost 1-0 at Nantes earlier in the season I felt we should have taken a point, but they are a team not impossible to beat.
"We know we are strong and we have the feeling we can score goals."
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