Bordeaux vs Saint-Etienne preview - Galtier wants side to toughen up

Posted Saturday, February 14, 2015 by PA

St Etienne coach Christophe Galtier has urged his players to toughen up if they are to again play European football next season.

Galtier's side currently sit fourth in Ligue 1, seven points adrift of the top three of Lyon, Marseille and Paris St Germain who appear to be fighting it out amongst themselves for the title.

But with Monaco, Sunday's opponents Bordeaux and Montpellier all in close attendance in fifth, sixth and seventh respectively, Galtier knows St Etienne face a fight to the finish to claim a Euro place.

"The podium is between the top three teams at present," said Galtier, believing the gap is too big to close on the leading trio.

"They are the best equipped teams, and in addition OM (Marseille) and OL (Lyon) have only the league to play which provides them with extra freshness, although PSG remain the logical favourite.

"That said, we are still fourth. If the podium is presented to us we must climb on to it.

"Primarily, if we want to continue to be ambitious we must become a tough team to play, and our ambition is to be playing in Europe for the third consecutive season."

Galtier, meanwhile, has insisted he remains committed to the club as recent speculation has suggested he could leave in the summer.

"I am under contract and I'm happy to be here," added Galtier.

"I have never said I wanted to leave, and now we are focused on the second part of the season. We have goals to reach."

Galtier, whose side have picked up only two points from their last four league matches, goes into the game at Bordeaux without a number of players.

Already sidelined through injury are midfielder Renaud Cohade and defenders Florentin Pogba, Francois Clerc and Bayal Sall.

Galtier could also be without midfielder Jeremy Clement and defender Kevin Theophile-Catherine through illness as they failed to train on Friday.

However, Galtier does have midfielders Max Gradel and Ismael Diomande available again following their return from African Nations Cup duty in which they helped Ivory Coast triumph over Ghana.

Bordeaux go into the game on the back of last weekend's 1-0 victory at Evian which ended their own four-match spell without a victory.

Coach Willy Sagnol said: "That win did us good and offers us a nice game to play now against St Etienne."