There are thirteen games left for Stéphane Sapinart’s men to fulfill their objective and reconnect with the play-offs which have been denied them for five years. With three points behind the eighth – and already ten on the fifth – their room for maneuver has been reduced and it will be necessary to do much better than in the first leg (4 wins and 9 losses) to hope to invite themselves to the banquet. of the well-to-do. The buyout operation begins this evening in Tourcoing on the occasion of the first match of the return phase since the reception of Plessis-Robinson, initially scheduled last Wednesday, was reported due to Covid-19 in the ranks of Ile-de-France. Beaten at home in the first leg (2-3), the Toulousains arrived yesterday late afternoon in the North after a long train journey.

Without Burel, Cagliari and Veloso …

A trip that the central Nicolas Burel, out for two months, neither the sharp Daniel Cagliari, affected by the Covid and isolated at home all last week, nor the passer Thiago Veloso (knee) have not made. In the latter’s absence, the Toulouse coach will have to choose between two young people from the training center, Ugo Quinquis (20) and Paul d’Hollander (21). “These are not the best conditions but it is like that: we will have to show resilience and play our card to the full with a state of mind to match” sums up the Toulouse coach, whose team remains on a six-game losing streak in seven games. “Tourcoing had to play at the top of the table and did not necessarily have the expected success (8th, 6 wins and 7 defeats, Editor’s note) but it is a big team” warns Sapinart who is particularly wary of the “fast game” of the Northerners . “It will be necessary to be very efficient in terms of placement and anticipation” the latter. Wishes at will!