OM-Brest (4-1): Coach's reaction

It was an important match to win. How did you find it?

It's always important to win matches, especially when there's a lot at stake. I can see that the team is feeling good, that they're alert and focused. That's what I like most.

Why did you change tactics, and is this likely to continue?

I decided to change, but I didn't know if it was the right solution. It was too big a risk. I don't think you win games based on the formation, even though I'm a tactical nut. Whether you play with three or four at the back, that's not what makes the difference. It's the best system for our characteristics, so I think we'll stick with three. I did it for Luis Henrique, who's always on the right wing, and for Mason Greenwood, to get him out of the traffic on the pitch. Murillo and Garcia are difficult to contain in that position. I made the change, it wasn't a gamble. I spoke to six or seven players on Tuesday and they agreed, so we gave it a go.

We saw you talking to Mason Greenwood after the match. How is Leonardo Balerdi?

Leonardo Balerdi is fine. It was just cramp. It was a change planned before the match. I asked him to let me know at the slightest sign of fatigue because he's an indispensable player for us. Mason Greenwood had a great game. He played with heart, he helped his teammates, he ran a lot. When you're playing with four at the back and he's very wide on the right, it's not easy to get back to the full-back. I saw him looking for me, especially in the second half, and I pretended not to see him. I congratulated him and everyone applauded him in the dressing room after the match because he made a big sacrifice and that was appreciated.

Was it a perfect evening with the win and the goal difference?

We're very happy, but we're far from perfect. It's good to work to improve. It gives meaning to life, meaning for coaches, players and men in general.

A word on Amine Gouiri's overhead kick. Does that reinforce your belief that he can be a real striker?

He has a lot of qualities, those of a number 10, but I'd like to help him become a goalscorer, a sniper like a number 9 can be. I appreciated that piece of skill, I was thrilled when Pancho entered the opposition's box.

Are you heading back to Rome?

Yes, we're going back to Rome on Tuesday. We have to prepare for a match, it's a final against a good Ligue 1 team with experienced players, real soldiers, a passionate stadium and a very good coach too. We're going there to win, we have no dirty tricks up our sleeve, we want to win but it depends on us, it depends on the opponent. We're going to Rome to prepare for the match against Lille, and we'll think about the next matches after Lille.

I'll take two hours to gather my thoughts at the Pope's tomb. I can't wait to be there to reconnect with the man he was. I'm impressed and proud of the tifo from the fans. We haven't seen many like that, maybe at San Lorenzo. I'm proud of this tifo, which was done not only for the Pope but for the man he was.

How much did the training camp in Rome contribute to tonight's success?

I don't know if that's a good or a bad question. There's been a lot of talk about the training camp, about Italy, about the fact that I needed to come back to my country. You've been giving me a hard time about it. I've always done things differently. I always go against the grain. When someone has ideas, you have to follow them, no matter what others think. You talked about it a lot on the websites. Why Rome? Because we couldn't find any facilities here in Cannes, St Tropez or Montpellier where we could shut ourselves away, not like in a monastery, but where we could focus on our goal of reaching the Champions League. Over the last few years, OM has only qualified three times, it's not like it's something we can take for granted every year. We really want it, I've tried to keep that focus. It was Brest, Brest, Brest and from Tuesday, it will be Lille, Lille, Lille. It's not a punishment. I've never punished my children, so I'm not going to punish my team either. I don't want to impose things. I'm not someone who follows the rules, so it wouldn't be fair to impose them on others. That's how it was in Rome, and if you ask the players, they'll tell you.

What will make the difference at the end of the season?

Anything is possible. Before their match, Lille were seventh and after the match they were second. What counts from the beginning to the end of the season is the players' technical and tactical qualities. After that, the difference is made by the three things I often talk about: heart, head and attributes.