THE SQUAD FOR TONIGHTS' GAME Itandje, Busuttil, Natchimie, Richard, Perron, Pizzo, Serreau, Saci, Van Kets, Traoré, Hutteau, Jolibois, Saragaglia, Saxemard & N'Goma. Meanwhile, Pau will line up with : Leglib, Labat, Gibert, Belbachir, Maurice, Moffi, Martin, Vuksanovic, Vignaux, Avezac, Benlaredj, Omrcen-Ceko, Kouassi & Sartolou
POSTPONEMENTS. Pacy-sur-Eure, with already a game in hand have had tonights' game at home to Brest postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. The game Valenciennes v Thouars is also victim of the torrential rain.
TOP SCORERS. For Red Star, two players have scored seven goals each, namely Saci and Van Kets. In the championship as a whole, top marksmen are Meslin (GFCO Ajaccio) and H. Lachaab (Valenciennes) with 17, ahead of Droesch (Brest), 16.
END OF SUSPENSION. Brahim Thiam (photo) has ended his four match ban handed out as a result of incidents at the end of the game Red Star v Reims
CFA 2. Red Star will not after all be making the short trip to Ivry (match postponed). Other games - Paris SG v leaders Moissy-Cramayel; Saint Dizier v Chaumont; Créteil v Tinqueux; Poissy v Chantilly; Auxerre v Evry; Senlis v Blénod; Toul v Châlons.
CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE. Under 17s - Red Star v Strasbourg, Sunday, 3pm CET, Ile des Vannes; Under 15s are at Metz.
DSR. Red Star are at home to Levallois on Sunday.
PIERRE REPELLINI. Joël Muller, former Metz coach has taken over from Guy Roux as head of the coaches union, the UNECATEF and Pierre Repellini has been elected as an office of the union.
EXPO 2004. The Seine-Saint-Denis region has been selected to hold EXPO 2004. The event will take place near to the Parc de La Courneuve at Dugny, and will run from the 4th May to 4th August.
SYLVAIN KASTENDEUCH. Former Red Star player latterly at Metz, and who has made over six hundred appearances in professional football has entered into the world of politics, as a deputy to the Mayor of Metz, in charge of Sports affairs.
40 000 HITS. As of today, this site should pass the 40 000 hits mark for the French version. Note that half of that total has been reached in the last eleven months or so. Thank yo u to all the people who have visited the site and to our regular readers... thanks for making us the seventh most visited site of www.multimania.com, out of nearly one thousand football sites hosted by that particular ISP. Keep coming back, and hey, why not pass on our address to a friend !

MORE DODGY PASSPORTS ?. Yet another history of false passports has emerged... this time under scrutiny is the italo-argentinian Marcello Luis Trapasso. Player with Gueugnon, he took part in, amogst other games, the semi final of the league cup last season Red Star v Gueugnon début April 2000. He will appear before the court at Nanterre along with his solictor. More to follow, no doubt.
SEVEN UP. With the two gaols he scored against Dijon, Hakim Saci (photo) now has seven gaols, as does Patrick Van Kets.
MONSIEUR BITON. Will be your match referee on Friday evening. He is from the Languedoc-Roussillon region, dentist by trade, who has been a referee since 1991.
RED STAR AT IVRY. If the milder weather persists, then week 24 of the CFA 2 should be less affected than the previous round of games. Red Star make the short trip to the Val-de-Marne to take on Ivry (Saturday at 6-30pm CET, Stade Clerville, rue Lucien Selva). Coached by Jean-Pierre Robin, Ivry have slipped back recently to eighth place in the championship. The match earlier in the season ended up as a 2-2 draw, with Ivry equalising in injury time.
COUPE GAMBARDELLA. The last place in the quarter finals will be taken by Paris SG, who beat Lens 4-2 yesterday evening.

ITS RENNES. Yesterday afternoon the hand of fate drew the name of Rennes as future opponents of Red Star in the Gambardella Cup. Rennes are in the quarter finals having beaten Lorient 4-2 in the previous round. Red Stars' youngsters will have a stiff task in front of them, but for the first time in the competition this season, at least they have a home draw.

COUPE GAMBARDELLA. More to follow on this, we will be publishing a special dossier on the victory. As from today, we will know who Red Star will play in the next round of the competition, the quarter finals. The game should take place over the weekend of 7/8th April.

Red Star celebrate	Second goal, signed Nicolas Mirza

CFA 2. Just two matches took place in group B, Moissy-Cramayel are still leaders despite going down 2-0 at Chantilly. Other result - Chaumont won at Blénod 2-1. In the table : 1st Moissy-Cramayel 63 pts, 2nd Red Star 62 pts, 3rd Chaumont 61 pts 4th Créteil 60 pts having played one game less. Next Saturday, Red Star 93 are at Ivry (6-30pm CET).

RED STAR IN QUARTER FINALS !. In a mudbath at Saint-Quentin, Red Star cruied their way through to a deserved victory and a quarter final berth in the Coup Gambardella. With only half an hour gone, David Pinto (photo) opened the scoring, Nicolas Mirza doubled the advantage seven minutes later. Guillaume Foulon made a fine save then the bar denied Saint-Quentin before a third goal in the final seconds sealed the game for the visitors following a defensive error. Red Star will be the "minnows" in the quarter finals, the other sides being Lyon, Auxerre, Metz, Bordeaux, Rennes, Caen and Paris SG or Lens (match to take place on Wednesday. Draw tomorrow at the HQ of the Crédit Agricole.
RED STAR 93 : Foulon, Pinto, Ouattara, Diomande, Ekani, Diawara, Mirza, Agoh, Deom, Nono Dieyou (Lakrout 61), N'Boungou. Subs : Diallo, Traoré, Sarrea, Saunier. Coach : A. Bornand.
PRESENT … ABSENT. Patrick Van Kets (photo) was back in first team action after a long lay-off through injury, but Djebrane Abda was missing, not having trained all week due to a virus.
ALSO BACK. Camille Oponga watched the game from the stands, back from a spell in the clinic at Cap Breton. Camille will continue to follow the path to recovery in the Paris area.
CATS AND DOGS. Saturdays' game took place under a deluge, which almost threatened to wipe the game out in the first half. The pitch didn't suffer, however, thanks to the care and hard work of the groundsman at Marville.

SQUAD. Other than Arthur Gomis out through suspension, coach Pierre Repellini should stick with the same squad that forced a goalless draw against Istres last week. In attack, Hakim Saci could be in line for a recall, back from suspension, for the second of three consecutive home games at Marville. Incidentally the third of the three, Pau, should kick off at 8pm CET. Photo - The changing rooms at Stade Marville, Red Star 93
DIJON. Eight wins, half on their travels, and Dijon, promoted last season are living up to expectations and having a good season so far (12th, 36 points). Top scorer is Cédric Ruiz. Coach is Daniel Joseph, in office since 1999. Earlier in the season Red Star earned a creditable 0-0 at Dijon, and even had a late goal disallowed.
ALSO THIS WEEKEND. Top fixture (providing that the weather does not intervene) has to be at Amiens, top, welcome third placed Grenoble. Istres (2nd) travel to bottom club Thouars; Clermont (4th) are at home to Valenciennes; Racing (7th) v Alès (12th), GFCO Ajaccio (9th) v Reims (6th & going well); Brest (5th) v La Roche-sur-Yon (8th), Valence (10th) – Besançon (13th), Louhans-Cuiseaux 16th) – Noisy-le-Sec (17th); finally Pau (15th) v Pacy-sur-Eure (18th).
AT THE BOTTOM. Besançon 33 pts (28 matches), Valenciennes 31 pts (28), Pau 28 pts (27), Louhans-Cuiseaux 27 pts (27), Noisy-le-Sec 26 pts (25), Pacy-sur-Eure 23 pts (27), Red Star 15 pts (27) & Thouars 13 pts (27).
COUPE GAMBARDELLA. Rendez-vous at Saint-Quentin for a place in the quarter finals. Red Stars' youngster lost 3-0 at Auxerre, watched by Guy Roux, but they did field a side made up of regulars and hopefuls, no doubt saving the best elements for the cup tie. Answer, Sunday.

RED STAR – TOUL : GAME OFF. No Red Star v Toul this weekend, because the incessant rain which has fallen on the Paris region has made the pitch at Pierrfitte waterlogged. Other games - Blénod – Chaumont, Châlons – Ivry, Tinqueux – Senlis, Chantilly – Moissy-Cramayel, Evry – Poissy, Saint-Dizier – Paris SG & Créteil – Auxerre.
ELSEWHERE. If the weather allows it - Under 15s : Red Star 93 – Strasbourg; DSR : Tremblay-en-France – Red Star 93.

COP A LOAD OF THIS ONE, MISTER CIA MAN. Ther could be not one but two CASTROS on the pitch on Saturday. For Red Star, Laurent Castro could make his return to first team action, whilst the referee for the match is Alexandre Castro, a teacher from the Rhône-Alpes region.
RESERVES. The CFA 2 game between Red Star and Toul will kick off at 2-30pm CET on Sunday 25th March at the Stade Fréville, Pierrefitte.
COUPE GAMBARDELLA. Saint-Quentin v Red Star 93, on Sunday 3pm CET, Stade Paul Debrésie, route de Cambrai at Saint-Quentin. Referee is Monsieur Ferry. Other ties : Nantes – Bordeaux, Tours – Caen, Auxerre – Monaco, Saint-Etienne – Lyon, Metz – Nîmes, Lorient – Rennes & Paris SG – Lens.
CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE . The Under 17s went down to a 3-0 defeat at Auxerre.
24 000. No, not the average gate at Marville, nor the average wage of a footballer in the National, but the amount paid by the Ligue Nationale de Football for the private box of Monsieur Gérard Bourgoin, president. Elsewhere clubs go to the wall for lack of funding. Lets get our priorities right, shall we ?
!

WHAT SHALL WE DO TONIGHT, THEN ?. For the moment only the game Pacy-sur-Eure v Red Star has fallen victim to the torrential rain experienced over the last couple of days. Note again that this site was the first to bring you the news, the others merely copied from us !
CALCULATORS OUT. The general opinion is that forty-three points will be needed in order to avoid the drop from the National. There are eleven games reamining, in total thity-three points. Red Star have fifteen - work it out for yourselves !
COUPE GAMBARDELLA. Sunday at Saint Quenttin, in the north of France, 3pm CET, Stade Paul Debrésie, Coupe Gambardella : Saint-Quentin v Red Star 93.
RED STAR AT PIERREFITTE. The reserves return to Pierrefitte on Sunday for a CFA 2 game against Toul (3pm CET).

PACY-SUR-EURE V RED STAR 93 : MATCH OFF

WATERLOGGED PITCH

BUSY BUSY. Whilst the "starts" of the D1 complain that they have too many games to play, at the same time having a three week holiday, the boys in the National have to play three games in seven days. Red Star therefore have to mae the relatively short trip into Normandy to play Pacy-sur-Eure. They have of course been warned that an Englishman in on his way and may be carrying Foot & Mouth disease. Pacy are enjoying a mini-revival at present, having taken nine points in six games. Since the three-all draw earlier in the season at Marville, striker Cherif Oudjani has arrived, formerly having played with Lens, Laval, Matra Racing, Sochaux, Beauvais among others.
Pierre Repellini should keep faith with the side that drew with Istres, but will still be without the suspended Arthur Gomis but will have Hakim Saci availalbe after suspension..

Just 200 metres from the stadium, countryside	Red Star at Pacy last season

MONSIEUR CHAT. Monsieur Chat will be the referee for the match Pacy - Red Star 93. Will he be a real pussy, we ask, or will he talk too much ?
CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE. The under 17s of Alain Bornand beat Brétigny 2-0 on Sunday, and have a trip to Auxerre on Wednesday. Next Sunday at 3pm CET, they are back in Gambardella Cup action at Saint-Quentin.

ITANDJE, BUSUTTIL, NATCHIMIE, PIZZO, ABDA (A. GOMIS), JOLIBOIS. Pierre Repellini went back to a local formula for Saturdays' game, in selecting several locally-born players. Photo - Mickaël Natchimie
PIERRE REPELLINI. Pierre Repellini followed the game from the stands, due to his being suspended from the touchline. In the first half he watched the game along with director Claude Thuel then in the second half alongside youth team supremo Alain Bornand. He kept in touch with the bench thanks to his portable telephone.
UNHAPPY. Pierre Repellini thought that the sending off of Arthur Gomis a little harsh. Arthur had only been on the field for half an hour before receiving his marching orders.
HAPPY. Pierre Repellini was on hand to congratulate his young charges as they returned to the dressing rooms after the game.
FAMOUS FAN. Francis Borelli, former PSG director was present at Marville for the game.
AND OTHERS NOT QUITE SO FAMOUS. But rowdy, all the same ! In the stand opposite the main stand were a group of local youngsters encouraging Istres ! Well, in particular two players Nassim Akrour and Nordine Aïteur, both born in the Paris area at Courbevoie and Saint-Denis. Both were formerly with Noisy-le-Sec.
ABSENT. Aziz Belissaoui once again missing through injury. David Guion, another former Red Star man did play, however, and at the end of the game told us that it is vital for Istres to be promoted to D2.
WALID AICHOUR. Walid Aïchour, out through illness was present in the stands? He also missed the trip with the reserves to Auxerre.
RED STAR – DIJON AT 6PM CET. Note that next Saturdays' game at home to Dijon will kick off at 6pm, to avoid a clash with the match at the Stade de France between France and Japan. Presumably organisers of the international are worried of a low turn-out at the Stade de France if Red Star are playing the same evening !
SPIES. Jean-Michel Bridier (pictured alongside Didier Padovan), is now in charge of recruitment at Créteil after being in charge of the youth team. He was at Marville, no doubt checking up on the progress of Charles Itandje, whom he also saw in action last season when Red Stars' under-17s met their rivals from Créteil.
CFA 2. Auxerre – Red Star 3-0. Coach Christophe Fiatte told us exclusively "A show of biased refereeing... just before they scored their first goal, the ref should have given us a penalty and straight afterwards they went and scored. After that we left ourselves open to counter-attacks... now we have to look forwards to next weeks' game."
Moissy-Cramayel were held at home by neighbours Evry whilst Poissy are hot on their heels following a 1-0 win over Saint-Dizier 1-0. Other scores : Paris SG – Chantilly 2-0, Ivry – Blénod 0-0, Senlis – Créteil 0-1. Toul – Tinqueux & Chaumont – Châlons were postponed.

CHARLES ITANDJE MAKES HIS DEBUT

CHANGES IN THE AIR. Pierre Repellini will again be shuffling the pack, due to enforced absences. Saci will be out suspended, but senior players such as Ferhaoui, Castro, Van Kets and Richard could be in the reckoning for a call-up. Final training today, 10am CET at Marville. Once again the players will meet up at Stade Bauer before the game. Photo - two players now at Istres, David Guion and Aziz Belissaoui train in the colours of Red Star.
GHOST TOWN. Tomorrow evening the Stade Marville could be virtually empty, given the recent poor performances of Red Star, the distance involved and the similar apathy for the visitors. Son to all you stay-away supporters, okay the fayre may be poor, but make the effort, come on and encourage the team, who knows, miracle do happen ! Incidentally, a couple of weeks ago, we suggested on the site that the club should drop admission prices in a bid to get bums back on seats... fallen on deaf ears, it appears !
WE'LL WIN AGAIN, DON'T KNOW WHERE.... Our last win goes back to the 11th November when we beat a poor Thouars 2-0. That's four months without a win. Last time we had such a catastrophe goes back to 1986-87.
DIRECTION AUXERRE. Sundays' match at Auxerre in the CFA 2 is at risk, due to the recent flooding of the River Yonne in Auxerre. Other games taking place this weekend are : Moissy-Cramayel v Evry, Poissy v Saint-Dizier and Chaumont v Châlons; Paris SG v Chantilly, Senlis v Créteil, Toul v Tinqueux, Ivry v Blénod.
WE WERE THERE FIRST !. Thursdays' Le Parisien carried an article on goalkeeper Charles Itandjes' wondergoal. The article used one of the photos from our site - now there's a novelty, a Red Star site supplying photos to the paper rather than the other way round ! Anyway, a nice touch was that Charles dedicated the goal to his six month old son Kilian.

NATIONAL. Taking place for the 27th round of games in the National - Racing CP (6th) v Louhans-Cuiseaux (15th); Pacy-sur-Eure (18th) v Valenciennes (13th); GFCO Ajaccio (11th) v La Roche-sur-Yon (9th); Red Star (19th) v Istres (2nd); Valence (8th) v Reims (7th); Brest (5th) v Grenoble (1st); Pau (16th) v Alès (10th), Amiens (3rd) v Noisy-le-Sec (17th); Thouars (20th) v Dijon (12th); Clermont Foot (4th) v Besançon (14th).
REFEREE. Your match referee on Saturday will be Monsieur Joël Launay from Le Mans, aged 35 and a pharmacist by trade who has officiated since 1982.
CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE . Under 17s - Brétigny v Red Star 93.

TED AGASSON. On Friday evening, at the Stade Nungesser, we spoke to Ted Agasson who had popped along to watch the match Valenciennes – Red Star. He left disappointed with the performance, but also because ther remains only two of his former team-mates, Saci and Busuttil as well as the coaching staff. Ted, now at table-toppers Lille, has been out of action since an appendix operation in mid-November. An operation which prevented him from playing against former team-mate Steve Marlet in the match Lyon – Lille.
So how are things going, Ted, ?
"Since the start of the year I've had one or two niggling injuries but I'm on the way back to full recovery, I'm playing in Sundays' game for the reserves in the CFA (Lille thumped leaders Raon-l'Etape 4-0 but eventually Ted didn't play). I'm a little short of form, this week we didn't work with the ball, more concentrated on physique."
You prefer to work with the ball rather than physical training which isn't your thing, in reading the interview with your coach in France Football.
"I can tell you that I didn't appreciate what Halilhodzic said. He treated me like a work shy and that I didn't like hard work. I just say that last season I played the most number of games (35). Before Novembers' operation, I was a regular first-teamer. Oh well, that's life".
Looking at Lilles' current form, it's going to be hard to get back in ?
"At Toulouse (17th March), that would be a bit too soon, but after that the next match won't be until April 7th at home to Bordeaux. Between now and then we have a tournament in Morocco, and I'm going to do what it takes to get my place back".
You must be motivated, what with a title at stake or at least a place on the podium ?
"It's still not won, even though there are only six games remaining. We have to play Bordeaux and Lyon before ending with two away trips to the Parc des Princes and Monaco".
Ted, Europe, is it possible ?
"At the moment I'm at the end of my contact in May. Lille appear to want to keep me, but you never knwo in professional football, one day you're at a club, the next...?"
Any news of your former colleagues ?
"Karim (Fellahi) calls me regularly, sometimes Steve (Marlet), Fabien (Valéri), less often now that he's in Portugal. The other day at Lille – Saint-Etienne, Foussini (Diawara). That day, Saint-Etienne didn't deserve to let in four (4-1). Foussini even scored his first goal, he impressed me with his qualities - he's really come on a long way".
Do you still follow Red Star ?
"Yes, and I'm very worried. After last seasons' cup runs - let's not forget that it was Red Star who knocked out Lille in the League Cup pe de la Ligue - I was hoping to see Red Star up at the top of the National. I don't understand certain things - when I see so many changes from one game to another !".
34 players used since the start of the season :
"A squad like that is more like a squad to play in Europe than in the National. I just hope that you can get of this mess".
ODD. For the second consecutive game, the referee was the same one as for the game earlier in the season.
PIERRE REPELLINI. Two matches of suspension for the Red Star coach after being dismissed from the bench during the last home game.
CFA 2 RESULTS. Results from week 21 are : Blénod – Paris SG 0-3, Châlons – Auxerre 1-4, Créteil – Toul 1-0, Evry – Chantilly 0-0 & Saint-Dizier – Ivry 4-3.
COUPE DE PARIS. In the quarter finals, Red Star beat Fontainebleau, another club from the DSR. Paass scored the second goal in the 80th minute after Ryad Fellahi (photo) had opened the scoring in the first half (30).
ABDEL DJAADAOUI. Former Red Star coach Abdel Djaadaoui has been dismissed as coah of Algeria following a disappointing 5-2 defeat against Egypt in a World Cup qualifier.

LOOK TO THE RESERVES FOR INSPIRATION. In these grim times for the first team, perhaps inspiration should be taken from their comrades riding high on top of the CFA 2. Captain Gérald Milton and his merry men deserve our congratulations. Christophe Fiatte has taken over from Patrice Lecornu and the progress has continued, as it always has with the second XI and it's youngsters. Cheers, lads, and ALLEZ RED STAR !

NEWS OF JEAN-LUC GIRARD. Red Stars' assistant coach and loyal servant who fell victim to a serious knee injury during a training session will undergo surgery next seek at the clinic at Champigny-sur-Marne, before undergoing a long period of rehabilitation. Our best wishes go out to Jean-Luc.
THIERRY SAXEMARD BACK ?. The long suspension handed down to Brahim Thiam could mean a return to the first XI for Thierry Saxemard. N'Goma could also be in for a call-up, as could one or more of the youngsters. Last training session on Friday.
CFA 2 AT POISSY. For the twentieth match of the season, Red Stars' reserves have a tough trip to Poissy this weekend. In the match earlier in the season the teams were locked at 1-1. Since then the first team played there in a Cup match and won rather unconvincingly 3-0, despite the scoreline. Poissy are lying in fifth place and are putting the pressure on the teams above them. Incidentally Red Stars' third goal in the cup match was scored by current reserve team captain Gérald Milton. Kick off Saturday 6pm CET. Click here for the presentation of Poissy
Other games this weekend are : Chaumont (3rd) –Tinqueux (13th), Moissy-Cramayel (2nd) – Châlons (12th), Chantilly (14th) – Saint-Dizier (15th), Paris SG (10th) – Toul (8th), Ivry (6th) – Créteil (4th), Auxerre (11th) – Blénod (16th).
GREALD MILTON IN FOCUS. One has the impression that Gérald Milton is part of the scenery at Red Star, but in fact Gérald has only just turned 22. He has spent ten years at the club, arriving as a youngster in 1991. He stepped into the spotlight last season with the League Cup run, including two splendid goals against Nîmes and a real beauty in the next round against Saint-Etienne. In total he played twenty three times last season, but this season his appearances have been somewhat limited, compensated for the fact that he has been appointed captain of a very successful reserve team.
COUPE GAMBARDELLA. Last sixteen stage : Paris FC – Red Star 93, Porte de Montreuil, 2-30pm CET, Sunday 4th March.
CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE. Under 15s - Villepinte - Red Star 93, Sunday 4th March 3pm CET.
DHR. Also on Sunday, kick off 3-30pm : Sarcelles – Red Star 93

I BELIEVE... "The run of six consecutive defeats will end one day, why not against La Roche-sur-Yon. Why can't our players be capable of stringing together a run of six straight wins ? Yes, we can beat La Roche, Valenciennes, Istres, Pacy, Dijon and Pau. The fixture list is in our favour, let's take advantage of it. Then, with thity two points with eight games left to play all is possible. The players have to be convinced of it, survival is quite possible. Allez le Red Star, I BELIEVE."
Damien

EXPLAIN YOURSELVES, RED STAR. In the news over the last couple of days, two reports on the plight of the Red Star which are worth a comment and we hope, an explanation from the club, which up to date has taken the ostrich appraoch and buried it's head in the sand, hoping that everything will just go away. Crisis ? What crisis ?
Firstly, on Monday evening during TV L'Equipes' "Lundi Foot" programme, Didier Roustan dedicated part of his show to the match Red Star - Reims, following the serious injury to the visitors' Gaston Diamé. They showed images of the tackle from behind by the Red Star defender. Accident or intention ? Only Fabrice Richard knows the true reply. Fabrice made the trip to Reims on Monday to meet his "victim" who had an operation with apparently no complications. Gaston will not be pursuing the issue, but condemned the behaviour of one or more Red Star players. Didier Roustan named one, Hakim Saci, who is alleged to have said racist remarks to Diamé, who is black (Saci is of Algerian origin). Could this possibly explain why Saci has disappeared from the face of the earth and hasn't been seen since the game ?
If all this is true, and for the moment they are allegations, then the club should at least do something, rather than bury it's head in the sand. Red Star is a club which represents a whole region, a region of diversity of race, religion and backgrounds, and doesn't need to have it's name dragged throught the mud like this.

The second report was on Tuesday in the self-proclaimed "Bible of Football", France Football.
PSG IN RED STAR TAKEOVER ?
The paper referred to the wishes of Paris SG to "take over" the Youth Academy at Red Star, should Red Star lose its professional staus as a club in May. An academy which has had great success - the name of Steve Marlet was quoted - PSG are interested in some of Red Stars' brightest young prospects as well as some other D1 & D2 clubs. Don't forget that these kids will be free agents come the month of June. The vultures await already.

Let's try and share Damiens' optimism. Saturday evening will be the first step.
COUPE GAMBARDELLA (1). Next weekend, the next round of the Cup for youngsters named after a former president of the French FA takes place. Red Star, who play in the national Under-17s' competition take on Paris FC who play in the local Paris league. Rendez-vous at the Porte de Montreuil, Sunday 4th March -30pm CET. Other than this game, there will be : Lille – Lens, Fougères – Caen, Laval – Paris SG, Saint-Quentin – Rouen, Besançon – Metz, Lyon – Le Mans, Tours – Strasbourg, Louhans-Cuiseaux – Auxerre, Nice – Monaco, Le Bourget – Saint-Etienne, Vaulx-en-Velin – Nîmes, Pau – Nantes, Angoulême – Bordeaux, Castanet – Rennes, Stade Bordelais – Lorient.
NEWS OF SAMUEL MICHEL. Red Stars' Rudy Perron close friend of Samy at Guingamp, brought us news of the ex-Red Star marksman. Father-of-three Samy is neither in the first team nor on the subs' bench these days, and stars in the CFA 2 with the reserves. His named was linked with a possible move to Niort and Créteil, but nothing came of that. Last Sunday, Samy, pictured right with Alain Gunia scored four goals. Nearly at the end of his contract with the Breton club, aged 30, we haven't heard the last of this goalscoring legend, one of the rare players to have scored over 100 times in D2.
MONSIEUR HUGUENIN. Laurent Huguenin from Normandy, aged 30 will be the offical for Saturday nights' game against La Roche-sur-Yon. He has been a referee since the age of 18.