OM – Kondogbia: “It was important to restart this cycle with a strong performance”

A match that finally kicks off the season

Geoffrey Kondogbia, starting in the heart of the game against Lorient, showed the way as early as the 10th minute with a brilliant pass to Murillo that earned the penalty. “We’re happy. It’s true we were a bit short on points compared to the start of the season, so we tried to take this match seriously and that’s what we did. It was important to restart this cycle with a good performance and a victory,” said the Olympian midfielder.

A high-level first half

With three goals scored in 33 minutes, OM delivered their best display of the season so far. Kondogbia confirms:

“We’re competitors. When we play at home, we have to show intent and quality. Tonight, we had both and it worked out well. We’re happy about that.”

A statement that reflects the satisfaction of a locker room finally freed after a complicated August.

Turning the page on August

The midfielder did not hide it: OM had to react.

“Let’s be honest. We would have liked to have more points. We’re a team that has to be competitive. Obviously, we had to show a good face and take these three points at home.”

For him, the victory must not overshadow the need for consistency: “We need to take it one game at a time. The most important one is the one coming up. That’s my mindset and that of the group.”

A word on Pavard

It’s impossible to ignore the performance of the star signing. Kondogbia praised his contribution:

“He’s an experienced player, and he showed it again tonight. There was never any doubt about his quality. We’re really happy for him and for the team.”

On the pitch, he points out his leadership role: “He has a certain level of experience, he’s going to help us a lot. He’s just arrived, we need to give him time, but he’s already shown his qualities and his background.”

A team under construction

Building cohesion with 12 new signings and the uncertainty of the transfer market is not easy to manage. Kondogbia admits it:

“Honestly, it’s never easy. People often say we’re short of time to fine-tune things, even more so with so many arrivals. But that’s not an excuse. We have to be competitive and show a good image. Tonight, we did just that.”

Already looking to Madrid

With Real Madrid coming up on Tuesday, the midfielder admits to a special kind of excitement:

“Every footballer dreams of playing this kind of match. Obviously, there’s excitement. But you also need to keep a cool head to approach these big occasions in the best way possible.”

The calmness rediscovered against Lorient could well be the perfect springboard before the great European battles ahead.