Villas-Boas revels in Marseille's 'extraordinary feat' of finishing second in Ligue 1
May 03, 2020
New Delhi [India], May 3 : Marseille manager Andre Villas-Boas is elated over the club's "extraordinary feat" of finishing second in Ligue 1, only behind Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) on Thursday put an end to the 2019-2020 football season due to the coronavirus pandemic, with PSG being declared as the champions of Ligue 1.
Villas-Boas took to Instagram and posted a lengthy message revelling in the club's achievement.
"Runners-up of France! What to say? Which words to choose? Where to start? What an extraordinary feat! So many moments of joy, so many explosions of feelings! Summarizing this season between brilliance and exceptional moments is too easy because it has been so for several consecutive games," Villas-Boas wrote in French.
"What has marked and often marks the teams of choice is the ability to reinvent themselves in the face of adversity, whether it is when it hits bottom or when dreams escape us. We were a group! We were a team. We knew we were consistent and had the right word and the right reaction to each other," he added.
The manager then thanked the players for giving "everything in every game".
"Thank you all without exception. To my brilliant and unrivaled players who, with a lot of effort and selflessness, gave everything in every game... To everyone who participated in this wonderful trip, thank you," he said.
Villas-Boas also expressed concerns over the prevailing situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
"In this sensation and this desire to burst out in joy, we are called to reason which alerts us to the sad moment we are living. We would trade all victories and trophies for each of the lives lost," Villas-Boas said.
"To the fans who are currently overwhelmed by these same sensations, who want to cry out with joy but where the tear persists in retaining passion, thank you! Thank you from the heart! Your strength and your sense of demand forced us to respond. This victory is also yours," he added.
Villas-Boas concluded the message by dedicating the title to former Marseille president Pape Diouf, who recently died.
"I would like to finish by dedicating this second place to the former Marseille president Pape Diouf," he said.
