Just after the 1 / 8th match against Marseille (1-1) - won 4-3 on penalties - the player from Montpellier, Marion Torrent answered our questions.


Hearts of Football - Marion I imagine you did not expect such a scenario?

Marion Torrent: We knew it was going to be difficult because OM is always hard to play. At home even more. It's a Cup match so a different context. It was expected a tough match, in the physical impacts. We did not make the match easy too. In the first half, there is 0-0. In second, we manage to score this first goal and in the process we cash one. So, it was difficult to continue. We get to the penalty shootout and that's 50-50. Our goalkeeper stopped the shootout and that allowed us to save the match.


CDF - Did not the Marseillaises dominate you too? You did not feel sometimes that you were below them?

No, I do not think so. At some point when we lead 1-0 we do not want to concede a goal so we go back. And we undergo a little so necessarily we leave the possession to the opponent. But we dominated, no I do not think because we had many opportunities in counterattacks. We also had a lot of off-games against us. We tried to manage the game and we take a goal on set kick so it's a shame. But in the end the victory is there.


CDF - To talk about your individual performance, you were aligned in the middle of the field is that right? Defensive or offensive medium?

Yes, defensive, I was in # 6.


CDF - How did you feel about this "new job"?

It was mainly to overcome the absences in the middle of the field, those of the three No. 6 (Toletti / Dekker / Torecilla). Virginia Torrecilla came back from injury so she started substituting. So it was to fill the holes. After, being young, I had a training in No. 6 so it does not bother me to make defensive efforts. This is true after there was inevitably less automatisms with Clarisse Le Bihan, because she also did not play at her favorite post. But we still defended well. We struggled to find ourselves because the OM was doing a pretty high pressing. So to get out the balloons it was complicated. But when we could further spread on the sides in the second half. That's how we managed to find the fault.


CDF - Did you feel "pushed" by the audience during the session? Because Montpellier missed two shots on goal and the victory could have escaped you.

Well not too much, the audience was still on the side of OM (laughs).


CDF - That's right? Because I personally Sakina Karchaoui's family I heard them a lot (laughs).

Ah yes ? Me personally I heard more supporters of OM. It's normal, the match was played in Marseille. If we had played in Montpellier, it would have been the opposite.


CDF: It did not distract you?

No, I do not think so. Most of us are still international players. So it's a pressure we know. After that are the shots on goal. It is a technical gesture, you succeed or you do not succeed.


CDF - Last question concerning the Champions League. Hearts of football will be present for the quarter-finals go to Montpellier against Chelsea (March 21). It will be a big game against this English team that you are not used to facing. It's a big challenge?

Yes it is a beautiful poster, especially as the Champions League has been waiting for a long time (since the 2009-2010 season), editor's note). It's going to be a good match, against good players we know. It's going to be the same level as against Lyon last weekend in the league (defeat 1-2). It will be rigorous defensively and play the blows thoroughly. After I do not know too much Chelsea so I could not say the flaws of this team etc ... But if we do a few video sessions we will try to find tactics to fix it.


CDF - And there is the SheBelievesCup in the United States for you too (March 1st to 7th)?

Yes, many players will go there in French selection. But I do not know who will be selected, who will leave and who will not go.


CDF - But it is a challenge that you will still want to meet? Last year you did not fight it!

It is certain that every edition we would like to go there. This year I would like to be there. And if I am there I would like to achieve great performances.