CHAN 2022-Madagascar-Andriatsima: "Today, anything is possible"

On Tuesday evening, against Senegal, Madagascar could reach the CHAN final, something almost nobody would have envisaged before the competition kicked off…

This magnificent run is a big surprise for a lot of people. Before the tournament started, I said that if we managed to reach the semi-finals, then the final, and even the title, were within reach. On Tuesday, Senegal will of course be the favourites. That's only natural, they're a very good, solid side, and we should remember that in that country you find excellent training centres. For Madagascar, the CHAN is already a success. Whatever comes now is a bonus, but the players are highly motivated. We have to believe.

Do you think Morocco's withdrawal, with them placed in the same group as the home-based Barea, may have been an advantage?

Maybe. But I think that even with Morocco there, Madagascar could have qualified. We'll never know. If Morocco didn't come, that's not our fault. The Malagasy team played the games they needed to in the group stage against Ghana (2-1) and Sudan (3-0), and their qualification was deserved.

"Attacking football is in our DNA"

What do you make of the football Madagascar have played at this CHAN?

It fits our DNA. It's instinctive, attacking football. Malagasy players are like that: small in stature, sharp, technical, drawn to attack. I'd say it's a bit old-school football. We don't know how to play any other way. But this team sometimes has small lapses in concentration and discipline. But since they score a lot of goals… Eight since the start of the CHAN, in three matches, that's a good average. Against Mozambique, in the quarter-final (3-1), we really saw a good team. They are growing in confidence all the time.

That proves there are good footballers in Madagascar…

Well, we know that. I hope that thanks to this CHAN, people will take a bit more interest in Madagascar and the good players there. For some years now there has been a semi-professional league, it's quite well organised, and it helps players improve. You can see it in the local team's run in Algeria.

On the Big Island, the results of this A' team are generating more and more interest, after a start to the competition that attracted little attention…

I can tell you that today, from what I know (Andriatsima lives in France, editor's note), people are following this CHAN very closely. I think qualifying for the quarter-finals changed things. After the win over Mozambique, people went out into the streets to celebrate. Madagascar are now just two matches away from winning an international competition. Of course, Senegal will be favourites on Tuesday, and there's also Algeria, who are playing at home and whom a lot of people see going all the way. But at this stage of the competition, anything is possible.

Alexis BILLEBAULT