Thomas Callens, goalkeeper of FC Annecy, was decisive in the course which led his team, resident of L2, to the semi-finals of the Coupe de France. An adventure which allows him in particular today to benefit from a reputation as a specialist in shots on goal.
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07:34
Hero of Annecy’s course (L2) in the Coupe de France, goalkeeper Thomas Callens, expert in shots on goal, hopes to shine again against Toulouse, Thursday in the semi-final at the Parc des Sports (8:45 p.m.), with the prospect of a final at the Stade de France.
The 1is March in Marseille, he stopped a penalty from Alexis Sanchez at the end of the match then the third attempt, that of Nuno Tavares during the penalty shootout to snatch qualification.
This is the first qualification for the last four of the event for the formation of Haute-Savoie, ten years after that of Evian-Thonon-Gaillard, another club of the “Yaute”, which then lost in the final. ahead of Bordeaux (3-2).
Porter N.2 of the Haut-Savoyard club behind Florian Escales, Callens (24) took advantage of the alternation installed by coach Laurent Guyot in the Cup to experience this unforgettable evening at the Vélodrome and showcase himself, once is not custom.
Six shots saved
And in particular on the penalty shootouts from which the FCA has already emerged victorious three times in a row: in the round of 16 against Belfort (1-1, 4-3 on pens), in 8e against Paris FC (L2) (1-1, 6-5 pens) then in the quarters ahead of OM (2-2, 7-6 pens).
In total, on the course of FC Annecy, the goalkeeper, born in Brest and trained at FC Lorient, stopped six shots on goal out of twenty attempts.
In reality, he has no secrets: “There is video analysis work before, as everyone does, and afterwards it’s instinct. I also have a few little ‘marbles’,” he said. to our colleagues from Dauphiné liberated about an exercise in which he was already shining in the youth categories.
Before being in the spotlight, Thomas Callens, who has always been a goalkeeper since the age of six, had to wait a long time to play his first professional match on October 29.
Not really professional by the way, on the occasion of the 7e round of the Cup, against the Black Devils of Combani, a Mayotte team playing in Regional 1, beaten 8 to 1.
In reality, he started in Ligue 2 in a match won 2-1 against Sochaux before playing a second, a week later, against Caen (0-0), his former club, where he evolved from 2015 to 2021, in reserve.
Including those played last season with that of FC Lorient, he recorded around sixty matches of N2 and N3.
Bad luck and good fortune
But if he should have known the joys of a first professional match long before, Thomas Callens had bad luck when he was close to it.
“With Caen, I was supposed to play at Valenciennes to replace injured Rémy Riou on a Friday. But on Thursday, the League announced the end of the championship due to the Covid crisis after confinement was introduced, ”he explained when he arrived at FCA in June 2022. On loan in a first time, before he commits definitively for three years, until 2025.
“Last season, I was not far either when there was a massacre of Covid cases at FC Lorient. I was supposed to play but the match was finally postponed, ”said the goalkeeper ready, Thursday, to take up the gauntlet to achieve new feats and allow Annecy to reach the final.
After having bad luck at the start of his career, the Cup has already at least allowed him to turn the wheel of fortune in the right direction, hoping that it will turn a little more.
