Dijon ultimately assured themselves Ligue 1 football next season in a comfortable manner, playing in an open and exciting manner that made them an interesting side for neutrals to follow over the course of the campaign.
It was a season that did not start well for Dijon as they lost heavily to both Marseille and Monaco and, after six weeks of the campaign, they found themselves in the relegation zone. The fixture list contributed to this poor start, though. In their first nine matches of the season, they played seven of the top nine sides.
When faced with more manageable opponents, Dijon started to climb the standings, showing a particular strength for playing at home once again. This aptitude for winning at Stade Gaston Gerrard lifted them into the upper part of the standings, where they spent Christmas.
In the second half of the season, a number of draws saw their position slip, yet they never suffered the kind of collapse that suggested they would be sucked into relegation difficulties, though their open style invited heavy away losses against both PSG and Monaco.
Their form tailed away at the end of the season once again, but that came in part due to a drastic injury situation, with several of their top players ending the campaign on the sidelines or just regaining fitness after periods out.
Once again, it was Dijon’s attacking line that caught the eye. Chang-hoon Kwon finished the season with 11 goals, tied with Julio Tavares, while Wesley Said chipped in with nine. Perhaps Naim Sliti was their best attacking player, but he was not always selected and will head back to Lille this summer.
The defence, meanwhile, was hampered by serious injury to Wesley Lautoa at the start of the season, but that probably would not have made a dramatic difference in any case.
Dijon are maximising their abilities at present under Olivier Dall’Oglio and they will hope to replicate this season next time around.
