Football Season Guide

Returning to the Ligue 1 after just 1 season in the second tier of French football, Metz started the campaign decently, but it did not last long and it soon became clear enough that they would have been struggling for survival. Then, between the beginning of December and the end of February they went through a deep crisis, losing 9 and drawing once, thus falling in the bottom 2, which would have granted straight relegation. In the following 10 games, they won 4 times, while losing 6 more, thus offering themselves the relegation playoffs. It was a tight battle but they failed to defeat Saint Etienne in any of the two clashes and thus fell back to the Ligue 2. Coach Laszlo Boloni, who had led them in the last 2 campaigns, was eventually let go and he was replaced by Stephane Le Mignan, who showed some good with relegated Concarneau despite having limited resources, at his first experience with a top club. Metz immediately invested a massive sum in order to acquire Mikautadze, their star with 38 goals scored in the last 2 campaigns, permanently and then sold him for bigger money to Olympique Lyonnais. Elisor, returning from a loan at Troyes, where he did well, may become their new target man but he does not seem to be an adequate replacement for the Georgian yet. Another player was also let go for plenty of cash in Camara, who left for Monaco. Their top assist-man should be replaced in the middle of the park by Deminguet joining on loan from Strasbourg, a player with experience who hardly played last season, though. Starting midfielder N’Doram was also let go but they should already have in the squad a valid alternative in Atta or Maiga. 18-year-old Touré, who joined the club together with fellow striker Fall and goalie Sy, next Oukidjia back-up, from Senegalese football, could also be an option.