More than one turn to pass before the entry into the lists of the clubs of L1. This Saturday (3 p.m.), the AJA will play its 8th round of the Coupe de France in Chambéry (N3), two weeks after its success (4-2) at Limonest, also in N3, for the 7th round. Five days after their bitter-tasting defeat in the Burgundian derby in Dijon (3-1, 16th d. L2), what better way for the Auxerrois than to recharge their batteries in the mountain air. With a little new blood.
Several executives at home against Chambéry
Because Jean-Marc Furlan, even more than in the previous round, will make a large “turnover” as he said at a pre-match press conference. Objective, to put certain executives to rest (the coach notably mentioned the case of Jubal that the staff “wants to breathe a little”) and for others to avoid the risk of suspension in the event of a new yellow card (Théo Pellenard, Birama Touré and Gaëtan Charbonnier are concerned). Result: a reshuffled group, with the absence of three holders of the defense that are Carlens Arcus, Jubal therefore, and Pellenard, as well as that of playmaker Mathias Autret.
The 11 of this Saturday should therefore be a clever mix of Ajaïstes in need of playing time. Like for example Alexandre Coeff, Gautier Lloris or Hamza Sakhi, who recently left the infirmary and must continue. We will also find Paul Joly and Mohamed Ben Fredj, the two young pros who had shone against Limonest (goal and assist for the first, treble for the second). “For consistency in management, specifies the technician. As Paul and ‘Momo’ blazed, I play them! ”
What I like here is the family side – Mohamed Ben Fredj, AJA striker
“Hello to you already! And thank you for coming.” Very polite Mohamed Ben Fred, in addition to being smiling and rather relaxed in front of the press, two weeks after his superb hat-trick against Limonest for his first tenure with the professionals. The 21-year-old striker (two L2 matches, no goal) should therefore once again occupy the forefront of the Auxerre attack at Chambéry in the Cup. The opportunity “to show what we know how to do, to have a little more playing time than in the league, hoping to repeat the same performance as last time” dixit the Tunisian trained at OM with his Toulon accent, passed professional this summer a year after his arrival to first play with the reserve, where he slams a lot this season when he goes there (four goals in six games of N2).
A “minot” linked until the summer of 2023 to the AJA, nicknamed by his partners ‘Wissam’ in reference to the center-forward of Monaco Wissam Ben Yeder. A beautiful reference with which he shares Tunisian origins, the size (1.70 m for ‘WBY’, 1.74 m for ‘MBF’) and the “killer” side in front of the cage regularly rented by Jean-Marc Furlan, in addition to have some in the ciboulot. “The scorer’s side? I don’t know if you can call it a gift. The real gift is working in front of goal all week, being dangerous on every ball touched. I like to go deep, play backstroke in play, in handing over, picking up … I walk a lot on instinct!“The player who had “Eyes full of stars” after his three goals two weeks ago, seems to have blossomed at AJA, “a real professional club with a family side, which largely deserves to be in Ligue 1”.
Nassim Akrour, 47, “true football” UFO
Side Chambéry, where we expect a little snow (the ground of the Mager course, usually reserved for rugby, was covered as a precaution) and nearly 2,000 spectators, we remain on two qualifications at the expense of more upscale teams ( Rumilly-Vallières in N2 then Villefranche Beaujolais in N1). In the Savoyard workforce, the main attraction is a little more than double the age of Mohamed Ben Fredj. And his name necessarily speaks to football fans: Nassim Akrour still plays in N3, at 47 years old! Entered the legend of the Grenoble club of which he is the top scorer, passed through Troyes, Le Havre and Istres in particular, the former Algerian international has had a blast in Chambéry for three seasons.
– Thiriet
Akrour is 21 contested football seasons, he who started in the professional world late, at the age of 27, before leaving him in 2013. A symbol of longevity, when we think that the guy still planted his ten goals in N2 with Grenoble and Annecy between 2013 and 2019! So what is his secret? A healthy lifestyle (“A little massage, and rest to recover, eat properly, take care of yourself and listen to people who know the professional level very well”) and above all: the passion for football. “It’s in my state of mind: I have to be flawless and professional. It’s my DNA and I am like that!”