One to Watch: Léo Pétrot, Sainté's Sentinel re-emerges out the shadows

Stade Geoffroy-Guichard has seen many esteemed defenders down the years. It is, after all, it is where the likes of Laurent Blanc, Loïc Perrin, and William Saliba formerly thrived in green and white.

Léo Pétrot, 26, may not carry the headline appeal of his predecessors - but he is stepping into the limelight as a key player for Les Verts this season. After a memorable and historic derby win over Lyon, AS Saint-Étienne drew level with Le Havre in the battle to stay up in Ligue 1 McDonald's. If Eirik Horneland's Greens are to survive they will need to stay solid at the back in their final four matches of the season… this is where Pétrot steps in.

"The derby is THE match!" Petrot said before facing rivals Lyon last week. "Because there haven't been any derbies for two seasons, the fans are really looking forward to this match, even more so at Geoffroy-Guichard. The rivalry with that club, coming from the region, is even more intense. We used to go to the stadium when we were kids, so these matches are really special to us. It's unique. We have this thing in our blood, in our hearts."

Born in Firminy, just 15 kilometres from Saint-Étienne, Pétrot joined the ASSE academy at 12. He was part of the same youth setup that produced Wesley Fofana and William Saliba but, unlike them, he didn’t make the immediate leap.

In 2019, Pétrot rebuilt his career in Brittany. Starting in the reserves of Lorient, he gradually forced his way into the first team, making his Ligue 1 debut in 2021. A standout display at the Parc des Princes that season—marked by a brave block on Neymar—hinted at his latent potential.

Returning to les verts

Petrot then returned to Le Chaudron in 2022. "ASSE is my home club, I'm very happy to be here. Now, regardless of the division, my desire is to help the club achieve its goals. I'm also looking forward to seeing the fans again and to having a great season together."

A left-footed centre-back with composure, clarity and grit, Pétrot embodies the kind of profile that rarely earns plaudits yet always earns trust. Since returning to the club in 2022, he has gone from being a rotational option to an indispensable cog. He scored a vital volley to get his side on level terms in the promotion / relegation play-off against Metz this summer, and has since played 27 Ligue 1 McDonald's matches this season.

Les Verts face a difficult trip to Champions League-chasing Strasbourg this Saturday, hoping to build on that moral-boosting win over OL in the derby and trying to get enough to stay in the league by the end of the season.

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