25/26 Preview #10: FC Metz
last season
Following relegation the previous season, Metz bounced back at the first time of asking. Beaten to automatic promotion by Lorient and Paris FC, Ligue 2's second-highest scorers had to make their way through the play-offs. After inching past Dunkerque, they then beat Reims in a two-legged tie thanks to extra-time goals from Alpha Touré and Gauthier Hein. Stéphane Le Mignan's side were competitive throughout the season, losing only five games during the entire campaign - the lowest number in Ligue 2.
the coach: Stéphane le mignan
A coach in the lower divisions for teams such as Vannes, Boulogne, and Concarneau, Le Mignan joined Metz last summer. In his penultimate season at Concernaeau, he led the club to Ligue 2 for the first time in their history. He left one year later, following relegation back to the third tier. The 51-year-old Frenchman often deploys his side in a 4-4-2, with two central midfielders that don't tend to venture too far forward, instead ensuring that the team retains a solid structure.
By joining Metz, he gets his first shot at managing in Ligue 1 McDonald's. He has accumulated over 150 games in the Championnat National, averaging 1.48 points per game, and in Ligue 2, he has a relatively lower points-per-game ratio of 1.31 from 65 games.
key arrivals
Metz, returning to Ligue 1 McDonald's, have been active as they look to stave off another relegation back to the second tier. Goalkeeper Jonathan Fischer has joined, in what is the club's most expensive transfer to date. Michel Mboula has also joined for a nominal fee to bolster Les Grenats' back-line. Jessy Deminguet has completed a permanent move from Strasbourg, and a familiar face in the form of Jean-Philippe Gbamin has joined on a free transfer. The former Lens and Nantes midfielder spent last season at FC Zürich in Switzerland.
key departures
The biggest departure is that of club captain Matthieu Udol. The Frenchman came through the ranks at Metz but has now departed at the age of 29 to join Lens. Arthur Atta has left for a substantial fee to join Udinese, whilst Papa Amadou Diallo has joined Championship side Norwich City, also garnering a considerable fee. Ablie Jallow and Alexandre Oukidja, familiar faces in French football, have left on free transfers, upon the expiry of their deals.
remember when...
A yo-yo club in recent times, Metz were accustomed to competing for trophies back in the 1990s and won the Coupe de la Ligue back in 1996. The following year, they came second in the league. That team included a couple of names that went on to do big things, including Robert Pirès and Rigobert Song.
Cult hero: Robert Pirès
Metz are accustomed to bringing through big players. Miralem Pjanić, Kalidou Koulibaly, Song, Louis Saha, Emmanuel Adebayor, are some of the club's most famed graduates, whilst Franck Ribery has also played for the club. The club's partnership with Génération Foot, in more recent years, saw them bring Sadio Mané into Europe. He, like many players who have made that switch, including more recently, Monaco's Lamine Camara and Tottenham's Pape Matar Sarr, have gone on to do big things. Pirès, who made his breakthrough at Metz having come through the academy, is one of the most famed names to have played at the Stade Saint-Symphorien. His passage at the club coincided with their Golden Age, which culminated in a Coupe de la Ligue trophy and a second-place finish in the league. He is certainly cherished more than most by Les Grenats.
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