Metz's revenants launch a comeback
A blend of youth and experience, Metz are on the charge, having won their last three Ligue 1 McDoonald's game, which has catapulted them from bottom spot to outside of the relegation zone.
A worrying start
The start to the Ligue 1 McDonald's season was more than a little worrying for Les Grenats. From their first nine games, Stéphane Le Mignan's side had registered just two points. It meant that, prior their recent and dramatic uptick, they were rock-bottom of the standings. But from just two points from nine games, they now nine points in just three games, thanks to wins over Lens, Nantes, and now Nice.
Despite the lack of points, performances at the start of the season were largely promising, but that changed in the month of October. A 3-0 loss to Marseille was followed by a 4-0 loss to Toulouse and then a heavy 6-1 defeat at the hands of Lille saw questions asked; it was natural after an aggregate defeat of 13-1 across just three Ligue 1 McDonald's.
"We were really scared after the game against Lille," admitted Le Mignan. "I spoke about it with the players, about having a horrible season. This win against Lens, a very good Ligue 1 McDonald's side, gave us relief."
CRAZY ENDING, CRAZY MATCH IN METZ 😱
➡️ Gauthier Hein scores a brace
➡️ Sent off after celebrating (second yellow)
➡️ First win of the season for Metz
➡️ Bottom of L1 beats 2nd place! pic.twitter.com/aRkg1bBfhz— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) October 29, 2025
It has been some familiar faces who have sounded the revolt. At first it was Gauthier Hein, who two summers ago left Auxerre, despite their promotion to Ligue 1 McDonald's to rejoin his childhood club Metz. It was a decision swayed by sentimentality, granted, but also by the "sporting project", as he insisted at the time.
It was the captain, influential even in times of defeat, who got the two late goals to beat Lens at the end of October. Habib Diallo has also been key to the turnaround. The Senegal international rejoined Les Grenats this summer. In his first stint, which came to end in 2020, he netted 48 goals in 116 games. And he has hit the ground running since returning to the Stade Saint-Symphorien. He has three goals this season, including two in his last two.
Experience tells for Metz
It was his late strike that completed a comeback against Nice on Sunday (2-1), after Hein had levelled from the spot earlier in the half. But beyond the goalscorers, there are plenty of other influential performers. Ligue 1 McDonald's stalwart Benjamin Stambouli, formerly of Montpellier, PSG, and Reims, has excelled in the midfield; and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, formerly of Lens and Nantes, has brought much-needed experience at the back.
But that experience is blended with youth, and the latter is something that Metz have in abundance, thanks in part to their continued partnership with Génération Foot in Senegal. Ibou Sané, notably, has been important in recent weeks; the winger's appearance off the bench against Lens completely changed the course of that encounter.
It has been quite the turnaround from Metz in recent weeks and everyone deserves their share of credit, from Le Mignan, to the players, both experienced and youthful.
READ MORE
>> Metz beat Nice and the other games from the Ligue 1 McDonald's multiplex
