One to Watch: Oussama El-Azzouzi
When Oussama El Azzouzi found the net at the Abbé-Deschamps on Sunday afternoon, it went down as an own-goal for Metz defender Sadibou Sané. Yet all the hard work had been done by the Moroccan midfielder, combining with Kevin Danois and Sekou Mara in a sweeping zig-zag double one-two movement before El Azzouzi's strike on goal was powerful enough to fool Jonathan Fischer and Sadibou Sané.
Finally the moment came for El Azzouzi to unlock, and truly step into his season with l'AJA. The evidence has been clear: when El Azzouzi plays, Auxerre look stronger. In fact Les Diplomates have lost only one of the matches he has started in Ligue 1 this season. In September the Moroccan attacker suffered a neck injury which ruled him out of action for most of the start of Auxerre's campaign this season.
Before arriving in Burgundy, El Azzouzi built a CV in the Netherlands in the youth systems of Groningen and Vitesse before earning his senior break with FC Emmen. From there, his upward curve accelerated with a transfer to Union Saint-Gilloise, where he featured in a side competing at the top end of the Belgian Pro League and in European football. Bologna’s move to sign him in July 2023 followed naturally, although his debut Serie A season was shaped more by exposure than minutes and development. This summer, the Moroccan made the choice to join Auxerre on loan, and he's now looking to make his mark after a complicated start at the Stade Abbé Deschamps.
“Oussama is a real competitor,” explains manager Christophe Pélissier before facing Metz last weekend. Even in training sessions, he is always at full intensity. He drives others with him, offers solutions to the player in possession, and brings quality on the ball.”
Between Danois and Matondo, younger and more dynamic profiles, El Azzouzi’s maturity acts as balance. His positioning tightens distances, reduces transitional exposure, and gives fellow midfielders a solid reference point. “I was injured but now I am fully fit,” the Moroccan now says. “I’ve shown I can play and now I want to help the team and stay healthy to play as much as possible. I never doubted myself.”
World Cup 2026 ambitions
Beyond Auxerre’s immediate horizon, there is a significant personal incentive at stake. A senior Moroccan international since October 2023, El Azzouzi belongs to a generation fighting to secure minutes ahead of the 2026 World Cup. In a midfield picture featuring Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilal El Khannouss and others, visibility matters. Regular Ligue 1 football matters even more. Playing with responsibility—organising, dictating tempo, stabilising transitions—could strengthen the case for his inclusion as the national team shape evolves toward North America.
El Azzouzi’s season now enters an intriguing stretch. If he retains consistency, his role in Auxerre’s second-half push could become decisive. For now, the evidence is simple: when he starts, Auxerre tend not to lose. And for a midfielder just finding his stride again, that is a compelling place to begin.
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