Juba Touabi, Media365, published on Friday November 1, 2024 at 10:20 a.m.
Faced with a defense in difficulty, Montpellier HSC has just recruited Nikola Maksimovic, 32-year-old central defender, in the hope of strengthening its rearguard.
Released from his contract with Hatayspor in Turkey, the Serbian international joins Montpellier with the aim of bringing his experience to stabilize a defense which has conceded 29 goals since the start of the season, an alarming figure which keeps the club at the bottom of the ranking of Ligue 1. This recruitment responds to an emergency for Montpellier, of which several key defenders, including Kouyaté, Jullien and Omeragic, are currently injured.
Nicollin wants more experience on defense
Nikola Maksimovic, who played in major European championships, from Italy (Torino, Naples, Genoa) to Russia (Spartak Moscow), is recognized for his defensive rigor and his ability to restart cleanly. Qualities that president Laurent Nicollin hopes to see from the next match against Le Havre, in the hope of restoring solidity to a team in search of solutions. “ Given the situation, it's nice to recruit a central defender. I hope he will be qualified and that he will be able to play on Sunday in Le Havre to bring us all his experience and his grinta », indicated the president of the Montpellier team.
For Nikola Maksimovic, this new project is also a choice motivated by friendly advice, in particular that of Petar Škuletić, former MHSC player, who encouraged him to join the Montpellier club. Determined to fully invest, the defender underlined the importance of supporters' support in this difficult period and said he was ready to take up the challenge to stabilize a suffering defense. “ I am delighted to sign here, at this great club, and I am very happy to find a team after my time in Türkiye. Several players from the former Yugoslavia moved to MHSC, including Petar Škuletićwho is a friend and he has only told me good things about this club “, he said. The rapid adaptation to the French championship will be decisive for this experienced player, whose supporters already expect him to embody the solidity and combativeness necessary to raise the bar and allow Montpellier to find solid foundations for the matches to come.
