Saint-Étienne lost this weekend during the derby's big return to Ligue 1. Despite a good performance, Olivier Dall'Oglio's men lost with the lowest score (1-0). Benjamin Bouchouari performed well in midfield.
A strong return to Ligue 1
Transferred in August 2022 from Roda JC (Netherlands), Benjamin Bouchouari directly justified the hopes placed in him. Impacting the ball at his feet, the small midfielder (1m65) had all his importance in Laurent Batlles' system. But since the ouster of the ex-coach Stéphanois, the 22-year-old player has struggled to find his place. In 2023/2024, Benjamin Bouchouari will only play 1,800 minutes of play. His worst total since 2021.
“Benjamin Bouchouari has become aware of the importance of defending.” mentioned Olivier Dall'Oglio at a press conference. The Saint-Etienne coach targeted the main gap in his midfield.“Benjamin decided to defend! Last season, he didn't realize it and he knows it himself. It's a quality that I've expected from him since my arrival. He understood that to play, he must be an aggressive defensive midfielder first.”
Absent from the group during the first three days of the championship, Benjamin Bouchouari made his third consecutive start this Sunday. Systematically combined with Pierre Ekwah and Louis Mouton, the Moroccan has gained strength in recent weeks.
Continuing against Lyon
The midfielder appears to have undergone a metamorphosis in recent weeks. More solid in duels, Benjamin Bouchouari recovers, combines and participates in the Saint-Etienne game. Against Lyon, the Moroccan midfielder produced a copy in continuity with the performance against Strasbourg. Eighty-seven full minutes, in which Benjamin Bouchouari greatly contributed to the Saint-Etienne transitions.
A look back at his performance against Olympique Lyonnais.
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