Since his arrival in Valais at the end of the last transfer window, Mohcine Bouriga, the new striker of FC Sion, opposed here to Yoan Severin’s Servette on October 19, has only been entitled to parts of the match.
Pascal Muller/freshfocus
When a team no longer wins, things inevitably change on all levels. This is precisely what FC Sion has been experiencing since August 10, 2024, the date of its last victory in the Super League. Since then, there have been 9 matches without a victory (5 draws, 4 defeats) and this raises questions.
What is really the fair value of this FC Sion 2024-2025 whose structure has changed little compared to the team crowned champion of its category last May? Are some players who were good, or even sometimes excellent, in the Challenge League good enough for the Super League?
At a time when all of this must be spinning in heads, Sion must also be able to rely on its values. To hope to find the path to a victory against Lucerne at the same time, he must not reinvent the wheel.
A “half-time” in four appearances
The path is certainly narrow but Sion must plunge into it, if not with confidence, then at least with courage – it remains to be seen with whom. Even as Fayulu prepares to regain his place between the posts this Sunday afternoon, the question of the offensive sector arises acutely. The Valaisans only scored 14 goals. Tourbillon’s top scorer, Dejan Sorgic only scored 3 successes.
If Didier Tholot is probably right to insist with Anton Miranchuk, whose qualities, dormant, will eventually shine in the service of the collective, we are lost in conjecture about Mohcine Bouriga, the other reinforcement, landed in Valais at the end of the last transfer window, 48 hours before the transfer of the Russian international. What has the Moroccan striker been used for so far? Nothing except warming up the bench as was the case in the last three matches.
To date, the playing time of the former MAS Fez scorer is limited to four appearances at the end of the game, against Lugano, Zurich, Yverdon and Servette – 45 minutes, or a short half-time, to make his place, it’s far too little.
This brings to mind the Rusev case
Recommended by Tariq Chihab (ex-FC Sion, now sports director in Fez) and supervised for several days by Léonard Thurre on site, is Bouriga insufficiently prepared not to enter into the plans of his new coach? This is one of the hypotheses among others. When will he finally be given the chance to prove his worth? As it stands, the Bouriga case closely resembles that of Georgi Rusev, this Bulgarian international now loaned to Ludogorets (with an option to buy), due to not having managed to integrate into the Valais club .
Presented as the great scorer who was lacking at Tourbillon when he arrived on January 2, 2024, Rusev has to date only scored two goals in the Valais jersey, including the crucial one scored on May 9 in Aarau giving victory to the visitors (1-2).
It would be regrettable if Bouriga suffered a similar fate in Valais. If this were to happen, this would inevitably raise questions about the way in which the Tourbillon club “integrates” its alleged new cracks.
