A return to ASSE to challenge OM in the Coupe de France?

Facing Toulouse, Olivier Dall’Oglio, then still coach of AS Saint-Étienne, deplored numerous absences within his group, nine to be exact.

Absent for a long time, Anthony Briançon and Thomas Monconduit were still not fit to return to competition. Neither does Mickaël Nadé, injured during the derby in Lyon. Ben Old still has to wait several months before considering a return to Ligue 1 pitches. Yvann Maçon, who has undergone another knee surgery to clean it, is expected to return at the end of January. Among the recurrences, we also found Ibrahima Wadji, the Senegalese striker of the Greens victim of pain behind the knee should be absent for a long period. In addition, Aïmen Moueffek victim of a big crutch against Rennes who was always fair, just like Augustine Boakye, victim of a muscle problem. Mathieu Cafaro had to serve his last match of suspension against Toulouse, following his exclusion against Rennes.

Concerning the first city, Anthony Briançonhis non-return to the group against Toulouse was more a result of a bad combination of circumstances as his coach at the time explained at the microphone of the press conference room at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium: “Anthony Briançon was ill this week, which also slowed down his return. It won’t be much longer for him.”

Without this illness, the 30-year-old central defender would certainly have been among the players called up by Olivier Dall’Oglio in Toulouse, which would have been his first appearance in the group this season. Indeed, Anthony Briançon had a complicated preparation: still too tight for the first friendly match against Clermont, he had played against Villarreal, Montpellier and Getafe but was then injured. He therefore missed the entire start of the season with the Greens even having to undergo surgery at the start of last October on his knee. Things are better now for him who has made a gradual return to collective training after having completed several races and individualized sessions with the medical staff. If all goes well so far, he should therefore make his return to Laurent Huard’s group this Sunday to challenge Olympique de Marseille in the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France. For the other injured, we should be patient and cautious on the side of AS Saint-Étienne, especially since the Coupe de France is not an objective of the club which has nevertheless won it six times. In addition toAnthony Briançonthe group will be able to rely on the return of Mathieu Cafaro from suspension.