At the Meinau stadium in Strasbourg,
Central defender at the start of the season, training midfielder and… often right winger on Sunday! Ibrahima Sissoko bluffed everyone against Saint-Etienne (5-1) by delivering two assists. On two perfect crosses, concluded by Gameiro (3-1, 69th) and Ajorque (4-1, 73rd).
During this magical afternoon for the Meinau public, the blue n ° 27 was also at the origin of the Alsatian opening scoring by obtaining the corner. Without forgetting all his recoveries, percussions, passes in the right tempo etc. In short, a real good job for a player who had greatly disappointed in recent seasons.
“Last year, I had a very difficult passage and a little too two years ago,” he admitted. to say the least. The former Brestois, who arrived in the summer of 2018 with the status of a promise, had ended up boring his own supporters. Slow, uninspired, sometimes guilty of gross errors, he even often concentrated the criticisms of this irregular and frustrating Racing.
“An athletic showdown and a great throwing ability”
But all that was before. Since the arrival of Julien Stéphan in the offseason, the native of Meaux, almost 24 years old, seems to have regained his qualities. Would the technician have something to do with it? “We talked a lot together but I don’t think more with him than with others,” refutes the coach, nevertheless repeating his attachment to an element already appreciated by his predecessor Thierry Laurey. Who himself did not always get the best out of it.
“He has an athletic demise and a great ability to throw,” explains Stéphan, who had used the player in central defense throughout the season to cope with absences. “He had come to terms with it with a lot of professionalism, with a total investment. »Before injuring his knee and missing nearly a month of competition. Since his return to Lens on September 22, the former international hopeful has found his favorite position, torchbearer. Where he had already stood out with a goal scored against Lille three days later.
Sissoko since her return pic.twitter.com/uN6tkFndRA
– Luke Sorgius (@LucSorgius) October 17, 2021
“Ibou brings us a lot. He rakes a lot and does good in midfield. I admire him a lot ”, admits Maxime Le Marchand, delighted to see his discreet and hardworking partner being“ rewarded ”. “It’s good for my stats because it’s not too much of my usual strength”, laughs the person concerned, without finding a reason for his renewal. Otherwise a newfound confidence. “It is sure that things are better on that side. I enjoy. When we are confident, we are better physically and we play more liberated. I also like what we have been offering since the start of the season, this game suits me. ” It shows. After almost 100 Ligue 1 games, the best Sissoko may be yet to come.