Football Season Guide

In 2022/2023, Sochaux were relegated from the Ligue 2 and from professional football due to financial reasons, as they were risking bankruptcy. After 2 seasons characterised mostly by inconsistency, they eventually managed to achieve promotion back to the elite of French football at the third time of asking. With 4 wins out of the initial 5 games, in mid-September Sochaux briefly had a taste of the top of the table, which they would not reach again also due to some inconsistency and an excess of draws, 10. Then, they made the 3rd place at the beginning of December and succeeded overtaking rivals-for-promotion Rouen by the end of March, thus remaining on the second place until the end, despite a slight crisis in the final 3 games. Sochaux thus closed the season with just 3 points above Rouen but they deserved promotion as they held both the league’s second-best attack, with 51 goals scored, and the second-best defence, with 26 goals conceded. Coach Vincent Hognon, who led them to promotion at the first attempt, has plenty of experience in the Ligue 2 and he was logically confirmed at the helm. During the summer, Sochaux tried to strengthening the squad by adding a few experienced players, while losing only a couple of protagonists from the past campaign. First of all, the defence was hardly touched with just a back-up centre-back, Mendy, leaving, while experienced Agouzoul is set to replace him and even fight for a start. The midfield lost starting Mendes but he was replaced by Lobry, a valid player so much in need of redemption after a disastrous experience at Amiens. Then, the attack was the area that was mostly hit by departures with starting winger Boutoutaou and back-up strikers Loubao and Sidibé all gone. Nomel, coming from Swiss football, could become a protagonist on the wing while Clairicia arrives after a tough season spent between Germany and Portugal.