2018–19 FC Metz season

The 2018–19 season was the 87th season in the existence of FC Metz and the club's first season back in the second division of French football. In addition to the domestic league, Metz participated in this season's editions of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue.

FC Metz

2018–19 season
Chairman	Bernard Serin
Manager	Frédéric Antonetti
Stadium	Stade Saint-Symphorien
Ligue 2	1st (promoted)
Coupe de France	Round of 16
Coupe de la Ligue	Third round
Top goalscorer	League: Habib Diallo (26) All: Habib Diallo (26)
Biggest win	5–1 vs Orléans
Home colours Away colours Third colours
← 2017–18 2019–20 →

The club was crowned as champions of the campaign with two games to spare and promoted to the top flight after only one year.^[1]

Players

First-team squad

As of 5 March 2019.^[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  FRA Paul Delecroix 3 DF  FRA Matthieu Udol 5 MF  CIV Victorien Angban (on loan from Chelsea) 6 DF  MLI Mamadou Fofana 7 FW  SEN Ibrahima Niane 8 MF  FRA Gauthier Hein 10 MF  FRA Marvin Gakpa 11 FW  SEN Opa Nguette 12 MF  SEN Cheikh Sabaly 13 DF  ZAM Stoppila Sunzu 14 MF  GAM Ablie Jallow 16 GK  ALG Alexandre Oukidja

No. Pos. Nation Player 17 DF  FRA Thomas Delaine 19 MF  CIV Habib Maïga (on loan from St-Étienne) 20 FW  SEN Habib Diallo 21 DF  GHA John Boye 23 FW  SEN Amadou Dia Ndiaye 24 MF  FRA Renaud Cohade (captain) 25 DF  ALB Iván Balliu 27 MF  ALG Farid Boulaya 28 DF  FRA Jonathan Rivierez 29 FW  FRA Emmanuel Rivière 30 GK  FRA Guillaume Dietsch 31 DF  LUX Laurent Jans

On loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  FRA Oumar Gonzalez (on loan to Villefranche) — DF  FRA Nicolas Basin (on loan to Avranches) — MF  POR Cafú (on loan to Legia Warsaw) — MF  FRA Youssef Maziz (on loan to Avranches)

No. Pos. Nation Player 2 MF  CPV Jamiro Monteiro (on loan to Philadelphia Union) — MF  ARG Gerónimo Poblete (on loan to San Lorenzo) — MF  LUX Vincent Thill (on loan to Pau) 9 FW  MLI Adama Traoré (on loan to Orléans)

Pre-season and friendlies

  Win   Draw   Loss

Metz v Jeunesse Esch

3 July 2018 Friendly	Metz	3–1	Jeunesse Esch	Homécourt, France
17:30 CEST (UTC+2)				Stadium: Stade Yvan Tepus

SV Sandhausen v Metz

6 July 2018 Friendly	SV Sandhausen	1–0	Metz	Forbach, France
18:00 CEST (UTC+2)				Stadium: Schlossberg Stadium

Troyes v Metz

10 July 2018 Friendly	Troyes	2–3	Metz	Verdun, France
17:30 CEST (UTC+2)				Stadium: Stade du Parc de Londres

Metz v Auxerre

13 July 2018 Friendly	Metz	0–0	Auxerre	Saint-Dizier, France
17:45 CEST (UTC+2)				Stadium: Stade Marcel Jacquin

Kortrijk v Metz

21 July 2018 Friendly	Kortrijk	1–2	Metz	Kortrijk, France
18:00 CEST (UTC+2)				Stadium: Guldensporen Stadion

Metz v Racing

25 July 2018 Friendly	Metz	2–0	Racing	Homécourt, France
19:00 CEST (UTC+2)				Stadium: Stade Yvan Tepus

Competitions

Overview

Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Record
					Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Ligue 2	30 July 2018	17 May 2019	Matchday 1	Winners	38	24	9	5	60	23	+37	063.16
Coupe de France	18 November 2018	5 February 2019	Seventh round	Round of 16	5	3	1	1	7	4	+3	060.00
Coupe de la Ligue	14 August 2018	31 October 2018	First round	Third round	3	1	1	1	4	4	+0	033.33
Total					46	28	11	7	71	31	+40	060.87

Source: Soccerway

Ligue 2

Main article: 2018–19 Ligue 2

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or Relegation
1	Metz (C, P)	38	24	9	5	60	23	+37	81	Promotion to Ligue 1
2	Brest (P)	38	21	11	6	64	35	+29	74
3	Troyes	38	21	8	9	51	28	+23	71	Qualification to promotion play-offs semi-final
4	Paris FC	38	17	14	7	36	22	+14	65	Qualification to promotion play-offs quarter-final
5	Lens	38	18	9	11	49	28	+21	63

Source: Ligue 2
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Fair play points
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Results summary

Overall								Home						Away
Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
38	24	9	5	60	23	+37	81	13	3	3	34	11	+23	11	6	2	26	12	+14

Source: Ligue 2

Results by round

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38
Ground	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H
Result	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	L	L	W	W	D	L	W	W	D	W	W	W	W	L	D	D	D	W	W	D	D	W	W	D	W	W	D	W	W	L	W
Position	5	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1

Source: Ligue 2
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Notes: Match 19 versus Nancy was postponed until 29 January 2019 and therefore should appear between matches 22 & 23.

Matches

The league fixtures were announced on 7 June 2018.^[3]

Brest v Metz

30 July 2018 1	Brest	0–1	Metz	Brest
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)		Report	Niane 13'	Stadium: Stade Francis-Le Blé Referee: Eric Wattellier

Metz v Orléans

3 August 2018 2	Metz	5–1	Orléans	Metz
20:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Boulaya 19' Diallo 33', 47', 57', 90'	Report	Tell 50'	Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Aurélien Petit

Clermont v Metz

11 August 2018 3	Clermont	2–3	Metz	Clermont-Ferrand
15:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Pereira Lage 7' Ayé 59'	Report	Niane 61' Diallo 76' Boulaya 88'	Stadium: Stade Gabriel Montpied Referee: Pierre Gaillouste

Metz v Ajaccio

20 August 2018 4	Metz	3–1	Ajaccio	Metz
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Diallo 43', 71' (pen.) Niane 83'	Report	Gimbert 76'	Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Hakim Ben El Hadj

Troyes v Metz

24 August 2018 5	Troyes	0–1	Metz	Troyes
20:00 CEST (UTC+2)		Report	Angban 40'	Stadium: Stade de l'Aube Referee: Ruddy Buquet

Metz v Lens

1 September 2018 6	Metz	2–0	Lens	Metz
15:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Diallo 48' Niane 90'	Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Florent Batta

Béziers v Metz

17 September 2018 7	Béziers	1–3	Metz	Béziers
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: Stade Raoul-Barrière Referee: Mikael Lesage

Paris FC v Metz

22 September 2018 8	Paris FC	2–1	Metz	Paris
15:00 CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Sébastien Charléty Referee: Pierre Gaillouste

Metz v Le Havre

29 September 2018 9	Metz	0–1	Le Havre	Metz
15:00 CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Bartolomeu Varela

Sochaux v Metz

8 October 2018 10	Sochaux	1–2	Metz	Montbéliard
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: Stade Auguste Bonal Referee: Romain Lissorgue

Metz v Niort

19 October 2018 11	Metz	3–0	Niort	Metz
20:00 CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Jérémie Pignard

Lorient v Metz

26 October 2018 12	Lorient	0–0	Metz	Lorient
20:00 CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade du Moustoir Referee: Mikael Lesage

Metz v Auxerre

5 November 2018 13	Metz	0–1	Auxerre	Metz
20:45 CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Mehdi Mokhtari

Châteauroux v Metz

9 November 2018 14	Châteauroux	1–2	Metz	Châteauroux
20:00 CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Gaston Petit Referee: Faouzi Benchabane

Metz v Gazélec Ajaccio

26 November 2018 15	Metz	1–0	Gazélec Ajaccio	Metz
20:45 CET (UTC+1)	Diallo 22' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Stéphanie Frappart

Grenoble v Metz

1 December 2018 16	Grenoble	1–1	Metz	Grenoble
14:00 CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade des Alpes Referee: Mikael Lesage

Metz v Red Star

4 December 2018 17	Metz	2–0	Red Star	Metz
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Diallo 54', 77' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Sylvain Palhies

Valenciennes v Metz

17 December 2018 18	Valenciennes	0–2	Metz	Valenciennes
20:45 CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade du Hainaut Referee: Yohann Rouinsard

Orléans v Metz

11 January 2019 20	Orléans	0–1	Metz	Orléans
CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade de la Source

Metz v Clermont

18 January 2019 21	Metz	1–2	Clermont	Metz
20:00 CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Alexandre Perreau Niel

Ajaccio v Metz

25 January 2019 22	Ajaccio	0–0	Metz	Ajaccio
20:00 CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade François Coty Referee: Sylvain Palhies

Metz v Nancy

29 January 2019 19	Metz	3–0	Nancy	Metz
19:00 CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Olivier Thual

Metz v Troyes

1 February 2019 23	Metz	1–1	Troyes	Metz
CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien

Lens v Metz

9 February 2019 24	Lens	0–0	Metz	Lens
CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis

Metz v Béziers

18 February 2019 25	Metz	1–0	Béziers	Metz
CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien

Metz v Paris FC

22 February 2019 26	Metz	2–0	Paris FC	Metz
CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien

Le Havre v Metz

4 March 2019 27	Le Havre	2–2	Metz	Le Havre
CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Océane

Metz v Sochaux

11 March 2019 28	Metz	1–1	Sochaux	Metz
CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien

Niort v Metz

15 March 2019 29	Niort	0–3	Metz	Niort
CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: Stade René Gaillard

Metz v Lorient

31 March 2019 30	Metz	2–1	Lorient	Metz
CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien

Auxerre v Metz

6 April 2019 31	Auxerre	0–0	Metz	Auxerre
CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: Stade Abbé-Deschamps

Metz v Châteauroux

12 April 2019 32	Metz	2–1	Châteauroux	Metz
CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien

Gazélec Ajaccio v Metz

19 April 2019 33	Gazélec Ajaccio	0–2	Metz	Ajaccio
20:00 CEST (UTC+2)		Report	Boye 54' Niane 76'	Stadium: Stade Ange Casanova Referee: Sylvain Palhies

Metz v Grenoble

23 April 2019 34	Metz	1–1	Grenoble	Metz
20:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Niane 9'	Report	Sotoca 20'	Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Pierre Gaillouste

Red Star v Metz

26 April 2019 35	Red Star	1–2	Metz	Beauvais
20:00 CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: Stade Pierre Brisson

Metz v Valenciennes

3 May 2019 36	Metz	3–0	Valenciennes	Metz
20:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Nguette 17' Diallo 25', 30' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Benjamin Lepaysant

Nancy v Metz

10 May 2019 37	Nancy	1–0	Metz	Tomblaine
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Bassi 34'	Report		Stadium: Stade Marcel Picot Referee: Willy Delajod

Metz v Brest

17 May 2019 38	Metz	1–0	Brest	Metz
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Diallo 17'	Report		Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Referee: Yohann Rouinsard

Coupe de France

Main article: 2018–19 Coupe de France

Sarreguemines FC v Metz

18 November 2018 Seventh round	Sarreguemines FC	1–1 (a.e.t.) (1–4 p)	Metz	Sarreguemines
13:30 CET (UTC+1)	Simpara 64'	Report	Niane 45+1' (pen.)	Stadium: Stade de la Blies Attendance: 2,307 Referee: Mickaël Leleu

CMS Oissel v Metz

9 December 2018 Eighth round	CMS Oissel	0–1	Metz	Oissel
13:30 CET (UTC+1)		Report	Gakpa 31'	Stadium: Stade Marcel Billard Attendance: 677 Referee: Marc Michout

Olympique Saint-Quentin v Metz

5 January 2019 Round of 64	Olympique Saint-Quentin	1–2 (a.e.t.)	Metz	Saint-Quentin
18:00 CET (UTC+1)	Cambrone 50'	Report	Cohade 45' Balliu 101'	Stadium: Stade Paul Débrésie Attendance: 3,844 Referee: Mikaël Lesage

Monaco v Metz

22 January 2019 Round of 32	Monaco	1–3	Metz	Monaco
20:55 CET (UTC+1)	Falcao 40'	Report	Hein 32' Gakpa 62' Niane 74'	Stadium: Stade Louis II Attendance: 600 Referee: Antony Gautier

Metz v Orléans

5 February 2019 Round of 16	Metz	0–1	Orléans	Metz
18:30 CET (UTC+1)		Report	Lecoeuche 20' (pen.)	Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Attendance: 3,200 Referee: Hakim Ben El Hadj

Coupe de la Ligue

Main article: 2018–19 Coupe de la Ligue

Metz v Grenoble

14 August 2018 First round	Metz	2–1	Grenoble	Metz
20:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Niane 71' (pen.), 90+5' (pen.)	Report	Chergui 17'	Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Attendance: 9,494 Referee: Mehdi Mokhtari

Lens v Metz

28 August 2018 Second round	Lens	1–1 (3–5 p)	Metz	Lens
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Ba 86'	Report	Jallow 45'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 14,963 Referee: Olivier Thual
	Penalties
	Ba Fortuné Chouiar Gomis		Niane Gakpa Balliu Rivierez Diallo

Metz v Amiens

31 October 2018 Third round	Metz	1–2	Amiens	Metz
21:05 CEST (UTC+2)	Rivière 70'	Report	Niane 5' (o.g.) Otero 72'	Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Attendance: 5,220 Referee: Nicolas Rainville

Statistics

Goalscorers

As of 17 May 2019

Rank	No.	Pos	Nat	Name	Ligue 1	Coupe de France	Coupe de la Ligue	Total
1	20	FW		Habib Diallo	26	0	0	26
2	7	FW		Ibrahima Niane	10	2	2	14
3	11	FW		Opa Nguette	7	0	0	7
	27	MF		Farid Boulaya	7	0	0	7
5	10	MF		Marvin Gakpa	2	2	0	4
6	29	FW		Emmanuel Rivière	2	0	1	3
7	13	DF		Stoppila Sunzu	2	0	0	2
	19	MF		Habib Maïga	2	0	0	2
9	24	MF		Renaud Cohade	0	1	0	1
	21	DF		John Boye	1	0	0	1
	25	DF		Iván Balliu	0	1	0	1
	5	MF		Victorien Angban	1	0	0	1
	14	MF		Ablie Jallow	0	0	1	1
	8	MF		Gauthier Hein	0	1	0	1
Totals					60	7	4	71