On tiptoe but with his character, Abdoulaye Bakayoko, 19, stood out. Established last weekend by Pascal Dupraz, at Geoffroy-Guichard and against RC Lens (1-2), the very young defender from Saint-Etienne knew how to return the confidence that his coach granted him. By returning, for his first match in the elite of French football, a completely honorable copy, he thus highlighted the work already recognized by the Saint-Etienne training center. Despite muscle pain at the start of the second half, “Baka” played the whole game, signing 7 interceptions, 5 clearances and 3 tackles. A great activity!
Arrived in Forez in 2018, from the Paris Football Training Center (CFF Paris), the defender continued to climb the classic classes, before being slowed down last year by a rupture of the cruciate ligaments. Aware of his potential, the decision-makers from Saint-Etienne nevertheless offered him his first professional contract, which he signed in May 2021. Regularly called upon to train with the pro group since his return to the lawns, he was thus rewarded by this first appearance in Ligue 1 Uber Eats and is at the same time added to the list of U23 players used by AS Saint-Étienne this season.
With now 14 players* under the age of 23 having taken part in a Ligue 1 Uber Eats match this season, ASSE is establishing itself as the club that uses the most young players in the five major European leagues (Ligue 1 Uber Eats, Serie A, Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga).
*Players used: Etienne Green, Stefan Bajic, Saïdou Sow, Lucas Calodat, Bryan Nokoue, Abdoulaye Bakayoko, Lucas Gourna, Aïmen Moueffek, Adil Aouchiche, Maxence Rivera, El Hadji Dieye, Yanis Lhéry, Charles Abi, Mathys Saban.