Bouna Sarr makes notable Metz return after 833 days out with three straight starts | OneFootball

Bouna Sarr has put together three successive starts after returning on 21 February from 833 days without a match. The Metz right-sided player is aiming to inject hope into Ligue 1’s bottom club before Sunday’s trip to Rennes at 17:15.

According to L'Équipe, his previous appearance came on 11 November 2023 for Bayern Munich in a 4-2 win over Heidenheim, then he reappeared in the 64th minute at the Parc des Princes as Metz lost 0-3 to Paris Saint-Germain.

He then started against Brest on 1 March, playing 59 minutes in a 0-1 defeat, before logging 72 at Lens in a 0-3 loss on 8 March. He lasted 89 against Toulouse on 15 March, a 3-4 reverse in which he was involved in Giorgi Abuachvili’s third goal on 88 minutes. Sarr is 34 and can operate as a winger or at right-back.

Senegal fitness coach Hussein Farhat, based in Dakar, described Sarr’s resilience, saying he channelled frustration into extra work. Alongside two specialists in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, he supported Sarr during his clubless stretch, the player having won the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations and earned 13 caps.

Metz coach Benoît Tavenot has shown video examples of a cognitive delay in certain defensive situations, so prefers using Sarr higher as a right winger while retaining his versatility. He called the comeback respectable and praised the player’s mental strength.

Short of leaders, Tavenot also leans on Sarr’s influence with younger teammates. Sarr stresses that eight matches remain and many points are available, and despite a 14-match winless run, 12 defeats and two draws, he urges focus on the next game and resilience.

Source: L'Équipe