Clément Akpa, Kévin Danois and Lassine Sinayoko key to Auxerre’s Ligue 1 survival push | OneFootball

Second-bottom AJ Auxerre are leaning on Clément Akpa, Kévin Danois and Lassine Sinayoko to revive a faltering survival push. A 0-0 at Toulouse last Sunday ended four straight defeats, but the league’s worst attack has only 14 goals and four games without scoring.

According to L'Équipe, Christophe Pelissier considers the homegrown trio essential to embodying the club’s values and to lifting performances.

Akpa, a 24-year-old left-footed centre-back under contract to 2028, has struggled to back up last season’s progress. After encouraging outings against PSG, a 0-1 loss, and at Toulouse, Pelissier called his AFCON omission with Côte d’Ivoire a logical result of form and expects to use him at left-back against Paris FC. The coach wants sharper concentration.

Sporting director David Wantier said the initial plan was to sell Danois this summer. Rudy Matondo’s winter move to Paris FC was worth €17.5m, and with Danois extended to 2029 any decision will depend on offers. The box-to-box has 18 starts, one goal and one assist, and needs greater consistency after a France Under-21 debut in September.

Sinayoko, 26, extended in January to 2027 and is planned to leave next summer. The Mali forward, 20 caps and 10 goals, hit three in five at AFCON in Morocco, but the workload has told.

Auxerre’s most decisive player, six goals and two assists in 19 Ligue 1 matches, he shifts between the middle and flanks. Pelissier praised his display at Toulouse and his mental strength, and wants more spontaneity, hoping goals follow.

Source: L'Équipe