Ludovic Ajorque, Ligue 1 assist leader, to spearhead Brest against OM | OneFootball

Stade Brestois striker Ludovic Ajorque leads Ligue 1 for assists and will look to underline that again when OM visit on Friday at 20:45.

L'Équipe reports that his relentless work is routinely lauded by team-mates and by his coach, yet it has also brought seven yellow cards and a direct red against Monaco for over-commitment. He has only three goals this season, after scoring 13 last term. He has said an assist counts as much as a goal to him.

His total is six or seven, depending on whether he touched the ball between Rémy Labeau Lascary and Kamory Doumbia at Nice in the 2-2 draw on 1 February. Either way, the closest names on the list are not centre-forwards.

Opta data shows he has made 501 passes, second only to Paris-SG’s Ousmane Dembélé on 511, and 29 passes before a shot to the same player’s 32. He leads for passes made in his own half, 164, and for backward passes, 162. The numbers reflect his role as a constant focal point who often drops to link play.

With last season’s 4-3-3 replaced by a 4-2-3-1 after Mahdi Camara and Pierre Lees-Melou left, Brest play more directly. Ajorque naturally steps back to connect, especially with Kamory Doumbia, 1.70 m, usually behind him against his 1.96 m frame. The Réunion-born forward turns 32 next Wednesday.

On 1 October 2024 at Salzburg, a 4-0 Champions League win, he produced a deft outside-of-the-left pass for Abdallah Sima. He later delivered three assists in the 4-1 win over Nice on 20 September, finding Romain Del Castillo with a pivot pass, cutting back for Joris Chotard and releasing Rémy Labeau Lascary. He also set up Doumbia with a flicked touch in the 3-2 victory over Metz on 23 November, though he has not yet scored a header.

Source: L'Équipe