12th defeat in a row for Angers, dunce cap which equals the sad record of CA Paris and Dijon

Heavily beaten 4-0 on Sunday in Brest, Angers equaled the record set by the Cercle athlétique Paris (1933-1934) and since reached only by Dijon (2020-2021).

The ax of relegation is getting ever closer for the Angevins, who as often, have not necessarily been unworthy: facing a direct opponent in the race to maintain, they pressed at the start of the match, proved dangerous on kicks set foot and even found the crossbar with Miha Blazic.

But they quickly lost the thread against a Franck Honorat in a state of grace: the Brest winger served Jérémy Le Douaron (14th), Steve Mounié in two stages (34th) and Pierre Lees-Melou on a corner (84th), without forget to also participate in the festival (60th).

After Brest, Angers still has several direct competitors on the menu for the next few days, with Ajaccio, Lorient – which Abdel Bouhazama’s men almost surprised on January 1 -, Auxerre and Strasbourg.

“In a month, we should be fixed on the fact of still being in the race. Or not,” assured coach Bouhazama before the match.

But in a season with four relegations, the chances are dwindling: in the depths of the classification, Angers, blocked at eight points, now crosses 10 lengths from the first non-relegation, Brest.

Since wins are credited with three points in the top flight, only five teams have moved to such depths mid-season. They all finished their season in last place.

And the winter transfer window may not help matters with the expected departures of Azzedine Ounahi and Sofiane Boufal, semi-finalists at the World Cup with Morocco.

The first was sent this weekend to Marseille, the second is still expected in a Gulf club. But these two transfers come too late, and at prices a priori much lower than what Angers hoped for.

With a payroll capped by the DNCG (the financial policeman of French football), Angers had to wait for these two departures to recruit and now does not have much time, especially since the club has few arguments to convince potential recruits.