Nîmes Olympique: Ronny Labonne on the road again

Preferred to Sbaï to face Altikulac and Versailles, Friday September 20, Ronny Labonne is the 24th Croco used since the start of the season by Adil Hermach. Midi Libre – Mikaël Anisset

Not leaving this summer as he wanted, the croco right-back Ronny Labonne made a winning return against Versailles. To be confirmed.

He didn't leave. Yet that's what he wanted. "I wanted to experience something else, to embark on a new project, to start over with a blank page." For Ronny Labonne, who celebrated his 27th birthday twelve days ago, the lines of his Nîmes book were too black.

The 7th day and the National ranking

"The first year (32 matches, Editor's note), I experienced relegation to the National. The second, between my injuriess (fracture of both toes at the end of August 2023, quadriceps strain in mid-January 2024) and my suspension (6 matches after his expulsion at Versailles), I only played ten matches. I only saw negativity and I told myself that by changing air, I would be better…"

A complicated summer preparation

The Martinique defender will finally honor his last year of contract. He had touches in L2, in National and abroad (Spain in Segunda División and Romania) but nothing came to fruition. “When you come out of an almost blank season, you have to be realistic, it slows down a lot of things, it's complicated to find a good project.”

If Ronny Labonne is today “totally invested and with us at 200%”, as Adil Hermach points out, his summer preparation was not easy. “You try to train seriously but since your head is not in it, it is not easy”, the player does not hide, who appreciated the way in which the sports director Sébastien Larcier and the coach Adil Hermach handled his case: “They were honest and transparent.”

The Crocos' echoes

Absents.Suspended, Diouf will miss the call, tomorrow evening at Villefranche. He will be replaced in central defense by Iafrate (adductors healed) or Paviot. Injured in the left knee against Versailles, Picouleau is not recovered. Amara (foot) is still unavailable even though he returned to the field at the start of the week to start his re-athletic training.

Villefranche. Like Paris 13 Atletico, Villefranche has still not declared victory (2 defeats, 3 draws). The Rhone team, where former Croco Mahamadou Doucouré plays, has only scored 2 goals and conceded 5.

At the end of August, as soon as the French transfer window closed, he « put water in (his) wine » and made the decision to « stay » in Nîmes and to « do everything he can to play ».« The market was still open in some foreign countries but I was tired of waiting, explains the native of Lamentin. I had to be focused on something. It's when I don't pollute my mind that I can give the best of myself. The solution was to be focused on the present moment. I told the coach about it and he said: “It's up to you to earn your place.”

In competition with Sbaï

Ronny Labonne is back “in the game” and, taking advantage of Hamza Sbaï's difficulties, he made a winning return to the right wing last Friday against Versailles (1-0), his first official match since April 5 and a trip to Épinal.

“He played a good little game. For a boy who hadn't played for ages, that's good, Hermach analyses. It's important that he got his head back in the right place. Ronny, a very powerful and fast player, will go head-to-head with Hamza (Sbaï) and Jérémy (Iafrate), who can also help out in this position, leading them to surpass themselves."

"Every week requires a reassessment"

"I felt good, I'm pretty happy with my match, assures the twenty-fourth Croco used since the start of the season, eager to bring his "experience" and his "combativeness" to the group. If I play matches one after the other, I will get better and better physically. It's up to me to work! Every week requires a reassessment."

Responding to the fight

Against Versailles (1-0), an athletic opponent, Ronny Labonne appreciated seeing the Nîmes team "responding to the duels. In this championship, it often comes down to combat".

The overalls will have to be out again tomorrow in Villefranche, still looking for a first success. "We will have to ignore the ranking, warns the Nîmes right-back. This championship is very tight and there are good players in each team." Distrust does not prevent ambition: "It is up to us to play our luck boldly."

Villefranche Beaujolais (16th, 3 points) – Nîmes Olympique (10th, 7 points) Friday September 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Armand-Chouffet stadium in Villefranche-sur-Saône. I subscribe to read the rest