Nîmes Olympique: Ronny Labonne “really impatient” to return to competition

Le défenseur Ronny Labonne n’est jusque-là apparu que 471 minutes en Championnat et 45 minutes en Coupe de France. Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Between injuries and suspension, crocodile right back Ronny Labonne has only played six Championship matches since the start of the season. He will return to Niort where Nîmes Olympique will play on Friday March 15, for the 25th day of the National.

Last year, in Ligue 2, he only missed six Championship matches (32 appearances). This season, in National, with 471 minutes of play, he has only played six…

Between injuries (fracture of both toes at the end of August 2023 and strained quadriceps mid-January 2024) and suspension (six matches after his expulsion at Versailles, 13th day), Ronny Labonne is having a very complicated 2023-2024 financial year.

The 25th day of National and the ranking

"I'm not going to lie to you, it’s hard, says the Martinique defender, 26 years old, installed in a stand at the Antonins stadium. Me, I'm happy when I play. There, I felt useless, powerless. This is the first time I've had so many problems, it really wasn't easy to deal with."

His explosiveness was lacking

Ronny Labonne, notably supported, during this period, by his partner, his family, his Martinican friends Burner and Mexico and Captain Mendy, speaks in the imperfect because he is "operational again".

The suspension of Hamza Sbaï, within these last two matches, will in any case allow him to return to play on Friday in Niort. "I can't wait! I want to take full advantage of the last ten matches that remain to be played."

Entraînement aux Antonins pour les joueurs de @nimesolympique. Effectif très réduit (8 joueurs de champ et 4 gardiens). La quasi totalité des titulaires est restée aux soins. Sur la pelouse, sont présents les éléments en manque de temps de jeu. Sané (cheville) forfait pour Niort. pic.twitter.com/IaBhXE1snu

— Midi Libre Sports (@MidiLibreSports) March 13, 2024

"We missed Ronny, especially in the offensive percussion, Frédéric Bompard makes no secret. He is one of the driving forces of the group, an explosive player capable of bringing danger to his side. It's up to him to get back in the saddle and manage his match."

Convinced that the Crocos can pull off a coup in Niort

The native of Lamentin, the second most populous city in Martinique after Fort-de-France, risks lacking rhythm but he is not too worried: "I am not far from being 100%, he believes. In any case, he will not measure his efforts: "I don't calculate, I always give my all."

In Niort, which remains on a 1-0 defeat in Dijon, its first in 2024 (5 wins, 2 draws), Ronny Labonne is convinced: "With our strengths and our qualities, we are capable of doing something ." The Crocos will have to show more than in front of Cholet (2-1) to achieve this. "Matches against teams who have nothing left to lose are the hardest. The most important are the three points, he answers. If we have ten more bad matches and win ten more times, everyone will be happy."

Crocs spared, Sané package

Only eight outfield players (Delpech, Labonne, Laurens, Sbaï, Thoumin, Ngakoutou, Paviot and Wade), mainly players lacking playing time, took part in the match. yesterday afternoon, under the sun, & localized training on the magnificent Antonins lawn. Eight outfield players and four goalkeepers (Paradowski, Ondoa, Cozzella and Bellabdi). The other Crocs remained in care at the hospital. The Bastide. “With the accumulation of matches and the succession of distant trips, there is fatigue, explained" Fr&déric Bompard. We therefore arranged for this to take place. everyone. In money time, it is important to have freshness. Niort, the crocodile coach will be deprived of of Sbaï and Diallo, suspended, from Sané (ankle) and Sy (ischios). The last two should return to the group at the beginning of next week.

What the Nîmes right-back is sure of is that in training, "everyone gives their all, no one spares their effort". As an explanation for the croc revival in 2024, he also believes that the end-of-year holidays have come at just the right time. We all recharged our batteries as a family. And he also evokes a general questioning: "The National is a Championship where mentality takes precedence. We all said to ourselves that we had to put our ass on the ground."

"Keep a cool head and give it to the end"

Maintaining, in a division where "all the teams are close to each other", Nîmes Olympique has "largely the level and the potential" to acquire it, assures Ronny Labonne who "always looks upwards. This is what will push us to be stronger, as the coach tells us. We must not set limits for ourselves but we must keep a cool head and remember that if everything is possible, it goes both ways." Until the end, therefore, formulate that& ;rsquo;he is fond of it, "you will have to give yourself".

Niort (2nd, 44 points) – Nîmes (10th, 30 points)  Friday March 15 at 3 p.m., at the René-Gaillard stadium. Match to follow live on midilibre.fr I subscribe to read more