FC Metz defender Mboula hangs on to slim survival chances

Gabon international defender Urie-Michel Mboula is still harboring hopes of relegation survival despite FC Metz’ struggles in the French Ligue 1 this season.

In an exclusive interview with Sport News Africa, Mboula reflected on FC Metz’s season which could see them relegated. With Auxerre losing 3-2 at Olympique Lyon on Saturday, their relegation has been delayed for another week.

Metz will travel to Le Havre on Sunday for match day 31 at 3:15 PM GMT, a game they hope to win and build up points for survival.

The 22-year-old defender, who has grappled with a hamstring injury that kept him out of the pitch for a long time, shared words on Metz campaign.

“The team’s mindset remains the same, which is to at least try to win matches, and why not start with the one against Le Havre? We just hope to do things right so we don’t end the season in a disastrous fashion.

There’s practically no hope left for staying up at this point, with ten points separating Les Grenats from Auxerre in the relegation playoff spot. However, Mboula is not thinking about Ligue 2 just yet.

“We’re not thinking about Ligue 2 because it’s not over yet. There are still things to do, a glimmer of hope. We’ll have to start by winning without focusing on other teams’ results; after that, only time will tell. But we’re more focused on the upcoming match than on the entire season.”

Dire situation for FC Metz

Metz are bottom of the league table with 15 points from 30 matches and they need to win their remaining four games and hope that Nantes (second from bottom) and Auxerre keep slipping to stand a chance of making the relegation playoffs spot.

Mboula, signed for Metz in 2025, helping the club achieve promotion from the second tier to the top flight. He previously played for Moldovan side Dinamo-Auto, where he made eleven league appearances and scored four goals.

Ahead of the 2023–24 season, he signed for Turkish side Şanlıurfaspor, where he made thirty-three league appearances and scored two goals.

A hamstring injury this season has limited Mboula’s playing time to just 12 games with no goals and assists. The 11-time capped Gabon national team central defender played two Coupe de France games this term as they suffered elimination by Montpellier in January.