He is not used to hiding, and especially not during difficult periods. A senior member of the Rouge et Noir dressing room, Malang Sarr spoke to the press ahead of the visit of Bordeaux (kick-off on Friday at 8.45pm). The defender spoke on several topics. At the heart of his answers, he spoke about his start or the season. Without hiding and taking full responsibility, he answered questions directly: “Was the criticism directed at you at the start of the season justified? 

“For me, yes. Personally, I didn’t feel that I was at my best. I am not going to hide behind this, but it’s the first time that I have been injured like that, with a serious injury and kept away from the training pitches for several weeks. I had to learn to live through that because in my short career, it had never happened to me. I needed to get my rhythm back and I haven’t necessarily listened to my body.

I wanted to get back out there too early on, to help the team too quickly, it was maybe my fault because I wasn’t 100%. My goal is to be where I am today. I am getting back to my best, both physically and mentally, that’s how I can help the team. So yes, I think that the criticism was deserved. And it’s not down to me playing on the left or not, because I have already shown that I can play on the left and perform there. It was more to do with my body and my physical condition.”

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