SM Caen. Bilal Brahimi, from a “season to forget” to the goal of liberation

His smile, his freshness and naturalness could unite everyone with football and its actors. You must be very hard not to appreciate Bilal Brahimi. The left-hander from Stade Malherbe Caen is an amiable character. At the start of the season, 70% of the shirts on display in the club shop bore his name. His game, full of generosity, movement and technique, delighted the Caen crowd. His personality did the rest.

“It’s a season to forget”

But as the assessment approaches, Bilal Brahimi had quite a delicate exercise. He himself judges it with all the seriousness of real competitors.

I won’t hide it from you, it’s a season to forget. I did a great preparation with a good start to the season. After that it got very complicated.

Injured after five games, he who had shone so much during the first four, operated on his ankle, Bilal Brahimi lost two and a half months of competition. “It’s not easy to come back from a big injury,” recalls Romain Thomas. The Caen player was still very active, but he had less of an impact on the team.

In this position – I think everyone gets him full of this and it gets into his head – he seeks to be more decisive, more effective in the last gesture, the penultimate gesture.

Many demands are placed on him

Bilal Brahimi certainly has higher expectations than most of his teammates. “We put so much pressure on his shoulders,” observes Nicolas Seube. The demand is the result of undeniable potential. It is also a weight to carry.

Bilal Brahimi, two goals and two assists this season, has not always responded, at least in his eyes. “I’m a player who depends on mentality and confidence. When things aren’t going well mentally, it’s more complicated. I went onto the pitch and said to myself: if I lose the ball…” Friday 3. May 2024, the French-Moroccan took other positions. Substitute during the previous two games, he scored the winning goal after a full game against Laval (1-0).

I watched my games and told myself that I had to play my game, like last year, like at the start of the season. I come, I touch balloons, I free myself. Basically, I’m at home here! I knew from my first ball that it was going to work.

Bilal Brahimi could not have celebrated his hundredth appearance in Ligue 2 better “I saw the cup explode, I was happy,” he confides. “It’s wonderful that he’s the one to give the win,” salutes his captain. Five minutes before he said to us: Room, Alex (Mendy), don’t worry, we’ll unlock this lock. He is so generous, he wants so much to do well, he makes so many runs on the field…

“I found Bilal an actor”

Nicolas Seube shares the same satisfaction. “I found Bilal very energetic, an actor. I expect it at that level. He was very active, good in shifts, often available. I’m glad he’s being rewarded. » Bilal Brahimi now hopes to continue his momentum against Dunkirk, his former club, and Valenciennes.Before possible roadblocks…

“I would like to thank Yohan Eudeline and Olivier Pickeu because in this period when it was a little more complicated, they never gave me up,” underlines Bilal Brahimi. They have been there for me. Prezen told me that I should score important goals in the final sprint. He told me: I don’t care about the rest, if you are good in the final sprint, I will be satisfied. » The message came across well.

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