Coming through the youth ranks of Corsica club SC Bastia, Boutrah had a slow start to his career, as he quickly transferred to Gallia Club Lucciana FC in the French fifth tier. He only got a move to US Concarneau in the Championnat National in 2021, when he was already 20 years old. There, he hit the ground running, bagging two and assisting four in his first season at the club, before blowing that promising performance out of the water in his second season, scoring 11 and handing out 8 assists.

Combining technical prowess and notable vision, Boutrah likes to receive the ball in deeper positions in order to run at opposition defences, or simply square players up to attract press and distribute to a partner in space. His best quality remains his thrilling acceleration, which allows him to make solo differences when running in on goal. These attributes make him a versatile asset as he is able to play anywhere in the attack.

An audacious career path which has yet to pay off

Off the back of that fantastic season, of which he was voted Player of the Season and that saw Concarneau obtain direct promotion as league champions, Amine attracted interest from several French clubs, including Ligue 1 sides Montpellier HSC and RC Strasbourg, according to rumours.

It was therefore to the general surprise that he opted to sign for Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem back in July. So far, it hasn’t been the start that he would’ve dreamt of. Starting only five of Vitesse’s 12 league games this season, the forward has struggled to find form in an overall weak Arnhem side, which has sunk to the bottom place of the league. The now 23-year-old hasn’t registered a single goal contribution, though he has come close, notably in the first matchday against FC Volendam, when he had hit the woodwork.

He’ll be looking to finally find form in the next league games, though the up-and-coming fixture against back-in-form Ajax may bring yet another negative result to Amine and his team.

GFFN | Alfred Lalande

What are the promotion permutations?

A thrilling promotion race will find its conclusion on Friday evening, with four sides still fighting for the two promotion spots in the league:

• Currently top of the table on goal difference, Concarneau travel to Orléans with the chance of securing promotion with a win.
• Dunkerque, level on points with the Breton side, face Le Mans away and a win would also open the doors to Ligue 2.
• As for Red Star, they must win their game and hope that Concarneau or Dunkerque do not win. In the case that either one or both Concarneau and Dunkerque draw, promotion will be decided by the record against each team. 
• After their unbelievable defeat by bottom-placed Bastia-Borgo last week, when they had the chance to secure promotion, Martigues welcome Versailles to their home on the outskirts of Marseille. To qualify, they must win their game and hope that two of their rivals slip up.

Nancy, Châteauroux, and Avranches all at risk of the drop to National 2 (4th tier)

The battle for survival is just – if not more as intense. This year the Championnat National has had the added precocity of six relegation places. This means that some big former Ligue 2 sides have been dragged into the mix all season, and still could go down on the final day.

• Bourg-Péronnas, currently 14th, must win their game against Nancy (13th) if they are to have any chance of avoiding relegation. However, their fate also depends on the result of Châteauroux, who must also win to ensure their safety and potentially relegate either Bourg-Péronnas or Nancy.
• US Avranches, currently 11th, are not yet safe and could be relegated if either Bourg-Péronnas or Nancy win their games and Avranches lose theirs.
• As for 10th-placed Le Mans, they could also be drawn into the relegation battle if they lose their match and Bourg-Péronnas, Nancy and Châteauroux all win their games.

GFFN | George Boxall

Photo Credit: Bazil Fleury – @icietailleurs55 on Instagram.

5 games left & 5 clubs separated by four points

Martigues, Dunkerque, Concarneau, Red Star, and Versailles are all within four points of each other fighting to secure the promotion spots in the Championnat National. Martigues, who have been leading for a month, have a chance to seal their promotion fate as they face three of their closest rivals in the coming weeks. However, all five teams have their sights set on finishing in the top two spots.

As the last five fixtures play out, Martigues are the side with their destiny most firmly in their own hands. They continue what has been an exceptional season following promotion from the fourth tier last season. Having not lost since March, the side from the suburbs of Marseille face Dunkerque, Concarneau, and Versailles in their final games.

Habib Beye’s Red Star FC, who sit in fourth place, have a more favourable run-in, but their hopes of promotion were dented after losing to two promotion rivals in quick succession. The side from the Paris suburbs quickly reacted with a 4-1 win away to Nancy last Monday. 

Breton side Concarneau are currently tied on points with Martigues and northerners Dunkerque, but they will be regretting a administrative blunder earlier in the season when they fielded a suspended player, resulting in a loss on a technicality and a points deduction. However, they are still in the running for promotion and are in good form coming into the last run of fixtures.

Dunkerque has been on a historic winning streak since their manager Mathieu Chabart joined the club with seven consecutive victories, a record in French football this season that propelled them from seventh place to promotion hopefuls. Their winning run saw a win over promotion rivals Red Star earlier this April – they are certainly the team with the most momentum.

Versailles are a little further behind despite their bold spending and intentions to take the Championnat National by storm at the start of the season. They won against Villefranche last Friday after four winless games against teams they should have beaten. They are still within four points of the top three teams, so anything is possible. However, if they do not finish in the top two spots, they will know that they miss out on a glorious chance under Brazilian manager Cris – especially with the amount of spending and worrying debt that the club will find itself in next season.

What do other National clubs think?

When asked about the promotion race by Le Parisien, other National teams had their say and voted for the clubs they think will gain promotion to Ligue 2 by the end of the season. The newspaper from the capital asked 13 representatives from other clubs in the league to give their votes in who they think will win the tightest promotion race the third tier has seen.

Dunkerque came out on top with eight votes, followed by Martigues with seven, Concarneau with six, Red Star with five, and Versailles with none. When asked on their explanations for voting, teams still see Red Star as a strong contender due to their attacking potential and a more manageable schedule. Les Audoniens face Bastia-Borgo tonight behind closed doors at Stade Bauer, before a trip to Versailles awaits them next weekend in a Parisian region derby.

When it came to Versailles, the other teams felt that Les Bleus were too “individualistic” and have failed to impress despite their spending in the summer. Meanwhile, those that didn’t hail from Paris chose Dunkerque as the likeliest due to Mathieu Chabart’s historic run with the club and a sense of the feeling of momentum associated.

Photo Credit: Bazil Fleury – @icietailleurs55 on Instagram.

GFFN | George Boxall

In a statement, Concarneau have said that they were “surprised by the participation of the Nancy player, Lucas Pellegrini in the game, while he was subject to a suspension as of Monday, March 27, 2023. We hope that the French Football Federation will study the case with the utmost attention.”

Pellegrini reportedly received three yellow cards in less than three months, including one during a match against Concarneau that was abandoned due to safety concerns on February 13. As a result, the disciplinary committee sanctioned him with a one-game suspension that was due to take effect on Monday, 27th March, one day before the Nancy-Concarneau match. However, Pellegrini appeared on the team sheet and played the entire game, apparently without anyone noticing the mistake.

However, L’Est Républican report that Nancy believe the player should have been allowed to play, as the match was replay of the original fixture that was abandoned in February. They argue that Lucas Pellegrini was available last night because it was a replay match, governed by Article 120 of the general regulations of the French Football Federation which gives the eligibility of players “at the date of the first match, in case of replay and the actual date of the match, in case of postponed match”.

A forfeited match for Nancy means that Concarneau would climb to second place at the expense of Red Star FC, who recently entered the top two following a Parisian derby win over Paris 13 Atletico (0-1).

The Championnat National table as of 28th March 2023

GFFN | George Boxall

Highlight on Habib Beye and Red Star’s defensive record – the third-best in France’s top 3 divisions

Former Marseille and Newcastle defender Habib Beye was pleased with his side’s performance in the Parisian derby against Paris 13 on Tuesday evening, speaking on Red Star’s social channels. Beye said that his side “had a strategy in place at the start that worked well and we were rewarded with a goal.” Former Angers veteran and Red Star’s eminent captain Cheick N’Doye (37) nodded in emphatically a cross from local lad Jovany Ikanga (21) to give L’Étoile Rouge the lead on the 29th minute.

However, it took some mental resilience and some organised defending to see off what was an aggressive Paris 13 side in the second half, fighting for their lives in the relegation places in the bottom six. Les Audoniens saw off the offensive, and Beye was pleased with the defensive solidarity that his side showed, explaining that his team has “built a very effective defensive block this season and it is a real satisfaction to see. Last season we were really offensive but we had the tendency to concede a lot of goals, this year we’ve kept a similar attacking dynamic but improved our defensive structure”. 

Red Star are indeed more defensively robust this season. They possess, in fact, the best defensive record in the third tier having conceded only 22 goals this season. Only Le Havre (14) and Lens (21) have a better defensive record in the top 3 divisions of French football this season.

The Championnat National table as of 28th March 2023

At the weekend, there will be a key clash between Dunkerque and Red Star which could once again shift the balance of what has been one of the tightest races for promotion to Ligue 2 in recent years. Meanwhile, current leaders Martigues travel to struggling Le Puy, whilst Versailles host Châteuroux at Paris’s Stade Jean Bouin. In the Monday Canal+ fixture, Concarneau will host Sedan. 

GFFN | George Boxall

Photo Credit: Bazil Fleury – @icietailleurs55 on Instagram.

Parisian suburban side Red Star FC looked like they were slipping away from the title race in recent weeks, but Les Audoniens ground out a 2-1 win at home against Orléans, playing the last quarter of the match with 10-men after a double yellow for Aniss El Hriti.

A breakthrough season for young striker Jovany Ikanga continues with a brace on his 21st birthday to bring some clinical edge to the side. A goal from Esteban Lepaul in the 66th minute made it a nervy ending for the faithful housed in Stade Bauer’s Tribune Rino Della Negra.

A vital win comes in a vital week for Beye’s side, who travel to Parisian locals Paris 13 Athletico on Tuesday followed by a trip to promotion rivals Dunkerque on Saturday. 

Red Star’s win keeps them within 2 points of the top two, aided by some favourable results to keep the gap excruciatingly tight. The first of which was Versailles draw away at Cholet – a missed opportunity for Les Bleus to go clear at the top of the table before Marseille-based Martigues play on Monday evening against Le Mans. 

The Championnat National table as of 25th March 2023

In a similar fashion, Breton side Concarneau were held to a 1-1 draw against Villefranche, another goal coming late on in the game to deny another team pushing for promotion. 

With around eight games to play for most teams, the top five is separated by only two points. There are no play-off places on offer this season due to a league restructuring, which means from now until the end of the season it is a straight shoot-out for promotion to the fully-professional Ligue 2.

GFFN | George Boxall

Dunkerque were staring down the barrel of a 2-1 defeat to Villefranche when Rayan Ghrieb equalised in the third minute of injury time with a low finish. It got even better for Les Maritimes in the 96th minute when Yannick M’Bone rose highest from a free-kick to put the home side ahead and send the Stade Marcel-Tribut into delirium. 

It was a win for the Seasiders which pushed Habib Beye’s Red Star FC down to fifth. Les Audoniens went ahead against Bourg-en-Bresse through a low finish from captain Chieck N’Doye in the second half, but some suspect defending from a corner in the 74th minute saw the home side equalise, as L’Étoile Rouge miss yet another opportunity to build momentum. They now remain four points from second place with a game in hand.

Red Star will, however, be thankful that FC Versailles did not take advantage on Monday evening against Le Mans, the pair playing out a 0-0 draw at the Stade Marie-Marvingt.

The FFF Championnat National as 20th March 2023

Note: only the top two teams are promoted with no play-off places due to a league restructuring. 

Meanwhile Martigues continued their surprise push for double promotion as league leaders thanks to goals from Yanis Zouaoui, Mohamed Mara, with former Marseille and Real Betis man Foued Kadir getting on the scoresheet in injury time to breeze past 10th-placed Avranches (3-0). The side hailing from the suburbs of Marseille are still only one point clear at the top of the table with 44 points. 

After their major slip-up last week against Châteauroux (4-2) Concarneau managed to edge past Saint-Brieuc (1-0) in a Breton derby which saw the away side go down to ten men, with the home side scoring a vital penalty through Antoine Rabillard in the 17th minute as they edge closer to Versailles with a game in hand. 

GFFN | George Boxall

Meanwhile, Concarneau headed into the game in that vital promotion spot and in second place, but were beaten convincingly away to Châteauroux (4-2), the club PSG faced in the round of 64 in the Coupe de France earlier this season. 

Even top-of the-table Martigues were losing to Paris 13 before managing to level at 2-2 at Les Gobelin’s Stade Boutroux (which on a completely irrelevant note is soon to be named Stade Pélé). 

This saw the dark horse of the evening appear in the form of Dunkerque, who convincingly breezed past Breton side Stade Briochin (0-3) to quietly announce their candidature for promotion. With no clear favourite for promotion it is timely that another team should join the race. 

Thus, all eyes turn to Stade Jean-Bouin on Monday as Versailles look to take advantage of an opportunity to retake first place in the table against Corsican side Bastia-Borgo. The race for Ligue 2 continues…

The FFF Championnat National table as of 11th March 2023

GFFN | George Boxall

Parisian-suburban side Red Star FC travelled to league leaders Martigues (0-2) and earned a vital win to open up the possibility of promotion, going within two points of first place with a game in hand. With just eleven rounds of the championship to be played, the race to secure promotion to Ligue 2 is heating up to extreme temperatures, with only two points separating the current top four. 

A small huddle of Red Star fans made the 1500km round trip from Paris down south to the suburbs of Marseille on Monday evening to watch Habib Beye’s side claim the 2-0 win thanks to goals from Damien Durand and Kémo Cissé which saw the Audoniens climb into fourth place, but more importantly squeezing the gap on the top three.

The FFF Championnat National table as of 6th March 2023

Despite defeat to Red Star, surprise league leaders in Martigues (who were newly promoted from National 2 last season) still retain a slender one-point lead at the top of the table, whilst Concarneau are level on 39 points with FC Versailles. However, the Breton side posses a game in hand, as do Red Star, over the other two sides in the race. 

The games will come thick and fast for the four promotion candidates as the league resumes action on Friday evening, with Martigues travelling to the capital to face Paris 13 whilst Concarneau travel to PSG’s Coupe de France round of 64 opponents Châteauroux. Red Star will be on home soil at Stade Bauer to face 15th-placed Le Puy before Versailles host Corsican side Bastia-Borgo on Monday evening at Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris. 

GFFN | George Boxall