Although they have yet to play their semi-finals, both the English and the Argentines were impressed by La Roja’s display against Les Bleus.
It’s bound to make an impression. Far from having been in inspired form since the start of the World Cup, Spain sent out a very strong message yesterday by outclassing France (2–0). Whilst Les Bleus were tipped as favourites to lift the trophy on 19 July, largely thanks to their formidable attack, La Roja rendered Kylian Mbappé and his team-mates completely harmless. A stellar performance that has not gone unnoticed amongst Spain’s potential future opponents in the final.
Starting with Argentina. Earlier in the evening, Luis de la Fuente revealed that he would like to take on the Albiceleste and his friend Lionel Scaloni on 19 July in New York. “I’m looking forward to facing Argentina because of my friendship with Lionel Scaloni, but I’d already warned that England were one of the most serious contenders for the final, and here they are now.” Speaking to the media just a few hours before the other semi-final between England and Argentina, Scaloni responded to his Spanish counterpart.
The tributes are unanimous
“I think the result is fair. Spain deserve to win. They’ve really done an excellent job. As I was saying, they just keep getting better and better. And today (yesterday), they put in their most complete performance of the World Cup. I’d like to congratulate them, because they won this match in style. I’m happy for him (de la Fuente, ed.). He deserves it. He’s a brilliant bloke. Everything we see in his team is what we hope to see in ours. If things don’t go well for us, I’ll give him a call. If we play against him in the final… no. Let’s hope there’s no need to call before the final is over.”
Finally, the Three Lions’ manager, Thomas Tuchel, was also blown away by Spain’s performance. “I only saw Spain’s first half and it was truly impressive. I congratulate them. The bigger the stage, the better they play. Look at the run they’ve had. It’s as if they can’t lose. What they’ve achieved is impressive. They’re playing under one banner – that of Spain. I only saw the first half. Congratulations, I pay tribute to them all.” Spain have definitely made their mark. AJA, Lassine Sinayoko: the unfulfilled promise that’s causing a stir!
AJA, Lassine Sinayoko: the unfulfilled promise that’s causing a stir!
Lassine Sinayoko, the hero of AJ Auxerre’s survival campaign last season, no longer intends to wear the club’s colours. The Malian international, who had agreed to extend his contract last summer under certain strict conditions, now feels let down by the club’s management. Faced with the club’s refusal to honour a written promise confirming his departure, the striker has decided to take a tougher stance.
After an exceptional season in which he scored 12 goals and provided 4 assists, Lassine Sinayoko established himself as the undisputed hero of AJ Auxerre’s survival in Ligue 1. His impressive form and selfless play on the pitch naturally caught the eye of numerous suitors across Europe at the start of the summer transfer window. But whilst the Malian international expected to take on a new challenge, backed by a written agreement negotiated with the club’s management last summer, the Auxerre club has decided to backtrack and go back on its word. Faced with these broken promises, the 26-year-old striker now feels deeply let down. Following the club’s refusal to honour its written commitment, the player has decided to take a radical step and has chosen not to return to training.
To understand Lassine Sinayoko’s frustration, one must appreciate his importance to the team. Last season, the striker was AJA’s true leader. An undisputed first-team regular who made 32 Ligue 1 appearances (placing him amongst the league’s 20 most-used players), he quite simply secured a place in the prestigious top 10 of the league’s most influential players. Beyond his statistics, Sinayoko is an all-round striker. Tireless in his efforts and always valuable when tracking back, the Malian international has often acted as his team’s first line of defence. In a season where AJA regularly struggled when not in possession, his unfailing commitment was unanimously praised within the club. Having arrived in the Yonne in 2017, he has now made 175 appearances for AJA (31 goals – 25 assists). With this record to his name, the time has well and truly come for the player to move on, especially as the story had already been written behind the scenes.
AJA’s U-turn has left Lassine Sinayoko reeling
Last year, Lassine Sinayoko came under intense pressure from AJA to extend his contract, as the club categorically refused to take the risk of letting him leave on a free transfer in 2026, whilst RC Lens were proving very persistent. After much hesitation, he eventually agreed to extend his contract by one further season (until 2027) with a firm promise that he would be able to leave this summer. To reassure the player, the president of the Auxerre club handed him a signed document to formalise this “promise”.
However, the situation has taken a completely farcical turn in recent days. An offer meeting all the conditions set by AJA was received by the Auxerre club within the stipulated timeframe. But against all expectations, AJA has decided to backtrack and is now refusing to honour its promise, claiming that the document signed a year earlier by the chairman was in fact of no legal validity. This breach of trust has left the player furious. Lassine Sinayoko now considers that trust with the club’s management has been irrevocably broken.
The striker has backed up his words with action, making it very clear to his manager and team-mates that he refuses to return to training and that he fully intends to assert his rights. The standoff is in full swing. The Malian international is no longer willing to be swayed by other temptations: he is determined to leave Auxerre in order to start a new chapter in his career. This explosive situation promises some very tense days ahead in the Yonne. It remains to be seen who will give in first in this unexpected clash. One thing is certain: the Malian international striker is determined.
