Montpellier defender Nicolas Cozza has described summer signing, Mamadou Sakho as the pillar of his team.
The praise is coming despite a summer of upheaval. Montpellier are currently 7th on the Ligue 1 table, 9 points behind Olympique Marseille, occupying the second spot on the log behind Paris Sainte-Germain.
Amid an impressive season, Sakho’s defending partner praised him for lifting the side. He said he is at the heart of a renaissance on the south coast.
The club suffered a double blow in the summer when they had to let go of attackers Gaëtan Laborde and Andy Delort to Rennes and Nice respectively.
This left the responsibilities in the hands of Téji Savanier, Stephy Mavididi, and Florent Mollet, who all have carried the candle for Montpellier so far this term.
However, Sakho has impressed many at the club, not least his central defensive partner Nicolas Cozza.
Sakho is having his best football moment and currently enjoys some of the best forms of his career. This is coming after an injury-laden spell at Premier League club Crystal Palace.
His choice to return to Ligue 1 is paying dividends by helping his team climb into seventh place. This put them firmly in the mix for European qualification next season
Cozza describes the central defender as a true leader said he is vocal in the changing room and lifts each team member.
While noting that Sakho is the boss defensively, Cozza pointed out that he always gives advice and guides in games. Being a player full of confidence, he noted that he is indeed the pillar of the team.
Montpellier suffered a defeat against Saint-Étienne on Saturday, but have god defensive record already this season so far. As a team that have shown more defensive solidity, they have only conceded 33 goals conceded and scored 38 after 23 matches this season.
In comparing this to the same stage last season, Montpellier had conceded 42 goals and a deficit of 7 goal difference.
Thus, it can be said that Sakho’s presence has been a major factor in the turnaround of the club’s fortunes.
Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed
