En Avant Guingamp recently found itself at the center of a media "bad buzz" after its video analyst, Mattéo Leuranguer, participated in a first-team training session. This situation, amplified by So Foot and social media, fueled unfounded rumors about a player shortage within the Breton club.

On April 22nd, Le Télégramme initially reported that Mattéo Leuranguer had put on his boots alongside Sylvain Ripoll's players. While this information was innocuous, its re-publication by other media outlets created a frenzy, suggesting an exceptional situation for the Guingamp club.

A week after this incident, Mattéo Leuranguer sought to clarify the situation. He explained that his participation in training sessions is a common practice in professional clubs. "It's something that regularly happens in professional clubs. It's not exceptional," he stated.

The EAG video analyst specified that he occasionally fills in for the squad, often for short sequences. For example, he might participate for about ten minutes to provide numerical superiority in a ball retention exercise, a common tactical drill for the Guingamp team.

In rarer cases, such as on April 22nd when Eden Gassama had to leave training prematurely due to an injury, Mattéo Leuranguer's participation might extend to an opposition game at the end of the session. However, he emphasized the exceptional nature of these prolonged situations.

This practice is not new for Mattéo Leuranguer, who has been familiar with it for two seasons, ever since his arrival with En Avant Guingamp's professional squad. He also plays for RC Ploumagoar in R2, giving him a certain familiarity with the pitch. The media frenzy was therefore unwarranted.