Abakar Sylla explains his decision to join FC Nantes in France's Ligue 1

The Ivorian defender was officially presented on Wednesday 11 February, a few days after arriving on loan from Strasbourg.

Responding to questions from the press, Abakar Sylla discussed the motivations behind his decision to join FC Nantes. The 23-year-old Ivorian, who played his first minutes against Lyon at the end of the Ligue 1 match at La Beaujoire, says he is aware of the difficult period Nantes is going through, currently second from bottom in the French league table. But for him, football is also about ups and downs.

"I had a very good conversation with the coach when he told me about his sporting project. He told me what it could bring me individually and, in return, what I could bring to the team. I found it very concrete. I immediately felt part of the project.

I'm not afraid to join a team that's in big trouble. In football, you can have moments like that, but you can also have better moments. I hope that things will turn around very soon," says Abakar Sylla.