The 2024–25 season, is MC Alger's 56th season and the club's 21st consecutive season in the top flight of Algerian football. In addition to the domestic league, MC Alger are participating in the Algerian Cup, Super Cup and the Champions League. On June 27, 2024 The federal office approved the calendar for the 2024–25 Ligue 1 season with the aim of ending on May 31, 2025. The first round is scheduled for September 14, this delay is motivated both by an extended end of the 2023–24 season but also by the holding of early presidential elections which will take place on September 7, 2024.[1][2] However, the Ligue de Football Professionnel decided to postpone the start of the Ligue 1 by a week, on September 21.[3]
On June 17, 2024, RMC Sport announced Paris Saint-Germain’s denial regarding the partnership that was to be announced as having been signed with MC Alger. The latter announced a meeting between Fabien Delem, the senior executive director of Paris SG and the one responsible for commercial strategy in the Middle East and North Africa region. This meeting was organized by the Qatari telephone company Ooredoo, the official sponsor of the two teams.[4] On June 27, during the federal office meeting it was announced that the Super Cup, which had been absent since 2020.[5] On July 3, 2024, Ali La Pointe Stadium in Douera was officially inaugurated by the President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The stadium should host MC Alger matches from the start of the 2024–25 season.[6]
On July 7, MC Alger announced via its official Facebook page, the renewal of Patrice Beaumelle’s contract until 2025. The new contract provides for a salary increase and new objectives on the national and African level, namely the Ligue 1 champion title and at least the group stage of the CAF Champions League.[7][8] On July 15, Patrice Beaumelle responded positively to the request of players who want to benefit from a few extra days of rest before the start of the season, which promises to be long and exhausting with participation in four different competitions. Where did the technical staff decide to return to training on July 24.[9] On July 24, the owner of MC Alger Sonatrach has refused the resignation of the president of the CA Mohamed Hakim Hadj Redjem. In a press release published on the club's official Facebook page. Hachichi asked him to continue the Mouloudia sports project. The CEO of Sonatrach praised the efforts of the president who led the team to win the championship title last season.[10]
Following urgent requests from certain clubs, the Algerian Football Federation has decided to increase the number of foreign players in the Ligue 1.[11] After having formally passed through the technical college chaired by Rabah Saâdane, the FAF ratified the increase in the number of foreigners per club from 3 to 5. However, that there is a provision intended to serve as a safeguard for the license of a foreign player or coach to be validated, the club must pay the federation a deposit equivalent to 12 months salary.[11] This is to protect against any financial dispute.[11] MC Alger flew to France on July 27 to begin its training camp without its Algerian international Youcef Belaïli. The Oran native decided to skip training and not take part in the training camp that take place in Rennes, following the decision of the club's management not to extend the contract of Farès Belaïli, his brother.[12]
First-team transfers (summer transfer window)
On July 8, 2024, Zakaria Draoui has officially signed up with Mouloudia as the first summer recruit. Where he signed a contract for three seasons for an extraordinary monthly salary of 8 million DA, coming from Wydad AC, which terminated his contract with him.[13][14] On the same day, the 1.98' international Toufik Moussaoui, who spent a large part of his career at Paradou AC, signed a contract for three seasons and will be the first choice goalkeeper in front of Abdelatif Ramdane while Oussama Litim does not have the confidence of the coaching staff.[15] The next day, Ivorian striker Kipre Junior arrived in Algeria to sign his contract for four seasons, coming from the Tanzanian club Azam, and his discharge paper amounted to 230 thousand euros.[16][17] On July 21, after a long wait that lasted nearly a month, Khayreddine Merzougui was about to join the elite team. Merzougui met with Hadj Redjem to discuss continuing their joint adventure. As a result of these races, Merzougui will remain at MC Alger for an additional season, but this became possible after agreeing to make concessions on the financial level.[18]
On July 27, Mouloudia d'Alger signed a contract with Ivorian defender Serge Badjo for three seasons coming from FC d'Abobo, Badjo is therefore the fourth Mouloudean recruit since the start of the transfer window.[19] On July 28, MC Alger announced in an official press release that it had accepted the offer submitted by Espérance de Tunis for Youcef Belaïli. The leaders of Mouloudia decided to take this decision after the recent problems caused by Belaïli's entourage. After only one season with Mouloudia d'Alger, Belaïli decided to leave the Algerian Ligue 1 and return to Espérance.[20]
Squad list
Players and squad numbers last updated on 5 July 2024.[21][22] Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
In the qualifying rounds, each tie will be played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score will be tied after the second leg, the away goals rule was applied, and if still tied, extra time will not be played, and the penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the winner (Regulations III. 13 & 14). The draw for the qualifying rounds was held on 11 July 2024, 12:00 GMT (15:00 local time, UTC+3), at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.[31]
^MC Alger announced that the first leg match against Watanga played at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, after the agreement between the two sides.[32]
References
^"Ligue 1 Mobilis : Coup d'envoi de la saison 2024-2025 le 12 septembre prochain". Horizons (in French). M. F. 13 May 2024.
^"Ligue 1 : Le calendrier 2024/2025 présenté". DZfoot. 28 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
^"Ligue 1 : Le début de championnat encore décalé..." DZfoot. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
^"Ligue 1 : MCA-PSG, une rencontre ou un partenariat ?". DZfoot. 18 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
^"FAF : La Super Coupe d'Algérie est de retour". DZfoot. 29 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
^"Ligue 1 : Le stade Ali Ammar inauguré par Abdelmadjid Teboune". DZfoot. July 3, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
^"MCA: Beaumelle renouvelle son contrat (Officiel)". Competition. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
^"MCA : Beaumelle prolonge son contrat". DZfoot. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
^"MC Alger : Reprise des entraînements le 24 juillet". El Moudjahid. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
^"MCA: Sonatrach refuse la démission de Hadj Redjem". Competition. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
^ abc"Ligue 1 : Augmentation du nombre d'étranger par club". DZfoot. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
^"MCA : Le club part en France... sans Youcef Belaïli". DZfoot. 27 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
^"Info LGDF MCA : Zakaria Draoui signe un contrat record… et dépasse Belaili !". La Gazette du Fennec. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
^ ab"Mercato – Wydad Casablanca : Zakaria Draoui s'engage officiellement avec le Mouloudia". Africa Foot United. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
^ ab"MCA : Moussaoui et Draoui premières recrues". DZfoot. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
^ ab"MC Alger – Mercato – Azam FC : Kipré Zunon à Alger pour signer". Africa Foot United. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
^ ab"MCA: Kipré Jr au Mouloudia; c'est fait". Competition. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
^ ab"Merzougui prolonge en baissant son salaire". Planete Sport. 21 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
^ ab"MCA : Serge Anthony Badjo, quatrième recrue". DZfoot. 27 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
^ ab"Mercato : Belaïli quitte le MCA et s'engage avec l'Espérance". DZfoot. 28 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.