The Albany Gazette - Angers sack Algerian Chetti after sexual assault conviction

The club said in a brief statement it took the decision to dismiss Chetti "taking into account the facts alleged and recognised by the latter".

The 28-year-old left-back received a four-month suspended sentence last month after admitting touching a woman in a nightclub on December 4.

The incident involving Chetti and the woman led directly to the resignation of Abdel Bouhazama after the then-Angers coach made inappropriate comments in support of the player.

"It's not that serious, we have all touched girls," Bouhazama told his players in a pre-match team talk, according to sources, to justify the inclusion of Chetti in the line-up.

Chetti joined Angers on a four-year deal in July 2022.

But he was used sparingly throughout the season and only appeared in six matches for the club.

Angers are bottom of Ligue 1 and the side from western France will be relegated from the top flight.

The club is also subject to a recruitment ban for the next two transfer window periods due to a dispute over Chetti's arrival last summer.

His former club, Tunisian giants Esperance, dispute the termination of his contract which had allowed him to join Angers.

The French club have appealed the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

(H.Schneide--BBZ)