Djibril Sidibé Lasts 43 Seconds on Le Mans Debut Without Touching Ball

Djibril Sidibé’s Le Mans debut lasted 43 seconds after the former France international was sent off before managing to touch the ball.

The 34-year-old entered Sunday’s Ligue 1 match against Rennes in the 68th minute, replacing Lucas Calodat with the score level at 2-2.

His first involvement arrived almost immediately. Sidibé was late challenging Estéban Lepaul and caught the Rennes forward on the ankle with his studs, prompting referee Romain Lissorgue to show him a straight red card.

A VAR review found no reason to overturn the decision, leaving Sidibé to begin the short walk back towards the dressing room considerably sooner than Le Mans had planned.

It was not quite the experienced intervention expected from a player who joined the newly promoted club after leaving Toulouse this summer.

Sidibé arrived with a Ligue 1 title, a World Cup winner’s medal and more than a decade of senior football behind him. His opening contribution for Le Mans instead consisted of entering the pitch, committing one foul and leaving it again.

According to Opta, it was the fastest dismissal for a substitute in Ligue 1 across the previous 20 seasons. Sidibé broke the record held by Benjamin Mendy, who lasted 47 seconds after coming on for Marseille against Toulouse in 2015.

The red card was particularly costly because Le Mans had recovered from falling two goals behind. Louis Mafouta scored twice to bring the visitors level before Sidibé’s arrival reduced them to ten men.

They remained level until the sixth minute of stoppage time, when Lepaul—the player fouled by Sidibé—converted a penalty to give Rennes a 3-2 victory.

Sidibé therefore completed his first Le Mans appearance without recording a pass, shot, clearance or touch of the ball.

The club signed a World Cup winner to provide experience. It received 43 seconds of it.