September 17, (THEWILL) – Benjamin Mendy made his long-awaited return to football on Sunday, coming on as a 70th-minute substitute for Lorient against Monaco in Ligue 1.
The game marked the 29-year-old’s first competitive appearance in over two years, after being acquitted of sex offence charges in England in July. Mendy, who joined Lorient on a two-year deal after his trial, replaced Igor Silva with the home side trailing league leaders Monaco 2-1. The ex-Manchester City defender helped Lorient snatch a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser through Romain Faivre to earn a 2-2 draw.
The result means Monaco remain top of Ligue 1, a point ahead of surprise package Brest, who came from behind to win 2-1 away at Reims. Marseille missed the chance to go level on points with Monaco after being held to a frustrating 0-0 home draw by Toulouse, greeted by jeers from the Velodrome crowd.
Mendy, who has 10 France caps and was part of their 2018 World Cup winning squad, last played competitively in August 2021 for Manchester City against Tottenham. His City contract expired in June after a three-year court process relating to multiple sexual offence charges.
The left-back consistently denied the allegations and his acquittal in July paved the way for a return to his home country with Lorient. Mendy will now hope his comeback appearance marks the end of his off-field troubles and the beginning of a new chapter in his career.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
