FC Annecy secured an important Alpine derby victory against Grenoble (2-1) on Friday, September 4th, a win that lifts the club to second place in the Ligue 2 table with 10 points. This success caps a busy week for the club, marked by player movements and transfer rumors.

GF38 manager Olivier Frapolli expressed frustration with referee Gaël Angoula's decisions after his team's loss. While acknowledging Annecy's merits, Frapolli highlighted a specific incident just before the visitors' second goal. "Before Annecy's goal, there's an uncontrolled charge from Rambaud on Clément (Vidal)," the Grenoble coach said. "For me, it's a clear foul."

Frapolli refused to blame the defeat solely on officiating but felt several key decisions went against his team. This stoppage-time loss is especially bitter for Grenoble, who had just recorded a big win at Laval (3-0). For Annecy, the result confirms positive momentum and keeps them just two points behind leaders Saint-Étienne.

Young attacking midfielder Prince Nkongue Tiki from the national U17s has left for AS Monaco's academy. This move follows shortly after that of Quentin Paris, who left for Reims in June without a transfer fee. The Haute-Savoie club is still paying the price for not having its own training center, which is scheduled to open in summer 2027.

Without the structure to protect its youth players with contracts, Annecy regularly sees its talents approached by bigger clubs. Despite interest from partner club Aston Villa, Nkongue Tiki's family chose Monaco, where the player signed a two-year aspirant contract. The younger brother of Joss, a former Annecy youth player, will feature for Monaco's national U17 side.

For Annecy, the expected starting eleven was: Escales, Delphis, Veillon, Drouhin, Kouadio, Mozie, Kashi, Venot, Young, Sahi Dion, Billemaz. This blueprint matched the momentum of a team that has scored 7 goals and conceded 5 this season, for a +2 goal difference.

On the Grenoble side, the anticipated formation was Olliero, Zahui, Vidal, Sarikaya, Xantippe, Bernadou, Magnin, Diba, Akpa-Akpro, Fofana, Mouazan. This derby, the first of the season for both Alpine clubs, was highly anticipated given their contrasting early-season paths. Fans can check upcoming fixtures on our fixtures page.

FC Annecy is interested in striker Fares Bousnina, currently at Bologna U20. The 20-year-old player, a Nice academy product, moved to Italy in August 2025 for around €300,000 and his contract runs until June 2027. His current market value is estimated at €100,000.

Bousnina has yet to play for Bologna's Primavera side this season. A return to France in Ligue 2 could offer him more playing prospects. Born in La Seyne-sur-Mer, he is eligible to represent Tunisia or France. Annecy, firmly placed near the top of the standings, could see him as an attacking reinforcement for the rest of the campaign.

The win at Grenoble allows FC Annecy to solidify an excellent start to the season. The club sits in second place with 10 points, from three wins, one draw, and just one loss. Their recent form is WDLWW, showing good consistency.

The team has scored 7 goals and conceded 5, displaying a solid defense. The next challenge is an away trip to Guingamp, 12th in the table, scheduled for September 12, 2026. Full details on individual performances are available on our stats page.