2002–03 AJ Auxerre season

The 2002–03 season was the 97th season in the existence of AJ Auxerre and the club's 23rd consecutive season in the top-flight of French football. In addition to the domestic league, Auxerre participated in this season's editions of the Coupe de France, the Coupe de la Ligue, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup.

Auxerre

2002–03 season
Before Auxerre's game against Arsenal, October 2, 2002
President	Jean-Claude Hamel
Head coach	Guy Roux
Stadium	Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps
Ligue 1	6th
Coupe de France	Winners
Coupe de la Ligue	Round of 16
Champions League	First group stage
UEFA Cup	Fourth round
Top goalscorer	League: Djibril Cisse (14) All: Djibril Cisse (21)
Average home league attendance	10,974

Season summary

Auxerre missed out on only a second-ever league title by four points, finishing in sixth to qualify for the UEFA Cup. They were also knocked out of the Champions League in the first group stage, finishing behind Arsenal and Dortmund, and the UEFA Cup in the fourth round by Liverpool. Compensation came in the form of winning the Coupe de France.

First team squad

Squad at end of season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	FRA	Fabien Cool
2	DF	FRA	Johan Radet
3	DF	FRA	Jean-Sébastien Jaurès
4	DF	CMR	Jean-Alain Boumsong
5	DF	FRA	Philippe Mexès
6	MF	TOG	Kuami Agboh
7	MF	SEN	Amdy Faye
8	MF	FRA	Yann Lachuer
9	FW	FRA	Djibril Cissé
10	MF	FIN	Teemu Tainio
11	MF	SEN	Khalilou Fadiga
13	DF	SUI	Stéphane Grichting
14	MF	FRA	David Vandenbossche
16	GK	FRA	Sébastien Hamel
18	MF	FRA	Lionel Mathis
19	MF	FRA	Nicolas Marin
20	MF	FRA	Arnaud Gonzalez
21	FW	ZIM	Benjani Mwaruwari
23	FW	FRA	Olivier Kapo
24	MF	FRA	Pierre Deblock

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
25	DF	FRA	David Recorbet
26	DF	FRA	Jean-Joël Perrier-Doumbé
27	MF	FRA	Pantxi Sirieix
28	FW	FRA	Romain Poyet
29	DF	FRA	Joseph Assati
30	GK	FRA	Baptiste Chabert
31	MF	FRA	Hassan Yebda
32	MF	CIV	Kanga Akalé
33	MF	FRA	Jean-Pascal Mignot
34	FW	FRA	Benoit Leroy
35	DF	FRA	Richard Suriano
37	MF	FRA	Ferdinand Bitangane
38	MF	FRA	Sebastien Cochet
39	FW	FRA	Rafik Djebbour
40	MF	FRA	Kevin Lejeune
41	MF	FRA	Baptiste Llop
42	MF	FRA	Julien Petitjean
43	DF	FRA	Guillaume Legacheur
44	GK	FRA	Christophe Langlois

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
15	DF	FRA	Frédéric Jay (on loan to Rennes)
17	FW	POR	Hélder Esteves (on to Créteil)

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
22	FW	FRA	Pedro Kamata (on loan to Clermont Foot)

Competitions

Overall record

Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Record
					Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Ligue 1	3 August 2002	24 May 2003	Matchday 1	6th	38	18	10	10	38	29	+9	047.37
Coupe de France	4 January 2003	31 May 2003	Round of 64	Winners	6	5	1	0	12	4	+8	083.33
Coupe de la Ligue	8 December 2002		Round of 32	Round of 32	1	0	0	1	0	1	−1	000.00
Champions League	13 August 2002	12 November 2002	Third qualifying round	First group stage	8	3	2	3	5	7	−2	037.50
UEFA Cup	28 November 2002	27 February 2003	Third round	Fourth round	4	1	0	3	2	4	−2	025.00
Total					57	27	13	17	57	45	+12	047.37

Source: Competitions

Ligue 1

Main article: 2002–03 Ligue 1

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
4	Bordeaux	38	18	10	10	57	36	+21	64	Qualification to UEFA Cup first round
5	Sochaux	38	17	13	8	46	31	+15	64
6	Auxerre	38	18	10	10	38	29	+9	64
7	Guingamp	38	19	5	14	59	46	+13	62	Qualification to Intertoto Cup third round
8	Lens	38	14	15	9	43	31	+12	57	Qualification to UEFA Cup qualifying round

Source: Ligue 1
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:

Results summary

Overall								Home						Away
Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
38	18	10	10	38	29	+9	64	11	5	3	19	8	+11	7	5	7	19	21	−2

Source:

Results by round

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38
Ground	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	A	H
Result	L	W	W	W	D	W	D	W	W	D	L	W	L	L	L	W	W	D	D	D	W	W	D	L	W	W	L	L	L	D	D	W	L	W	W	D	W	W
Position	16	9	4	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	7	4	7	8	10	9	6	6	7	7	7	5	4	6	5	3	4	7	7	9	9	9	8	6	6	6	6	6

Source:
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

Paris Saint-Germain v Auxerre

3 August 2002 1	Paris Saint-Germain	1–0	Auxerre	Paris
20:00				Stadium: Parc des Princes

Auxerre v Montpellier

8 August 2002 2	Auxerre	2–0	Montpellier	Auxerre
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Troyes v Auxerre

17 August 2002 3	Troyes	1–2	Auxerre	Troyes
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Aube

Auxerre v Guingamp

24 August 2002 4	Auxerre	2–1	Guingamp	Auxerre
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Marseille v Auxerre

1 September 2002 5	Marseille	0–0	Auxerre	Marseille
20:45				Stadium: Stade Vélodrome

Auxerre v Bastia

11 September 2002 6	Auxerre	1–0	Bastia	Auxerre
20:30				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Sochaux v Auxerre

14 September 2002 7	Sochaux	1–1	Auxerre	Montbéliard
20:00				Stadium: Stade Auguste Bonal

Nantes v Auxerre

28 September 2002 9	Nantes	1–4	Auxerre	Nantes
17:15				Stadium: Stade de la Beaujoire

Auxerre v Monaco

6 October 2002 10	Auxerre	1–1	Monaco	Auxerre
18:15				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Lyon v Auxerre

19 October 2002 11	Lyon	3–0	Auxerre	Lyon
17:15				Stadium: Stade de Gerland

Auxerre v Rennes

26 October 2002 12	Auxerre	1–0	Rennes	Auxerre
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Lens v Auxerre

2 November 2002 13	Lens	3–1	Auxerre	Lens
20:00				Stadium: Stade Félix Bollaert

Ajaccio v Auxerre

7 November 2002 14	Ajaccio	1–0	Auxerre	Ajaccio
20:00				Stadium: Stade François Coty

Auxerre v Nice

16 November 2002 15	Auxerre	0–2	Nice	Auxerre
17:30				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Le Havre v Auxerre

23 November 2002 16	Le Havre	0–1	Auxerre	Le Havre
20:00				Stadium: Stade Jules Deschaseaux

Auxerre v Bordeaux

1 December 2002 17	Auxerre	1–0	Bordeaux	Auxerre
20:45				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Lille v Auxerre

4 December 2002 18	Lille	2–2	Auxerre	Lille
20:30				Stadium: Stade Grimonprez-Jooris

Auxerre v Strasbourg

15 December 2002 19	Auxerre	0–0	Strasbourg	Auxerre
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Auxerre v Troyes

11 January 2003 21	Auxerre	1–0	Troyes	Auxerre
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Guingamp v Auxerre

15 January 2003 22	Guingamp	0–2	Auxerre	Guingamp
20:30				Stadium: Stade de Roudourou

Montpellier v Auxerre

18 January 2003 20	Montpellier	0–0	Auxerre	Montpellier
19:00				Stadium: Stade de la Mosson

Auxerre v Marseille

21 January 2003 23	Auxerre	0–0	Marseille	Auxerre
20:45				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Bastia v Auxerre

29 January 2003 24	Bastia	2–0	Auxerre	Furiani
20:30				Stadium: Stade Armand Cesari

Auxerre v Sochaux

1 February 2003 25	Auxerre	2–0	Sochaux	Auxerre
17:15				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Sedan v Auxerre

5 February 2003 26	Sedan	1–2	Auxerre	Sedan
18:00				Stadium: Stade Louis Dugauguez

Auxerre v Nantes

9 February 2003 27	Auxerre	0–1	Nantes	Auxerre
20:45				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Monaco v Auxerre

23 February 2003 28	Monaco	3–1	Auxerre	Monaco
20:45				Stadium: Stade Louis II

Auxerre v Lyon

2 March 2003 29	Auxerre	1–2	Lyon	Auxerre
20:45				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Rennes v Auxerre

8 March 2003 30	Rennes	0–0	Auxerre	Rennes
17:15				Stadium: Stade de la Route de Lorient

Auxerre v Lens

22 March 2003 31	Auxerre	0–0	Lens	Auxerre
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Auxerre v Ajaccio

5 April 2003 32	Auxerre	1–0	Ajaccio	Auxerre
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Auxerre v Sedan

8 April 2003 8	Auxerre	3–1	Sedan	Auxerre
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Nice v Auxerre

12 April 2003 33	Nice	1–0	Auxerre	Nice
20:00				Stadium: Stade du Ray

Auxerre v Le Havre

19 April 2003 34	Auxerre	1–0	Le Havre	Auxerre
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Bordeaux v Auxerre

3 May 2003 35	Bordeaux	0–1	Auxerre	Bordeaux
20:00				Stadium: Stade Chaban-Delmas

Auxerre v Lille

10 May 2003 36	Auxerre	0–0	Lille	Auxerre
20:00				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Strasbourg v Auxerre

20 May 2003 37	Strasbourg	1–2	Auxerre	Strasbourg
20:30				Stadium: Stade de la Meinau

Auxerre v Paris Saint-Germain

24 May 2003 38	Auxerre	2–0	Paris Saint-Germain	Auxerre
20:30				Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps

Coupe de France

Main article: 2002–03 Coupe de France

Caen v Auxerre

4 January 2003 Round of 64	Caen	1–2	Auxerre	Caen
				Stadium: Stade Michel d'Ornano

Amnéville v Auxerre

25 January 2003 Round of 32	Amnéville	0–3	Auxerre	Amnéville
				Stadium: Stade Municipal

Bourg-en-Bresse v Auxerre

15 February 2003 Round of 16	Bourg-en-Bresse	1–3	Auxerre	Lyon
				Stadium: Stade de Gerland

Angoulême v Auxerre

16 March 2003 Quarter-finals	Angoulême	0–0 (2–4 p)	Auxerre	Poitiers
				Stadium: Stade de la Pépinière

Auxerre v Rennes

26 April 2003 Semi-finals	Auxerre	2–1	Rennes	Auxerre
	Cissé 42', 90'		Sorlin 63'	Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé Deschamps

Paris Saint-Germain v Auxerre

31 May 2003 Final	Paris Saint-Germain	1–2	Auxerre	Saint-Denis
	Hugo Leal 21'		Cissé 76' Boumsong 89'	Stadium: Stade de France Attendance: 78,000 Referee: Bertrand Layec

Coupe de la Ligue

Main article: 2002–03 Coupe de la Ligue

Monaco v Auxerre

8 December 2002 Round of 32	Monaco	1–0	Auxerre	Monaco
				Stadium: Stade Louis II

Champions League

Main article: 2002–03 UEFA Champions League

Third qualifying round

Boavista v Auxerre

13 August 2002 First leg	Boavista	0–1	Auxerre	Porto, Portugal
22:00		Report	Cissé 71'	Stadium: Estádio do Bessa Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Valentin Ivanov (Russia)

Auxerre v Boavista

28 August 2002 Second leg	Auxerre	0–0 (1–0 agg.)	Boavista	Auxerre, France
20:30		Report		Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps Attendance: 14,500 Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy)

First group stage

Main article: 2002–03 UEFA Champions League group stage § Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Arsenal	6	3	1	2	9	4	+5	10	Advance to second group stage
2	Borussia Dortmund	6	3	1	2	8	7	+1	10
3	Auxerre	6	2	1	3	4	7	−3	7	Transfer to UEFA Cup
4	PSV Eindhoven	6	1	3	2	5	8	−3	6

Source: RSSSF

Auxerre v PSV Eindhoven

17 September 2002 1	Auxerre	0–0	PSV Eindhoven	Auxerre, France
20:45		Report		Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps Attendance: 11,902 Referee: Alfredo Trentalange (Italy)

Borussia Dortmund v Auxerre

25 September 2002 2	Borussia Dortmund	2–1	Auxerre	Dortmund, Germany
20:45	Koller 6' Amoroso 78'	Report	Benjani 83'	Stadium: Westfalenstadion Attendance: 46,500 Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway)

Auxerre v Arsenal

2 October 2002 3	Auxerre	0–1	Arsenal	Auxerre, France
20:45		Report	Gilberto Silva 48'	Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps Attendance: 19,454 Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

Arsenal v Auxerre

22 October 2002 4	Arsenal	1–2	Auxerre	London, England
20:45	Kanu 53'	Report	Kapo 8' Fadiga 27'	Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 35,302 Referee: Domenico Messina (Italy)

PSV Eindhoven v Auxerre

30 October 2002 5	PSV Eindhoven	3–0	Auxerre	Eindhoven, Netherlands
20:45	Bruggink 34' Rommedahl 48' Robben 64'	Report		Stadium: Philips Stadion Attendance: 27,500 Referee: Knud Erik Fisker (Denmark)

Auxerre v Borussia Dortmund

12 November 2002 6	Auxerre	1–0	Borussia Dortmund	Auxerre, France
20:45	Benjani 76'	Report		Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps Attendance: 16,959 Referee: Sorin Corpodean (Romania)

UEFA Cup

Main article: 2002–03 UEFA Cup

Third round

Real Betis v Auxerre

28 November 2002 First leg	Real Betis	1–0	Auxerre	Seville, Spain
21:30	Alfonso 10' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Estadio Manuel Ruíz de Lopera Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Helmut Fleischer (Germany)

Auxerre v Real Betis

12 December 2002 Second leg	Auxerre	2–0 (2–1 agg.)	Real Betis	Auxerre, France
19:30	Tainio 19' Lachuer 48'	*http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2002/matches/round=1628/match=70400/index.html		Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps Attendance: 12,000 Referee: Stuart Dougal (Scotland)

Fourth round

Auxerre v Liverpool

20 February 2003 First leg	Auxerre	0–1	Liverpool	Auxerre, France
20:45		Report	Hyypiä 72'	Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps Attendance: 20,452 Referee: Massimo De Santis (Italy)

Liverpool v Auxerre

27 February 2003 Second leg	Liverpool	2–0 (3–0 agg.)	Auxerre	Liverpool, England
21:05	Owen 66' Murphy 72'	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 34,252 Referee: Antonio López Nieto (Spain)

Transfers

In

Date	Pos.	Name	From	Fee	Source

Out

Date	Pos.	Name	To	Fee	Source

Loans in

Start	Pos.	Name	From	Expiry	Source

Loans out

Start	Pos.	Name	To	Expiry	Source