On January 3, Youcef Atal was sentenced to an eight-month suspended prison sentence for incitement to racial hatred. The right-back had shared on social media a video of a preacher calling for “A black day for the Jews”.
Suspended by OGC Nice, the native of Boghni, in the wilaya of Tizi Ouzou, then joined Adana Demirspor, in Turkey. With this club, the Algerian international played 17 matches, all competitions combined (two goals and three assists). According to Foot Mercatohe could quickly return to Ligue 1.
Atal, a controversial player back in L1?
Indeed, Youcef Atal would have found an agreement with Olympique de Marseille on the basis of a one-year contract plus an additional year as an option. He could thus come to replace Jonathan Clauss, a player currently courted by OGC Nice, if the latter were to leave the Phocaean city.
“With everything that has happened, it is very complicated to imagine a return to France, even if you should never say never. I would like to taste the future in La Liga or the Premier League, we will see”declared Youcef Atal last March, during an interview given to So Foot.
The latter appealed the decision of the Nice Criminal Court.
