Carl Medjani

Carl Medjani was born on the 15^th May 1985 in Lyon, France. He is an Algerian international football player. He is currently playing the role of a defender for the club, Valenciennes FC on loan contract from AS Monaco FC. He is also a member of the Algerian national team.

source of picture: www.sportsmafia.info

Club Career

After spending his youth career with St Etienne, he was signed by Liverpool in august 2003 by the manager of the club, Gerard Houllier. He was sent on a loan contract to play for Lorient by the new manager of the club, Rafael Benitez. He played the total of 25 matches for the club. Though he played many games for the club, the coach believed he has not gained much experience and then sent him on a loan contract to Metz in the 2005/06 season. While he was with Metz, he played the total of n23 matches for the club that was struggling as the team was finally relegated from the Ligue 1.

At the beginning of the 2006/07 season, he went on to join Lorient on a permanent deal. The first season he had with the club was subdued with injuries and he played just nine matches for the club.

In the 2007/08 season, Carl Medjani left the club to Ajaccio in the ligue 2. He played his first game for the club in the opening match of the season that was played against Dijon and the match finished 1-1 draw. He scored his first goal for the club against the same team in  the second leg match as the match also finished 1-1 draw and that was the last game of the season. Carl Medjani played the total of 35 matches for the club in that season. He signed a permanent deal eith the club in the 2008/09 season on a three-year deal. He made a quick impact on the team when he scored his first goal for the club in the second round of the Coupe de la Ligue as his club lost the match 4-2 to Montpellier. He scored his first league goal for the club in the match that finished 3-1 against Strasbourg. In the first permanent season he spent with the club, he played the total of 37 matches for them.

In the following season and the world cup, Carl Medjani was in contact with Nantes in the Ligue 2. Not minding the speculation of a possible move to the club, he played the total of 41 games for the club in that season and scored two goals for the club in all competition and his club gained promotion to the Ligue 1.

Though his club finished runner-up in the Ligue 2, leading to the promotion into the Ligue 1, Medjani had another two-year deal extension with the club and that was the deal that was meant to keep him with the club till the year 2013. In the 2011/12 season, Carl Medjani maintained his first team position with the club, either playing in the center back or playing the role of a defensive midfielder for the club. In that season, he scored his first goal in the match that was played against PSG on the 16^th October 2011 and the game finished 3-1 in favor of PSG. He scored his second goal for the club in that season in the match that was played against St Etienne and the game finished 1-1 draw.

In January 2013, before the transfer window, he joined Monaco on a 3 ½ year deal from Ajaccio. Since he played his first match for the club, he had played the total of 15 straight matches for the club towards the end of the season as Monaco gained promotion to the Ligue 1.

After the team was promoted to the Ligue 1, the coach of the club, Claudio Ranieri told him that the team will be limited with the spending of the club.

In July 2013, Carl Medjani was sent on a loan deal to Olympiacos from Monaco until 1^st January 2014. After an unsatisfied 6 months with the club, he returned to his club. He played the total of 8 matches for the club in all competition.

When he got back to his club in France, he was sent on a loan to Valenciennes till the end of the season. As he was going to the club, he said that he was ready to make an impact to the team and keep his international career alive for the 2014 World Cup.

International Career

 Carl Medjani was the captain of the U-21 French national team in the 2006 Toulon Tournament. Meanwhile as he is from Algeria, he switched his football services to his country of origin. He was called by the coach of the national team, Rabah Saadane t the preliminary squad of the national team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.