Julian ESTEBAN

“You have to call a spade a spade” confirmed Frédéric Antonetti, referring to Julian Esteban. When he arrived as Manager at Stade Rennais FC, the Corsican coach had already understood who Esteban was: Certainly, one of the unluckiest players ever to play for the Breton club. The Swiss centre-forward was rightly presented as a successor to Alexander Frei in the hearts of the supporters in Switzerland and in Rennes. In the winter transfer window of 2007, Pierre Dréossi gambled 2 Million Euros on this promising goalscorer. Clearly attracted by goalscoring, Esteban never got to properly show his ability in Brittany owing to serious injuries, and difficulties in settling down in his new environment. In an attack which had been bolstered in 2007 by the arrivals of Pagis, Wiltord and Emerson, he managed to get a place in the squad, and found the time to score one goal. The following week, he got injured again and was out for 8 months. After that, he was loaned out to the club that developed him in Switzerland for the 2009/2010 season, before eventually making his move to Servette permanent in the Summer of 2010.