A DIFFICULT YEAR

SERGE AURIER openly discusses what has been a tough year for him off the pitch following the death of his brother Christopher in July as well as talking about the on-the-pitch battle for the right-back slot.

- Liam Carson

Serge Aurier has been through unimaginable pain in 2020.

While the past year has been an unquestionably difficult one for the whole world with the battle against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, for Serge, it was all the more sombre and painful following the tragic loss of his brother Christopher in July.

“My brother was my first fan,” Serge wistfully smiled as he discussed the unexpected passing of his brother – one of the toughest periods of his life. “Whenever I played any game, he would always send me a message telling me that I had a good game or when I played badly, he didn’t care about the haters or what people said. He always gave me good energy. I lost my partner and now I have to live with that. It is not easy.

“It was a very, very difficult time for me and my family – we stayed a long time in a bad energy. Last season, I had that bad feeling and so, this year, I want to give everything for my family, especially for my mum because she has been in this painful period for a long time – the last five months. Whenever I play, I want to give good energy, to play well for me, for my family but also for my brother. When I am on the pitch, I give everything for the team. It is only then, when I am playing or when I am in training, that I can forget everything.”

Even in that distressing moment in his life though, with such sadness and heartache, Serge somehow found the strength to carry on through the grief. He immediately resumed his place in our starting XI for our next game – a 3-1 win over Newcastle United – and then didn’t miss a single minute for the rest of the season.