Alejandro Garnacho
Alejandro Garnacho was an unused substitute in Aston Villa's draw with Brentford(Image: Jose Luis Contreras/NurPhoto)
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Chelsea loanee Dario Essugo scored his first goal for Strasbourg on Sunday in a 2-1 defeat away at Nice.
Essugo netted the opening goal in the south of France with a fantastic strike from around 25 yards out but Nice ended up turning the game around to win 2-1 in Ligue 1. The 21-year-old midfielder, who was allowed to leave the Blues on a season-long loan deal in the summer, made his first league start for Strasbourg and capped it off with a beautifully taken goal 41 minutes in.
After the game, Get French Football News asked the Portuguese midfielder about the significance of his loan spell and the impact it will have on his long-term future with Chelsea, but he was a closed book with his response.
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"I want to play but not to show [anything] to anyone else," said Essugo, who signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2025 from Sporting CP. "I just want to focus on myself and help Strasbourg to improve and win games."
Strasbourg head coach Hugo Oliveira put his faith in Essugo on Sunday and it paid off. Essugo was very complimentary when speaking about his compatriot and the freedom he allows him to play with.
Essugo said: "He wants me to be myself. He wants me to play as more of a No.8, and that's good for me because I can get in the box more. It's a new thing for me, but I can drive the ball more and help the team in defence."
Dario Essugo celebrates
Dario Essugo celebrates scoring his first Strasbourg goal(Image: Philippe Lecoeur/Icon Sport)
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Elsewhere, fellow Chelsea loanees Filip Jorgensen and Genesis Antwi also featured for Strasbourg in the defeat at the Allianz Riviera, both completing the full 90 minutes.
In Spain, Mamadou Sarr starred for Real Sociedad in their 3-2 win over Deportivo La Coruna. It was the 21-year-old defender's third league start of the season for La Real - but his first since September 13 - and he looked typically aggressive, while also remaining composed while in possession.
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Benoit Badiashile, meanwhile, made his first start for Napoli in their 3-0 victory over Frosinone on Saturday. The Frenchman, who the Naples-based club have an option to buy for £23million next summer, has been a bit-part player under Massimiliano Allegri thus far but an assured 90 minutes over the weekend could prove a boost to Chelsea who want to sell the defender at the end of the season.
For Aston Villa, Alejandro Garnacho was an unused substitute - yet again - as Unai Emery's team were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Brentford. The 22-year-old winger is yet to start a Premier League fixture for Villa. In fact, the Argentine has not appeared in a top-flight game since his 15-minute cameo against Hull City on September 5.
There was some hope that Garnacho had turned a corner, so to speak, for Villa when the former Manchester United winger scored in a friendly against Sevilla over the international break. Garnacho completed 90 minutes in Seville but was not called upon by Emery this weekend when it mattered.
Fellow Chelsea loanee Ryan Kavuma-McQueen was, much to people's surprise, taken off at half-time in Portsmouth's derby defeat to Southampton on Sunday afternoon. The 17-year-old winger looked lively in the opening 45 minutes but Pompey boss John Mousinho decided to take him off at the break.
Explaining his decision, Mousinho said: "[It was] just a tactical one. Ryan's done absolutely brilliant for us.
"I just thought at times there was a different opportunity, particularly when the space would open up near to the box for Segecic.
"No issue whatsoever, just one of those decisions. Ryan's a very, very exciting young talent."
Also in the Championship, Dastan Satpayev made his return from injury to come on for Burnley in their 4-0 win away at Watford. Coming on for the final 20 minutes at Vicarage Road, the 18-year-old forward made his first appearance since September 2 after suffering a muscular injury.