# 1998–99 FC Metz season

The 1998–99 season was the 67th season in the existence of FC Metz and the club's 32nd consecutive season in the top-flight of French football. In addition to the domestic league, Metz participated in this season's editions of the Coupe de France, the Coupe de la Ligue, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup.

## Season summary

Last season, Metz had only been denied their first ever French title by goal difference. This season, however, the club endured humiliating exits from the Champions League and the UEFA Cup and dropped down to 10th in the final table. The closest the club came to glory was reaching the Coupe de la Ligue final, but they were defeated 1-0 by Lens.

## Players

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | FRA | Lionel Letizi |
| 2 | DF | FRA | Pascal Pierre |
| 3 | DF | FRA | Philippe Gaillot |
| 4 | DF | FRA | Sébastien Schemmel |
| 5 | DF | FRA | Sylvain Kastendeuch |
| 6 | FW | FRA | Christophe Horlaville |
| 7 | MF | FRA | Ludovic Asuar |
| 8 | MF | FRA | Franck Rizzetto |
| 9 | FW | YUG | Vladan Lukić |
| 10 | MF | FRA | Frédéric Meyrieu |
| 11 | FW | HUN | Mihály Tóth |
| 12 | MF | FRA | Grégory Proment |
| 13 | MF | FRA | Stéphane Rondelaere |
| 14 | DF | FRA | Geoffray Toyes |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 15 | FW | YUG | Nenad Jestrović |
| 16 | GK | FRA | André Biancarelli |
| 17 | MF | FRA | Franck Histilloles |
| 18 | DF | LUX | Jeff Strasser |
| 19 | MF | FRA | Stéphane Boulila |
| 20 | MF | FRA | Didier Neumann |
| 22 | FW | FRA | Younès Diani |
| 25 | MF | BEL | Danny Boffin |
| 26 | DF | USA | David Regis |
| 27 | FW | FRA | Jonathan Jäger |
| 28 | MF | BEL | Gunter van Handenhoven |
| 29 | MF | ALG | Nasreddine Kraouche |
| 30 | GK | FRA | Jonathan Joubert |
| 32 | DF | FRA | Sylvain Marchal |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 6 | MF | FRA | Christophe Le Grix (on loan to Lorient) |
| 21 | FW | FRA | Bruno Rodriguez (to PSG) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 24 | FW | FRA | Louis Saha (on loan to Newcastle United) |
| 31 | FW | TOG | Djima Oyawolé (on loan to ESTAC) |

## Competitions
### Overview

| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| French Division 1 | 7 August 1998 | 29 May 1999 | Matchday 1 | 10th | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 28 | 37 | −9 | 026.47 |
| Coupe de France | 23 January 1999 | 14 March 1999 | Round of 64 | Round of 16 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 066.67 |
| Coupe de la Ligue | 9 January 1999 | 8 May 1999 | Round of 32 | Runners-up | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 060.00 |
| UEFA Champions League | 12 August 1998 | 26 August 1998 | Second qualifying round | Second qualifying round | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 000.00 |
| UEFA Cup | 15 September 1998 | 29 September 1998 | First round | First round | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | +0 | 050.00 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 46 | 52 | −6 | 032.61 |
Source: Competitions

### Division 1
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 8 | Montpellier | 34 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 53 | 50 | +3 | 43 | Qualification to Intertoto Cup second round |
| 9 | Paris Saint-Germain | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 34 | 35 | −1 | 39 | |
| 10 | Metz | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 28 | 37 | −9 | 39 | Qualification to Intertoto Cup second round |
| 11 | Nancy | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 35 | 45 | −10 | 39 | |
| 12 | Strasbourg | 34 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 30 | 36 | −6 | 38 | |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 29 May 1999. Source: Competitive matches

#### Results by match

| Match | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | D | L | L | L | D | D | D | L | D | W | L | W | D | W | L | W | D | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | D | D | L | L | D | D | W | D | L | W |
| Position | 10 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 10 |

#### Matches

Source: