The 2022-23 campaign delivered a heartbreaking end to an era for Auxerre (L'AJA) as they finished 17th in Ligue 1, resulting in instant relegation back to the second tier after just one season up. This year, their first back in the top flight since 2012, was defined by a brutal, unforgiving relegation battle in which four teams were relegated. Despite the mid-season arrival of manager Christophe Pélissier, who sparked a defiant revival that included a six-match unbeaten run, the club ultimately fell short. Leading the attack was M'Baye Niang, whose 6 league goals proved insufficient as L'AJA's fate was cruelly sealed on the final day, missing out on safety by a single point in a painful, defining chapter of the club's modern history.