The 2023–24 season, is USM Alger's 46th season and the club's 29th consecutive season in the top flight of Algerian football. In addition to the domestic league, USM Alger are participating in this season's editions of the Algerian Cup and the CAF Confederation Cup. As the reigning Confederation Cup champions, USMA contested the CAF Super Cup.
Review Background This season is the very first time since 2010–11 without Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche, who announced his retirement after winning CAF Confederation Cup final, therefore leaving USM Alger after 18 years of his career, being the most caped player in club's history with 405 matches and having won 10 trophies altogether since his debut. On June 18, 2023 USM Alger which had been equipped by Kappa since 2020, signed with another Italian firm it is Macron. The club's management has signed a three-year contract with its new equipment supplier, which should offer it better material and financial endowment. on the same day USM Alger has just signed an agreement with Espérance de Bab El Oued, a second division women's team, to wear the red and black colors this season. Being in the obligation to have a women's team to be able to register in African competition this season with the last deadline June 20. The renewable agreement runs for one year from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.
On July 16, 2023, the President and General Manager of "Groupe SERPORT" Abdelkarim Harkati, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of USM Alger Company Sid Ahmed Arab, held a meeting in preparation for the challenges awaiting the club locally and continually. Ensuring that all financial capabilities are provided and studying the recruitment and demobilized file. During the meeting the position of general manager in the sports company was abolished and the position of sports manager was created. Therefore, Arab appointed Taoufik Korichi as the new sporting director and appointed the former general manager Reda Abdouche as an advisor of the president. On the same day, Abdelhak Benchikha stated that he remained in the club and that he started recruiting and that there were players who agreed with them to sign and others who renewed their contracts, as well as the agreement on the place of training and when he would start.
Pre-season The former sporting director of USM Alger Antar Yahya, won his case in the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being unfairly and illegally dismissed by the previous administration. The club is now obligated to pay all its compensation in addition to the late payment fine, amounting to 435 thousand euros or approximately 7 billion centems. USM Alger will carry out the inter-season internship, in Tunisia, more precisely in the city of Tabarka. It is with this in mind that the Rouge et Noir will begin their rally on August 17, which will last until September 2. The first friendly match was against CA Bizertin, where the team entered each half with a different line-up, and the match ended with a great victory for USMA with five goals scored by Fettouhi on two occasions, Benzaza, Ait El Hadj and Merili. On August 26, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has communicated the date of the course of CAF Super Cup final against Al Ahly the CAF Champions League champion. This match will take place on September 15 at the King Fahd Sports City in Taif, Saudi Arabia. On August 7, 2023, the club sportif amateur (CSA) submitted a notice to deposit a new mark to the Institut national algérien de la propriété industrielle (INAPI) to change the club’s logo and remove the symbol of the city of Algiers from the logo in accordance with the decision issued by the court, Saïd Allik president of the CSA filed a complaint against société sportive par actions (SSPA) due to the use of a “fake” logo for USM Alger. On the same day the new shirt for the 2023–24 season was presented without the new logo, Abdelhak Benchikha's men now wear outfits from the Italian brand Macron.
First-team transfers (summer transfer window)
On 20 July 2023, Messala Merbah joined CS Constantine. On 28 July 2023, Houari Baouche joined Merbah at CS Constantine. On August 1, USM Alger announced the recruitment of nine players to strengthen the squad of Abdelhak Benchikha. The players were respectively: the goalkeeper Kamel Soufi, the defenders Juba Chirani, Oussama Barkat and Hocine Dehiri on loan from Paradou AC, the midfielders Kheireddine Toual, Omar Embarek, and the Malian Sékou Konaté and the strikers, Nour El Islam Fettouhi, and Mohamed Amine Bouziane One day later, USM Alger announced the arrival of Nabil Lamara. On 6 August 2023, Abderrahmane Meziane joined CR Belouizdad as free agent. On 9 August 2023, Aymen Mahious joined the newly promoted club in the Swiss Super League Yverdon-Sport for three seasons. He sent a message of farewell to the supporters, thanking them for their support for his five years at the club. On 10 August 2023, USM Alger agreed a contract termination with the Libyan Zakaria Alharaish by mutual consent.
On 16 August 2023, USM Alger announced contracts extension for ten players who were respectively Zineddine Belaïd, Adam Alilet, Saâdi Radouani Oussama Benbot, Islam Merili, Khaled Bousseliou, Oussama Chita, Ismail Belkacemi, Mohamed Ait El Hadj and Brahim Benzaza. All the contacts were extended until 2026 except Chita and Belkacemi who extended their contracts until 2025. On the same day, Haithem Loucif joined his former teammate Mahious at Yverdon-Sport and Imad Benchlef terminated his contract by mutual consent. On 17 August 2023, The Malian striker Abdoulaye Kanou signed for three years. On the same day, Khalil Darfalou signed a contract with US Biskra. On 20 August 2023, the former goalkeeper Abdelmoumen Sifour returned to the club signing a two-year contract. On 23 August 2023, Abderraouf Othmani signed a loan contract with Tunisian club CA Bizertin. On 6 September 2023, Ibrahim Bekakchi joined US Souf.
Start of season On October 9, 2023, Abdelhak Benchikha submitted his resignation from his position, according to the official page on Facebook. The reason was that he was subjected to insults at the entrance to the Omar Hamadi Stadium. Later via video, Benchikha denied this and said that he resigned for sporting and professional reasons. Sid Ahmed Arab declared his rejection of his resignation and despite the CEO of Groupe SERPORT moving to his home, Benchikha insisted on his decision. On October 14, USMA achieved their first victory in the Ligue 1 by beating USM Khenchela 3-0 under the leadership of assistant coach Farid Zemiti. On October 17, 2023, Spanish coach Juan Carlos Garrido was appointed new coach for one season. The Usmist management set its sights on Garrido for his experience, particularly in North Africa. On October 19, 2023, The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) announced that it was suspending all football events “until further notice” in solidarity with the Palestinian people. The suspension was announced the day after a strike on a hospital in Gaza, which has been relentlessly shelling the Gaza Strip since the start of the Gaza war sparked on October 7 by the bloody attack. of the Palestinian Islamist movement on its soil. On November 17, The Confederation of African Football has finalized the list of nominees for the 2023 CAF Awards. For the title of best coach, Abdelhak Benchikha winner of the CAF Confederation Cup and the CAF Super Cup is nominated. Defender Zineddine Belaïd and striker Aymen Mahious will compete for the title of best African player in club competitions (CAF CL and CAF CC). USM Alger holder of the CAF Confederation Cup and the CAF Super Cup, is nominated for the title of best club in Africa, along with Al Ahly, Wydad AC, Mamelodi Sundowns and Young Africans.
On November 21, Mohamed-Karim Eddine Harkati, CEO of the Groupe SERPORT, summoned the main leaders of USM Alger to discuss the complicated situation in which the team finds itself and seek solutions to put in place. The Rouge et Noir have just suffered two consecutive defeats in Ligue 1. Poor performances which contrast greatly with the club's recent successes on the continental scene. Harkati requested a rapid recovery and reiterated his confidence in the management staff. On November 30, The CAF announced the official launch of the Association of African Clubs, USM Alger will be one of the member clubs of this association along with three other Algerian clubs, The ACA's objectives include protecting and promoting the interests of African football clubs; ensuring their commercial viability and global competitiveness; developing youth talent and academies; and building partnerships with sponsors, the private sector, and governments to improve football infrastructure and facilities across the continent. After the exclusion of USM Alger from the Best Club CAF Awards, Benchikha the candidate for the Best Coach Award decided not to participate in the ceremony that will be held in Marrakesh, in solidarity with his former team, with whom he won two continental titles, also FAF President Walid Sadi called for a boycott of the ceremony following the scandal of Riyad Mahrez’s absence from the list of the top three players.
Season run-in On December 29, 2023, Djamel Belmadi announced the list of 26 for the CAN, including two players from USM Alger Oussama Benbot and Zineddine Belaïd. This is the first time since the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations that players from the team have been called up. On January 2, 2024, After consultation between its various members, USM Alger announced that it had terminated the functions of the club's sports manager Taoufik Korichi with immediate effect without specifying the reasons for this decision. However two days later the majority shareholder of SSPA/USMA Groupe SERPORT has made changes at the head of the club’s management, and during the meeting of the board of directors held it was decided to appoint Hacen Hassina new president of the board in place of Sid Ahmed Arab. Furthermore Abdelmadjid Rezkane is the new CEO of SSPA/USMA, while Farid Sefar advisor to the former President of the CA was dismissed from his position. Immediately after that Korichi returned to his position as sports director by decision of Harkati.
On January 23, 2024 facing the newly promoted ES Ben Aknoun as part of the calendar update, USM Alger scored a fifth victory in a row winning by a score of two goals to one. A victory which allowed him to climb onto the podium for the first time this season in Ligue 1. Upon returning from the locker room the guys from Soustara will quickly get to the heart of the matter. On a well-taken free kick executed by Benzaza, Bacha with a nice header broke the deadlock in the 47th minute. USM Alger has just scored a fifth consecutive victory once again thanks to Belkacemi, author of his fourth goal of the season in the 89th minute.
First-team transfers (winter transfer window)