Ligue 1 has just become very interesting after PSG were bought by Qataris and have proceeded to bring quality stars to the French League - a false start with Momo Sissoko, but along with him are Jeremy Menez, Javier Pastore, Italian squad 'keeper Salvatore Sirigu, with a £20m bid for Berbatov in progress, and possibly Robbie Keane (joke). Lille have retained most of their Double-winning squad, with Edin Hazard and Moussa Sow set to become European household names, while Marseille will be competitive as ever, with Didier Deschamps at the helm. Lyon and Bordeaux have fallen off the pace, while of the promoted sides, Ajaccio will probably survive, but Dijon and Evian (despite Danone's ownership) lookset for the drop, along with possibly Valenciennes.
Despite Dortmund's dominance of the Bundesliga, Sahin has gone to Real and the demands of the Champions League will probably prove too much, so expect Bayern to regain their title. Other leading contenders include Leverkusen, who will be keen to shake off their "Neverkusen" tag, while Hamburg are better suited to a South American apertura in that they're always top at Christmas, but fall away in the spring. Expect Augsburg, Moenchengladbach and Freiburg to prop up the table in May.
So, it was game on in the BL on Friday. I watched the replay of Dortmund and Hamburg on ESPN on Saturday morning and it seems that Dortmund started back where they left off last year. Some lovely stuff and they are my favourite team to watch in Europe at the moment. And as I've been saying to all and sundry since last February they're only going to get better and will go far in the champions league this year.
That clearly reads like post festival gibberish...
As is usual with PSG, all the hype was followed by a home defeat to Lorient, while Lille and Marseille were held to draws by Nancy and Sochaux respectively, by Lyon laid down a marker by comfortably defeating Nice. Of the promoted sides, Evian earned a notable draw away to Brest, but Ajaccio slumped to a 2-0 home defeat to Toulouse. Bordeaux the last major club in action today.
I was at the PSG game and true to form PSG was ****e, it's not for nothing that they're the Man City of France. On the other hand, Lorient played some nice football and deserved the win something they have made a habit of in the past few years. Marseille was lucky to get a point from Sochaux while Lille also did well to get out of Nancy with a point.Originally Posted by culloty82
Paris can pick it up, especially if Pastore can make the expected impact. If they can bed in the new players and avoid in-fighting (not easy in PSG and not with the new management arrangements) they will be there or thereabouts with OM and Lyon come year's end. Lille has lost too many players over the summer to have a realistic chance of retaining the title.
Roll on the rest of the season.....
Monaco got relegated?! WTF? When were they last in the second tier? And only seven years since a CL Final appearance too.
Monaco was pi@s poor last season and appear to be worse this year with only two points from two games in a medicore Ligue 2.
PSG slipped up again at the weekend, although to be fair, a one-all draw away to Rennes is a decent result. Toulouse, Montpellier, newly-promoted Caen and St Etienne all have six points from two games and sit on top of the table. Marseille, Bordeaux and Lyon all
drew at the weekend.
The highlight of the season so far must be the perfomances of Evian
who have four points form two outings. They're a small-town club in every sense with a whiff of Hoffenheim about them.
The other small-town club, Socheaux is in the coming round of the Europa League later in the month.
Evian, small town club owned by the gigantic conglomerate Danone, Evian?
Aye, it's fair to say that they're connected! President of Danone is club president and the company pours a lot of money into the club. Club colours seem familar........
Last edited by Raheen; 15/08/2011 at 9:18 PM. Reason: Insert image
What is it with the French and horrendous sports jerseys?
I see Monaco managed to have their keeper shortlisted for keeper of the year - and conceded as many goals as Lyon, in third - but still went down. And lost to Reims last night, to add to the bad start Raheen mentioned.
rsssf gives 1976/77 as the last time Monaco were in the second flight. They were demoted in 2003 over financial irregularities, but reinstated. The last three times they've been in Ligue 2, they've won promotion immediately.
French media is reporting today that Raul is on his way to Paris! He hasn't travelled with the Schalke squad for the Europa League tie against HJK Helsinki tonight but the club is denying everything..hmmm.
Nantes are another major club struggling in Ligue 2, but not half the problems of top-flight regulars Strasbourg, who were relegated to National (third-tier), went bust, and now find themselves in CFA 2 (French equivalent of the Conference).
Leverkusen v Dortmund on ESPN now live.
The skill levels really are something else.
Great night at the Parc last night as Paris destroyed Lyon 2-0 to go three points clear at the top. Montpellier is in second, Lyon third and, ahem, Marseille is floundering in thirteenth.
The game last night was exciting but not top class, end to end stuff at times. The Parc was rocking though and one man stood head and shoulders above everyone...Pastore. Already a legend!
Monaco remain in freefall and is bottom of Ligue 2 after 13 games. Looking grim!
I always find that amazing the way teams collapse after a relegation, look at Southampton, Man City, Leeds, Forest, Lincoln City. It's fascinating.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
Don't think it's worth starting a new thread for this, but maybe Bundesliga fans might be able to help? Anyone know where I might be able to download or get my hands on the 1999 Champions League final with German commentary? Have tried asking on an English-language Bayern forum but had no luck...
Anyone watching the surreal finish to Ligue 1 tonight? PSG need a win in Lorient to have an outside chance of the title. Montpellier only needed a point at already relegated Auxerre to win the championship...crowd violence, stoppages, the works....
Elsewhere, Eden Hazard signs offs in Lille with a hat trick. Premiership watch out!!
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