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Tag: Ligue 1

  • Ligue 1: Mauricio Pochettino gets first PSG win

    Ligue 1: Mauricio Pochettino gets first PSG win

    Mauricio Pochettino claimed his first win with Paris St Germain (PSG) on Saturday as the French champions edged closer to the top of the Ligue 1 table.

    They beat Stade Brestois 3-0 at home, prevailing through goals by Moise Kean, Mauro Icardi and Pablo Sarabia to be on 39 points from 19 games.

    The title-holders are one point behind Lyon who salvaged a 2-2 draw at Rennes.

    Three days after a lacklustre performance during a 1-1 draw at Saint-Etienne in Pochettino’s debut, PSG failed to impress again.

    But at least they bagged three points at the Parc des Princes this time around.

    Marquinhos’ header bounced off the post and into the path of Italy forward Kean, who tapped in for his ninth goal in 13 league games.

    It took a quick save from Gautier Larsonneur to deny Marquinhos shortly afterwards as PSG kept the pressure on.

    But the home side were far from convincing and left it late to wrap it up.

    Icardi doubled the tally nine minutes from time with a cool finish from Kylian Mbappe’s pass, before Sarabia added the third two minutes later with a crossed shot.

  • Ligue 1: Patrick Vieira loses Nice job

    Arsenal great Patrick Vieira has been sacked as coach of Nice.

    Nice have sacked manager Patrick Vieira after overseeing a run of five consecutive defeats, culminating in the French club’s disappointing exit from the Europa League on Thursday night, according to reports in France.

    The Ligue 1 side are languishing in 11th place in the French top flight after 11 games this season, an underwhelming start for Vieira after guiding them to a fifth-placed finish last campaign.

    Nice Matin says Vieira has been sacked after a meeting with the club’s leaders in the aftermath of the game. The outlet reports that coaches Adrian Ursea and Frédéric Gioria will oversee the first team until a new manager is appointed.

  • Thiago Silva opens up on differences between Serie A, Ligue 1 and EPL

    Thiago Silva opens up on differences between Serie A, Ligue 1 and EPL

    Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has been asked to compare the Premier League with Serie A and Ligue 1.

    The former PSG captain and AC Milan defender is in his first season in England at the age of 36.

    He said at a Brazil team media conference: “I had a big apprenticeship in Italy. In my opinion, this is one of the best schools for defenders.

    “Then there is the French championship, which is a little more physical and a little stronger. Even if PSG has a strong domination over its opponents, we played in a more exposed way because we had to take risks.

    “As for the English league, after the two matches that I played, it gives me a headache. It’s aerial play at all times, a very high pace of play.”

  • Ligue 1: ‘Herrera died in the dressing room’, says Tuchel

    Ligue 1: ‘Herrera died in the dressing room’, says Tuchel

    Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel has given special praise to Ander Herrera after Saturday’s 3-0 win over Rennes in Ligue 1.

    PSG were depleted for their match against the side that lay third in the league, with Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Marco Verratti just some of the players out due to injury.

    Herrera, though, stepped forward and created a goal for Angel Di Maria, who was widely hailed as the man of the match after finding the net twice. For Tuchel, however, the former Manchester United central midfielder merited singling out.

    “Ander was dead before the match,” Tuchel said. “He died in the dressing room tonight. What he did was exceptional. The same for Leandro Paredes.

    “We took risks. At the start, we hoped he would play an hour but it was necessary for him to play the whole of the match. We played a really good Rennes teams but we showed a good mentality and a collective effort. It was a great win.”

  • Neymar opens season’s account with brace in PSG rout

    Neymar opens season’s account with brace in PSG rout

    Brazilian forward Neymar scored his first two goals of the season as Paris St Germain demolished hapless Angers 6-1 in a hopelessly one-sided Ligue 1 match on Friday.

    Alessandro Florenzi broke through for the title holders after seven minutes before Neymar scored either side of halftime to set PSG on their way to a fourth successive win.

    Ismael Traore headed one back for Angers but it was only a brief respite as Julian Draxler, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Kylian Mbappe added another three more for the hosts.

    PSG, who lost their opening two games of the season, jumped to second in the table with 12 points from six matches, one behind leaders Rennes.

  • Neymar, 4 others sent off as Marseille grab rare win at PSG

    Neymar, 4 others sent off as Marseille grab rare win at PSG

    Olympique Marseille earned a smash-and-grab 1-0 win at Ligue 1 champions Paris St-Germain (PSG) on Sunday in a match which saw five players sent off and two goals disallowed.

    Forward Florian Thauvin struck in the 31st minute of a pulsating though ill-tempered match at the Parc des Princes for Marseille’s first league win over PSG since November 2011.

    It condemned PSG, who were last season’s UEFA Champions League runners-up, to their second straight league defeat after they suffered a 1-0 opening day setback at Lens.

    Thauvin scored against the run of play, steering in a Dimitri Payet free-kick inside the near post from close range.

    This was after the home side had come close through Marco Verratti and Neymar, who also missed a pair of chances in the second half.

    Littered by crunching fouls at either end in the first half, the game produced some free-flowing football after the break.

    Visiting goalkeeper Steve Mandanda pulled off several superb saves and both sides had goals disallowed for offside.

    Angel Di Maria’s effort for PSG was ruled out in the 62nd minute.

    Marseille substitute Dario Benedetto’s scorcher was also scrapped two minutes later as Thauvin, who unleashed the initial shot, was marginally behind the last PSG defender.

    PSG, who missed several first-team regulars who had contracted the COVID-19 virus, pressed hard in the closing stages.

    But Marseille’s rugged defence held firm as the 1993 European Cup winners made it two wins out of two.

    A full scale brawl broke out on the pitch in the last minute of stoppage time.

    It forced referee Jerome Brisard to send off PSG’s Neymar, Laywin Kurzawa and Leandro Paredes, as well as Marseille’s duo of Benedetto and Jordan Amavi.

  • Ligue 1 opening match postponed after Marseille report four COVID-19 cases

    Ligue 1 opening match postponed after Marseille report four COVID-19 cases

    Ligue 1’s opening match of the new season has been postponed from Friday night, French professional football’s governing body, the LFP, said on Tuesday.

    The development arose after Olympique de Marseille said they had confirmed four cases of COVID-19.

    “In view of medical results passed on by Olympique Marseille (…) the LFP has decided to postpone the Olympique de Marseille/AS Saint-Etienne game to Sept. 16 or Sept. 17,” the LFP said in statement.

    The game was the only fixture set for Friday, with the rest of Ligue 1’s first round of 2020/2021 matches spread out over Saturday and Sunday.

    The LFP told clubs last week it had set up a “COVID committee” to advise on whether to postpone matches.

    When a club reports more than three coronavirus cases, postponement is likely, based on the “COVID protocol” the LFP sent out to the clubs.

    Among the “Big Five” European football nations, France was the only one to end its season prematurely due to the pandemic.

    Paris St-Germain (PSG) were awarded the Ligue 1 title.

    The Parisian club and Olympique Lyonnais have reached the semi-finals of the reformatted UEFA Champions League, the first time that two French teams will compete at that level.

    Olympique Marseille is France’s only winner of the biggest prize in European football.

    Almost 40 players from 11 Ligue 1 clubs out of 20 have tested positive for COVID-19, including some at Saint-Etienne.

    Spain’s Mediapro agreed in early June with TF1, France’s biggest private TV operator, to form a new channel to air top Ligue 1 league matches in the country.

    Mediapro holds the rights to air top Ligue 1 matches for the 2020/2021 to 2023/2024 seasons.

  • Lille coach admits Victor Osimhen will leave

    Lille coach admits Victor Osimhen will leave

    Lille coach Christophe Galtier admits he expects to Victor Osimhen and Gabriel to be sold this summer.

    Striker Osimhen is being linked with Manchester United, while Gabriel is a target for Chelsea and Everton.

    Galtier conceded: “As for Victor and Gabriel, yes, I have known for a long time that they will leave.

    “They work hard with us in the meantime.

    “We work with the players who are currently here and those who are likely to replace them (Victor and Gabriel).”

  • Super Eagles striker wins Lille Player of the Season award

    Super Eagles striker wins Lille Player of the Season award

    Victor Osimhen has been announced as Lille’s Player of the Season, following his eye-catching displays for the French side in the 2019-20 campaign.

    The Super Eagles striker joined the Great Danes last summer from Sporting Charleroi after his impressive performances for the Belgian side, where he scored 19 league goals before his departure.

    The 21-year-old striker was recruited as a direct replacement for Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe, who teamed up with Premier League giants Arsenal.

    Osimhen scored 18 goals and provided six assists in 38 appearances across all competitions and his 13 strikes in Ligue 1 was the fourth highest in the division.

  • Ligue 1: Victor Osimhen makes Lille decision

    Ligue 1: Victor Osimhen makes Lille decision

    Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen is reluctant to leave Lille this summer.

    After his first season in France, the Nigeria striker is attracting interest from the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea.

    And with LOSC president Gerard Lopez welcoming the interest, it’s expected Osimhen will be cashed in.

    But a source close to the player has told Own Goal Nigeria: “Victor Osimhen informed Lille that he does not want to leave the club this summer despite the offers.

    “The idea would be to play another season in the Lille jersey and prove yourself before leaving. It is a decision that has been communicated to the club.”