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Tag: Ligue 1

  • Ligue 1: Lyon’s winless streak stretches to seven with Nantes defeat

    Ligue 1: Lyon’s winless streak stretches to seven with Nantes defeat

    Olympique Lyonnais’s winless streak stretched to seven games in all competitions on Saturday as they slumped to a 1-0 home defeat to new Ligue 1 leaders Nantes.

    Nantes prevailed thanks to a 59th minute own goal by Fernando Marcal.

    The Canaries, with 16 points from eight games, now lead Paris St-Germain (PSG) by one point ahead of the champions’ match at Girondins de Bordeaux later on Saturday.

    Lyon, who travel to RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, dropped to 11th on nine points.

    The outcome of the game increases the pressure on coach Sylvinho, who replaced Bruno Genesio during the close season, after club president Jean-Michel Aulas said earlier this week he expected results.

  • Ligue 1: Golovin double earns Monaco first win of the season

    Ligue 1: Golovin double earns Monaco first win of the season

    AS Monaco’s Aleksandr Golovin scored twice as the principality side beat visiting Nice 3-1 in the Azurean derby in Ligue 1 on Tuesday to claim their first victory of the season.

    Golovin found the net either side of Patrick Burner’s equaliser with Wissam Ben Yedder wrapping up the win late on to lift Monaco to 17th on six points from seven games.

    The defeat left Nice in fourth place on 12 points.

    Olympique de Marseille moved up to third, also on 12 points, despite being held to a 0-0 draw at bottom club Dijon.

    Monaco’s victory was a relief for coach Leonardo Jardim, who would have come under more pressure with another mishap.

    Russian midfielder Golovin opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a superb left-foot effort, only for Burner to level for the visitors nine minutes into the second half.

    But Golovin scored again in the 74th, collecting an Islam Slimani cross in the area before flicking the ball past goalkeeper Walter Benitez.

    French international Ben Yedder made sure there would be no late shock for the hosts when he added the third from close range after a Golovin through ball.

    Earlier, Olympique de Marseille dropped points for the second game in a row when they were held at Dijon.

    The Provence side, who were held by Montpellier on Saturday, dominated the first half but Dijon had the best chance seven minutes after the break when Bruno Ecuele-Manga’s header hit the post.

  • Ligue 1: Neymar the saviour as PSG beat Strasbourg 1-0

    Ligue 1: Neymar the saviour as PSG beat Strasbourg 1-0

    Neymar scored a spectacular last-gasp goal for Paris St Germain that was greeted with more cheers than boos in a 1-0 Ligue 1 win over Racing Strasbourg on Saturday.

    It was the Brazilian’s first appearance of the season following a failed transfer to Barcelona.

    The forward found the back of the net with a bicycle kick two minutes into stoppage time, drawing mostly applause but a few boos from the Parc des Princes faithful.

    PSG lead the standings with 12 points from five games ahead of their Champions League match against Real Madrid on Wednesday, for which Neymar will be suspended.

    The result left Strasbourg in 18th place on three points.

    “It was sublime. It’s good for him and good for the team,” team mate Idrissa Gueye said.

    Neymar was booed by part of the crowd in the first half as he put on a decent performance.

    He had angered the PSG fans by saying his best memory as a footballer was PSG’s humiliating 6-1 defeat by Barca at the Camp Nou in the Champions League in 2017.

    But he capped his return with a goal that did not mask PSG’s collective mediocrity.

    New keeper Keylor Navas made a couple of brilliant saves as the visitors threatened on a few occasions while Mauro Icardi was toothless after coming on as a second-half substitute.

    The Argentine striker, however, will be needed against Real on Wednesday in the absence of Neymar and the injured Kylian Mbappe.

    The French international was sorely missed, just like Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani who may come back for the Real clash.

    Strasbourg had the first clear chance when Navas stretched to tip away Ludovic Ajorque’s sudden strike in the 18th minute and PSG did not muster a single shot on target in the first half.

    The hosts stepped up gear in the closing stages, with Neymar scoring his 21st goal in 20 Ligue 1 games at the Parc des Princes.

    He netted again two minutes later, only for the goal to be ruled out for an offside position.

  • Neymar can leave PSG if we get an offer – Leonardo

    Paris St Germain sporting director Leonardo says Neymar is free to leave the French champions, but there have been no offers for him and only “superficial” talks with his former club Barcelona.
    The Brazilian forward joined PSG from Barcelona on a five-year deal for a world record transfer fee of 222 million euros (£199 million) in 2017.
    “Neymar can leave PSG if there is an offer that suits everyone.
    “But to date, we do not know if anyone wants to buy him or at what price
    “All this is not done in a day, that’s for sure,’’ Leonardo told Le Parisien.
    ““It’s clear to everyone (that he wants to leave), but in football, you say one thing today and tomorrow another.
    “It’s amazing but it’s like that.
    “We talked with his entourage too.
    “Everyone knows everything.
    “The position is clear for all participants.
    “But one thing is concrete today: he still has three years of contract with us and since we have not received an offer, we cannot discuss anything.’’
    Barcelona, Josep Maria Bartomeu, said last week that Neymar wanted to return to Spain, but that PSG was reluctant to sell him.
    “We have not received any offers,’’ Leonardo added.
    “But we have had, it’s true, very superficial contacts (with Barcelona).
    “They said they wanted to buy but we are not sellers.
    “He’s (Bartomeu) the one saying it… But we did not see that Barcelona was really in a buyer position.’’
    Paris St Germain said on Monday they would take action against the Brazilian forward after he failed to report for training.

  • Ligue 1: PSG terminates Lassana Diarra’s contract

    Former Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra has had his contract at French champions Paris St-Germain terminated by mutual consent.

    The 33-year-old joined the Ligue 1 side as a free agent in January 2018, signing an 18-month deal.

    The former France international made 13 appearances in the second half of last season as PSG won the domestic treble.

    But he was restricted to just four outings under German boss Thomas Tuchel this season.

  • Ligue 1: Monaco beat Nantes to move out of relegation zone

    Monaco beat Nantes 1-0 to record their second home win of the season in Ligue 1 on Saturday to move out of the relegation zone for the first time since September.

    Leonardo Jardim’s return as coach at the end of January has sparked a turnaround in fortunes for the principality side.

    They have now won two and drawn one of their last three league games.

    Gelson Martins, who joined the club on loan from Atletico Madrid in January, tapped in the winner at the back post after 13 minutes.

    It was his second goal in three Ligue 1 games for Monaco.

    The result lifts Jardim’s side up to 16th place on 22 points, the first time they have occupied a position of safety since week seven of the season on Sept. 25.

    Elsewhere, Angers defeated Nice 3-0, thanks to a Stephane Bahoken penalty kick and second half strikes from Angelo Fulgini and Cristian Lopez.

    Mario Balotelli scored his third goal in four games for Olympique Marseille as they moved into fourth place with a 2-0 home win over Amiens.

  • Ligue 1: Managerless Monaco face another defeat at Dijon

    Ligue 1: Managerless Monaco face another defeat at Dijon

    Managerless Monaco crashed to another defeat on Saturday, going down 2-0 away to Dijon the day before their former coach returns to the club to try and save them from relegation.

    Leonardo Jardim will take charge again on Sunday, just three months after he was replaced by Thierry Henry who was himself sacked on Friday.

    The club from the principality are one from bottom of Ligue 1 and desperately wanted points at the side immediately above them in the table.

    But they were no match for a team that had won only once in their previous 17 league games.

    South Korean Changhoon Kwon put the home side ahead after 24 minutes with his first league goal of the season.

    Monaco’s task grew even harder after centre-back Naldo was shown a straight red on the hour mark for a bad tackle.

    Naim Sliti then doubled Dijon’s lead nine minutes later to seal the points.

    The result takes Dijon on to 20 points, five ahead of Monaco, who are a point above bottom club Guingamp, who lost 1-0 at home to Stade de Reims.

    Strasbourg, who got a 90th-minute goal to beat Bordeaux 1-0, are in fifth, while Nice, who beat Olympique de Nimes 2-0, are sixth.

    Paris St-Germain lead the table by 10 points from Lille, with three games in hand on their nearest rivals.

  • Ligue 1: Henry denied first win as Monaco play draw

    Monaco head coach Thierry Henry is still searching for his first victory after the Ligue 1 strugglers drew 2-2 with Dijon on Saturday, while second-place Lille extended their winning run to four matches.
    Henry, who took over from the sacked Leonardo Jardim earlier this month, needed a powerful header from centre-back Kamil Glik on 78 minutes to prevent Monaco crashing to a fifth straight league loss.
    Germany full-back Benjamin Henrichs opened the scoring for Monaco on 30 minutes, but the 2017 French champions fell behind at home after Dijon responded with goals from Mickael Alphonse and Mehdi Abeid.
    Poland international Glik rescued a point for Monaco although they are now winless in 13 outings in all competitions and above bottom club Guingamp, who drew 1-1 with Strasbourg, only on goal difference.
    “It’s good we came back for the draw, but it’s not a win. I’m trying to stay positive. I have to stay positive when things are tough,” said Henry, who lost Nacer Chadli to injury in the warm-up.
    Lille have surprisingly emerged as Paris Saint-Germain’s closest challengers, after the club narrowly avoided relegation at the end of last season.
    Christophe Galtier’s side closed to within five points of PSG as Portuguese teenager Rafael Leao netted a 56th-minute winner in a 1-0 defeat of Caenon his first start for Lille.
    Montpellier, unbeaten since the first weekend of the season, stayed in third after strolling to a 3-0 win at Toulouse with goals from Gaetan Laborde, Andy Delort and Junior Sambia.
    Lyon climbed one spot to fourth with a 2-1 victory away to 10-man Angers.
    The hosts played almost an hour with a man less after Ismael Traore was sent off for a crude tackle on former Celtic striker Moussa Dembele.
    Houssem Aouar put Lyon ahead on 63 minutes and Memphis Depay added a second late on, but Lyon faced a nervy final few minutes after Cristian Lopez pulled a goal back for Angers.
    Nantes secured a second win in a row under new boss Vahid Halilhodzic, the Bosnian forward who starred for the club in the 1980s, as Gabriel Boschilia and Emiliano Sala were on target in a 2-1 triumph at Amiens.
    PSG take on great rivals Marseille on Sunday looking to match Tottenham Hotspur’s record of 11 straight wins in the 1960-61 campaign, the best start to a season in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
    Marseille have not beaten their most bitter foes for seven years, but they received a boost on Saturday as Rudi Garcia extended his contract until 2021.

  • Henry starts off at Monaco, as Ligue 1 returns

    Henry starts off at Monaco, as Ligue 1 returns

    The French Ligue 1 will resume from the international break on Friday, but Thierry Henry’s start of his reign as AS Monaco coach will be the major talking point.
    Henry who begins with a trip to Strasbourg on Saturday faces a big task to revive the club where he started his glittering playing career.
    Monaco, French champions and UEFA Champions League semi-finalists in 2017, are languishing 18th in the 20-team standings after winning one of their first nine games.
    “This club will always have a big place in my heart,” Henry told reporters on Wednesday. “So, to be able to come here and start again, it is a dream come true.
    “There is a lot of work to do, as you can imagine — but I am more than happy to be here.”
    The 41-year-old replaced Portuguese Leonardo Jardim who was sacked less than six months after leading Monaco to second place in the standings following their first league title since 2000.
    Henry was assistant coach of the Belgium team who finished third at this year’s World Cup after losing to France in the semi-finals.
     
    (Reuters/NAN)

  • Ligue 1: Struggling Monaco sack manager Jardim

    Monaco have sacked manager Leonardo Jardim with the club third from bottom of France’s Ligue 1.

    The news potentially opens the way for Thierry Henry to become the French club’s next boss after their former striker was linked with the role.
    Former France and Arsenal star Henry, 41, began his career at Monaco and helped them win Ligue 1 in 1997.
    Portuguese boss Jardim was appointed in 2014 and led the club to the French title in 2017, their first since 2000.
    The 44-year-old also guided Monaco to the Champions League semi-finals in 2016-17 and helped develop players such as forward Kylian Mbappe, now at Paris St-Germain.
    In a club statement, Jardim said: “I’m grateful and proud to have been Monaco coach for more than four years. I’ve always given my very best and worked with passion. We achieved some great victories together and I’ll always keep those memories.”
    Monaco chief executive Vadim Vasilyev added: “I want to thank Leonardo with deepest respect for all the work he has done.
    “His time here will remain as one of the most beautiful pages in the history of the club.
    “Leonardo will still be part of the Monaco family.”