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Ligue 1 Preview: Round 1
Football is back in France, and all 20 teams will be jostling to start with a bang. Lyon and Marseille travel to Le Mans and Grenoble respectively on Saturday, before defending champions Bordeaux host newly promoted Lens on Sunday...
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £24.00 | Draw £31.00 | FC Lorient £30.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £23.50 | Draw £31.50 | FC Lorient £31.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £24.00 | Draw £30.00 | FC Lorient £30.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £24.00 | Draw £32.00 | FC Lorient £30.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £23.50 | Draw £31.00 | FC Lorient £28.50 |
|
Aug 7, 2009 1:05:56 PM
AJ Auxerre, AS Monaco, AS Nancy-Lorraine, AS Saint-Etienne, Bordeaux, FC Lorient, FC Sochaux, Grenoble Foot 38, Le Mans UC 72, LOSC Lille Métropole, Montpellier HSC, OGC Nice, Olympique de Marseille, Olympique Lyonnais, Paris Saint-Germain, RC Lens, Stade Rennais FC, Toulouse FC, US Boulogne, Valenciennes FC
Saturday, August 8, 2009 (all kick-offs CET)
21:00 Auxerre vs. Sochaux
21:00 Grenoble Foot38 vs. Olympique de Marseille
21:00 Le Mans vs. Olympique Lyonnais
21:00 Monaco vs. Toulouse
21:00 Montpellier vs. Paris Saint-Germain
21:00 Stade Rennais vs. Boulogne-Sur-Mer
21:00 Saint-Etienne vs. Nice
21:00 Valenciennes vs. Nancy
Sunday, August 9
17:00 Lille vs. Lorient
21:00 Girondins de Bordeaux vs. Racing Club de Lens
Auxerre vs. Sochaux
There are acute striking problems at Auxerre at the start of the season. Head coach Jean Fernandez lamented the loss of Ireneusz Jelen for two months earlier in the week, and the prolific Pole’s absence is heightened by injuries to Julien Quercia, who is a long term problem, and Alexander Licata, whose time on the sidelines is indeterminate as yet. Influential midfielder Benoit Pedretti is also missing, making this a very tricky opener for AJA.
On the other hand, Sochaux’s health isn’t too bad. Goalkeeper Teddy Richert is currently something of a doubt, but Francis Gillot, les Lionceaux’s head coach, will otherwise be rather optimistic after watching his side enjoy a very promising pre-season campaign.
Goals are likely to be at a premium in this encounter, as AJA are shorn of their three most dangerous forward players, while Sochaux are starting life without Mevlut Erding, although watch Vaclav Sverkos – he was red hot towards the end of last term.
Grenoble Foot38 vs. Olympique de Marseille
It is something of a local derby at the Stade des Alpes on Saturday night as Grenoble open up their campaign in extremely difficult circumstances, facing one of the favourites for the title in the former of Marseille. Mecha Bazdarevic will probably be happy to get OM early, as the vast turnover in players means that there will likely be a lack of cohesion.
Grenoble’s side has also been altered somewhat, with new strikers Josip Tadic and Danijel Ljuboja poised for some game-time as Pierre Boya and Yoric Ravet are both injured. GF38 will need these men to quickly bond because their scoring rate last term was by some distance the worst in the league, putting a great strain on the defence.
All areas of the Marseille team have been significantly strengthened in the summer. Record signing Lucho Gonzalez will miss out due to a collarbone injury while fellow new-boy Stephane Mbia is suspended. Hilton is a doubt. Debuts could be handed to Gabriel Heinze, Souleymane Diawara, Edouard Cisse, Fabrice Abriel and Fernando Morientes.
Le Mans vs. Olympique Lyonnais
There will be significant attention on Le Mans on Saturday night as OL, the favourites for the Ligue 1 title begin their mission with an awkward journey north. Karim Benzema helped inspire les Gones to victory in the Sarthe town last season, but Claude Puel and his troops have now begun the post-Benzema era.
Instead, record signing Lisandro Lopez and former Saint-Etienne forward Bafetimbi Gomis have been touted to lead the offensive line for les Gones, while Michel Bastos and Aly Cissokho are expected to form an all-new left side for the Rhone Valley club. Sitting out will be John Mensah and Kim Kallstrom, both of whom are banned.
MUC are not entirely free from anxiety injury-wise. Anthony Le Tallec has been toiling with a knock but should be able to play some part in the game, however, Norwegian midfielder Fredrik Stromstad will miss Paulo Duarte’s bow as head coach due to injury.
Monaco vs. Toulouse
Steve Savidan will kick-off Saturday’s match between Monaco and Toulouse. It will be a poignant moment as ‘Savigol’ was poised to sign for les Monegasques this summer before a medical revealed a heart defect that forced him to quit the game.
Monaco have failed to find a suitable replacement for the one-time capped France international, and have had a difficult summer all round in the transfer market. Juan Pablo Pino will be expected to star after recent reports linking him with Inter, while Yohan Mollo, who is still being linked with a move away from the club, is doubtful to play.
Le Tefece, on the other hand, have a real sprinkling of selection problems to ruffle Alain Casanova’s brow. New signings Yohann Pele and Luan are both injured but these problems are compounded by further problems for Mohamed Fofana and Paulo Cesar. Cheikh M’Bengue is not ready to feature either.
Montpellier vs. Paris Saint-Germain
After achieving promotion to the top flight in the most dramatic of circumstances last season, Montpellier will be desperate to do their utmost to remain in the big-time. Something of a yoyo club, the town has been engulfed by a wave of enthusiasm for their side and season ticket sales have been impressive.
New signing Cyril Jeunechamp is considered touch-and-go for the weekend’s encounter, a position that right-back Nenad Dzodic also finds himself in. Definitely missing are regulars from the promotion winning squad Alberto Costa (suspension) and Jamel Saihi (injury).
Another summer of strengthening in the French capital should see an even more significant challenge from PSG this season, with Antoine Kombouare taking the reigns over the summer. Zoumana Camara is injured and will miss the first three months of the season but Guillaume Hoarau should be fit to play. Rumours suggest that Jerome Rothen will be discussing a move away from the club and will not be included.
Stade Rennais vs. Boulogne-Sur-Mer
Imperious at home last season, Rennes start their new campaign in what on paper is the easiest manner. Boulogne are undoubtedly the underdogs of Ligue 1 this season, although the rhetoric of Laurent Guyot has been overwhelmingly positive to date. A strong start in a local derby would be the perfect foundation for a season of survival.
Rennes have been buoyed by several pieces of news this week but most notably the arrival of Alexander Tettey – ‘the new Michael Essien’ – from Rosenborg. In addition, Jerome Leroy has committed his future to the club after speculation he may move on. On the other hand, Jimmy Briand continues his long rehabilitation from injury.
Neighbours Boulogne have focused on their connection with Nantes during the summer months, stealing experienced campaigner Frederic Da Rocha and defender Kevin Das Neves from the Lorie-Atlantique side. Both could go into the starting XI for the weekend’s game but the man to watch is Gregory Thil, whose goals fired USBCO into the top flight last term.
Saint-Etienne vs. Nice
After a miserable season last term, Sainte are aiming for better this time around. Unfortunately for les Verts, this campaign has started off on a similar note to the last one. Selection problems have accrued in recent times, with cub captain Loic Perrin missing for a month due to a problem with his left leg.
In addition to Perrin, Sylvain Monsoreau is a medium-term injury problem, while new signing Guarani N’Daw has a suspension to serve from the tale end of last season. Exciting young full-back Mouhamadou Dabo is also missing. Ilan should start, despite being a concern earlier this week.
Nice’s problems are not quite so pronounced, although it does seem likely that they will be without Mahamane Traore due to injury. He limped off early in last weekend’s easy friendly win over Genoa. Meanwhile, central defender Onyekachi Apam and fiery attacker Mamadou Bagayoko are both banned.
Valenciennes vs. Nancy
Valenciennes face their first season in their current stint in France’s elite without Antoine Kombouare. Instead, Philippe Montanier has joined after winning promotion with Boulogne last season. His remit is simply to maintain VAFC’s status in Ligue 1, and if they are to achieve that, they must win games like this.
Although Mamadou Samassa has joined from Marseille, the arrival of the young forward will not eclipse the injury suffered by Gregory Pujol, which will likely keep him out for several weeks. The forward has already undergone knee surgery. Newly appointed captain Milan Bisevac is banned.
Pablo Correa is certainly not short of headaches going into the season opening fixture either. He will be without centre-backs Damien Macaluso and Abbes Ouaddou, both of whom are suspended. In addition, forward player Youssouf Hadji, who will not be leaving the club, and loan signing Cheikh Diabate are both injured. The Uruguayan’s 3-5-2 formation will therefore be stretched to the limit.
Lille vs. Lorient
Coming off the back of a pair of 2-0 successes against Serbian minnows Sevojno, LOSC have already enjoyed their return to competitive action and can expect to be a little better oiled than their Breton opponents. Yohan Cabaye and an own goal helped them to home victory on Thursday evening, and a similarly comfortable result would be welcomed on Sunday.
In terms of injuries, Ludovic Obraniak and Eden Hazard were not risked on Thursday evening, while Pierre-Alain Frau only started the match on the bench. All three are expected to be in the squad to face les Merlus.
Lorient have been a squad who have suffered from chronic injury problems over the course of the last three seasons, but the early signs this term are good. Kevin Gameiro trained normally on Thursday after something of a scare earlier in the week, leaving new arrival Arnold Mvuemba as a doubt.
Girondins de Bordeaux vs. Racing Club de Lens
Bordeaux head coach Laurent Blanc has been keen to stress over the course of the last few days that the pressure is not on his side going into the new season. Les Girondins won the league title last season, remaining unbeaten at home all season, and go into this match as something of a target for newly promoted Lens.
Blanc’s men have not registered any injury or suspension concerns, although the long-running saga of Marouane Chamakh’s transfer move does continue to dog the club. However, the Moroccan has been professional in his work on the training ground and on the field, helping Bordeaux to Trophee des Champions success over Guingamp a fortnight ago in Canada.
Lens, who were shockingly relegated from Ligue 1 around 14 months ago, have bounced back swiftly, winning Ligue 2 in the process. They possess a team not to be mocked, as there is plenty of top flight experience in their ranks. They boast an almost complete squad, though Geoffrey Doumeng is expected to miss out due to injury.
Robin Bairner, Goal.com
21:00 Auxerre vs. Sochaux
21:00 Grenoble Foot38 vs. Olympique de Marseille
21:00 Le Mans vs. Olympique Lyonnais
21:00 Monaco vs. Toulouse
21:00 Montpellier vs. Paris Saint-Germain
21:00 Stade Rennais vs. Boulogne-Sur-Mer
21:00 Saint-Etienne vs. Nice
21:00 Valenciennes vs. Nancy
Sunday, August 9
17:00 Lille vs. Lorient
21:00 Girondins de Bordeaux vs. Racing Club de Lens
Auxerre vs. Sochaux
There are acute striking problems at Auxerre at the start of the season. Head coach Jean Fernandez lamented the loss of Ireneusz Jelen for two months earlier in the week, and the prolific Pole’s absence is heightened by injuries to Julien Quercia, who is a long term problem, and Alexander Licata, whose time on the sidelines is indeterminate as yet. Influential midfielder Benoit Pedretti is also missing, making this a very tricky opener for AJA.
On the other hand, Sochaux’s health isn’t too bad. Goalkeeper Teddy Richert is currently something of a doubt, but Francis Gillot, les Lionceaux’s head coach, will otherwise be rather optimistic after watching his side enjoy a very promising pre-season campaign.
Goals are likely to be at a premium in this encounter, as AJA are shorn of their three most dangerous forward players, while Sochaux are starting life without Mevlut Erding, although watch Vaclav Sverkos – he was red hot towards the end of last term.
Grenoble Foot38 vs. Olympique de Marseille
It is something of a local derby at the Stade des Alpes on Saturday night as Grenoble open up their campaign in extremely difficult circumstances, facing one of the favourites for the title in the former of Marseille. Mecha Bazdarevic will probably be happy to get OM early, as the vast turnover in players means that there will likely be a lack of cohesion.
Grenoble’s side has also been altered somewhat, with new strikers Josip Tadic and Danijel Ljuboja poised for some game-time as Pierre Boya and Yoric Ravet are both injured. GF38 will need these men to quickly bond because their scoring rate last term was by some distance the worst in the league, putting a great strain on the defence.
All areas of the Marseille team have been significantly strengthened in the summer. Record signing Lucho Gonzalez will miss out due to a collarbone injury while fellow new-boy Stephane Mbia is suspended. Hilton is a doubt. Debuts could be handed to Gabriel Heinze, Souleymane Diawara, Edouard Cisse, Fabrice Abriel and Fernando Morientes.
Le Mans vs. Olympique Lyonnais
There will be significant attention on Le Mans on Saturday night as OL, the favourites for the Ligue 1 title begin their mission with an awkward journey north. Karim Benzema helped inspire les Gones to victory in the Sarthe town last season, but Claude Puel and his troops have now begun the post-Benzema era.
Instead, record signing Lisandro Lopez and former Saint-Etienne forward Bafetimbi Gomis have been touted to lead the offensive line for les Gones, while Michel Bastos and Aly Cissokho are expected to form an all-new left side for the Rhone Valley club. Sitting out will be John Mensah and Kim Kallstrom, both of whom are banned.
MUC are not entirely free from anxiety injury-wise. Anthony Le Tallec has been toiling with a knock but should be able to play some part in the game, however, Norwegian midfielder Fredrik Stromstad will miss Paulo Duarte’s bow as head coach due to injury.
Monaco vs. Toulouse
Steve Savidan will kick-off Saturday’s match between Monaco and Toulouse. It will be a poignant moment as ‘Savigol’ was poised to sign for les Monegasques this summer before a medical revealed a heart defect that forced him to quit the game.
Monaco have failed to find a suitable replacement for the one-time capped France international, and have had a difficult summer all round in the transfer market. Juan Pablo Pino will be expected to star after recent reports linking him with Inter, while Yohan Mollo, who is still being linked with a move away from the club, is doubtful to play.
Le Tefece, on the other hand, have a real sprinkling of selection problems to ruffle Alain Casanova’s brow. New signings Yohann Pele and Luan are both injured but these problems are compounded by further problems for Mohamed Fofana and Paulo Cesar. Cheikh M’Bengue is not ready to feature either.
Montpellier vs. Paris Saint-Germain
After achieving promotion to the top flight in the most dramatic of circumstances last season, Montpellier will be desperate to do their utmost to remain in the big-time. Something of a yoyo club, the town has been engulfed by a wave of enthusiasm for their side and season ticket sales have been impressive.
New signing Cyril Jeunechamp is considered touch-and-go for the weekend’s encounter, a position that right-back Nenad Dzodic also finds himself in. Definitely missing are regulars from the promotion winning squad Alberto Costa (suspension) and Jamel Saihi (injury).
Another summer of strengthening in the French capital should see an even more significant challenge from PSG this season, with Antoine Kombouare taking the reigns over the summer. Zoumana Camara is injured and will miss the first three months of the season but Guillaume Hoarau should be fit to play. Rumours suggest that Jerome Rothen will be discussing a move away from the club and will not be included.
Stade Rennais vs. Boulogne-Sur-Mer
Imperious at home last season, Rennes start their new campaign in what on paper is the easiest manner. Boulogne are undoubtedly the underdogs of Ligue 1 this season, although the rhetoric of Laurent Guyot has been overwhelmingly positive to date. A strong start in a local derby would be the perfect foundation for a season of survival.
Rennes have been buoyed by several pieces of news this week but most notably the arrival of Alexander Tettey – ‘the new Michael Essien’ – from Rosenborg. In addition, Jerome Leroy has committed his future to the club after speculation he may move on. On the other hand, Jimmy Briand continues his long rehabilitation from injury.
Neighbours Boulogne have focused on their connection with Nantes during the summer months, stealing experienced campaigner Frederic Da Rocha and defender Kevin Das Neves from the Lorie-Atlantique side. Both could go into the starting XI for the weekend’s game but the man to watch is Gregory Thil, whose goals fired USBCO into the top flight last term.
Saint-Etienne vs. Nice
After a miserable season last term, Sainte are aiming for better this time around. Unfortunately for les Verts, this campaign has started off on a similar note to the last one. Selection problems have accrued in recent times, with cub captain Loic Perrin missing for a month due to a problem with his left leg.
In addition to Perrin, Sylvain Monsoreau is a medium-term injury problem, while new signing Guarani N’Daw has a suspension to serve from the tale end of last season. Exciting young full-back Mouhamadou Dabo is also missing. Ilan should start, despite being a concern earlier this week.
Nice’s problems are not quite so pronounced, although it does seem likely that they will be without Mahamane Traore due to injury. He limped off early in last weekend’s easy friendly win over Genoa. Meanwhile, central defender Onyekachi Apam and fiery attacker Mamadou Bagayoko are both banned.
Valenciennes vs. Nancy
Valenciennes face their first season in their current stint in France’s elite without Antoine Kombouare. Instead, Philippe Montanier has joined after winning promotion with Boulogne last season. His remit is simply to maintain VAFC’s status in Ligue 1, and if they are to achieve that, they must win games like this.
Although Mamadou Samassa has joined from Marseille, the arrival of the young forward will not eclipse the injury suffered by Gregory Pujol, which will likely keep him out for several weeks. The forward has already undergone knee surgery. Newly appointed captain Milan Bisevac is banned.
Pablo Correa is certainly not short of headaches going into the season opening fixture either. He will be without centre-backs Damien Macaluso and Abbes Ouaddou, both of whom are suspended. In addition, forward player Youssouf Hadji, who will not be leaving the club, and loan signing Cheikh Diabate are both injured. The Uruguayan’s 3-5-2 formation will therefore be stretched to the limit.
Lille vs. Lorient
Coming off the back of a pair of 2-0 successes against Serbian minnows Sevojno, LOSC have already enjoyed their return to competitive action and can expect to be a little better oiled than their Breton opponents. Yohan Cabaye and an own goal helped them to home victory on Thursday evening, and a similarly comfortable result would be welcomed on Sunday.
In terms of injuries, Ludovic Obraniak and Eden Hazard were not risked on Thursday evening, while Pierre-Alain Frau only started the match on the bench. All three are expected to be in the squad to face les Merlus.
Lorient have been a squad who have suffered from chronic injury problems over the course of the last three seasons, but the early signs this term are good. Kevin Gameiro trained normally on Thursday after something of a scare earlier in the week, leaving new arrival Arnold Mvuemba as a doubt.
Girondins de Bordeaux vs. Racing Club de Lens
Bordeaux head coach Laurent Blanc has been keen to stress over the course of the last few days that the pressure is not on his side going into the new season. Les Girondins won the league title last season, remaining unbeaten at home all season, and go into this match as something of a target for newly promoted Lens.
Blanc’s men have not registered any injury or suspension concerns, although the long-running saga of Marouane Chamakh’s transfer move does continue to dog the club. However, the Moroccan has been professional in his work on the training ground and on the field, helping Bordeaux to Trophee des Champions success over Guingamp a fortnight ago in Canada.
Lens, who were shockingly relegated from Ligue 1 around 14 months ago, have bounced back swiftly, winning Ligue 2 in the process. They possess a team not to be mocked, as there is plenty of top flight experience in their ranks. They boast an almost complete squad, though Geoffrey Doumeng is expected to miss out due to injury.
Robin Bairner, Goal.com
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