Ligue 1 news

Say what you will about the merits of the Ballon d'Or, but last year's ceremony was undeniably dramatic. The event organisers, France Football, have always insisted that "no player or club knows who has won the Ballon d'Or" before the victor is announced on stage - but Real Madrid refused to even turn up after learning hours in advance that Rodri had beaten Vinicius Jr to the men's prize.

If you thought the days of the Ballon d'Or generating headlines were over after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's era of dominance came to an end, then think again. After one of the most closely-fought races for a number of years, Rodri came out on top in 2024, beating Vinicius Jr into second place as Real Madrid dramatically boycotted the ceremony in Paris in protest at their star player missing out.

Marseille's crunch clash with Paris Saint-Germain has been rescheduled for the same night as the Ballon d'Or ceremony after this weekend's Ligue 1 game was postponed due to heavy rainfall. PSG's Ousmane Dembele is one of the favourites to lift this year's Golden Ball but due to this fixture change, the France international may not be able to attend the prestigious event.

The Classique clash between French giants Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain has been called off and postponed due to heavy rainfall. The much-awaited Ligue 1 fixture, featuring top stars like Mason Greenwood and Ousmane Dembele, was supposed to be held at the Velodrome on Sunday evening, but it has now been postponed to a later date due to severe weather conditions.

Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi expects Mason Greenwood to become a "complete" footballer like the "greatest players in Europe". The Italian has pushed the forward hard since arriving at the French side last summer and it is clear he has high hopes for him. The head coach also wants him to learn from the likes of elite players such as Kylian Mbappe and Raphinha.

U.S. legend Tony Meola voiced concern over Yunus Musah’s recent form, calling it part of a troubling decline dating back to his final year at AC Milan. Meola urged the midfielder to change course, regain confidence and aim to develop on his potential. Musah struggled mightily in Atlanta's 4-0 defeat by PSG in a midweek Champions League match.

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Manchester United legend Bryan Robson believes Paul Pogba struggled at Old Trafford because he “forgot about football” and cared more about his social media presence. The midfielder joined the Red Devils from Juventus for a then-world record fee of £89 million (€105m/$120m) in 2016 but found it difficult to live up to the fanfare which surrounded his eye-catching return to the Theatre of Dreams.

Mason Greenwood’s stunning form at Marseille has convinced Roberto De Zerbi that the forward can become one of Europe’s very best. After a 21-goal debut Ligue 1 campaign, Greenwood has already added goals and assists this season, including an eye-catching display against Real Madrid. Now, all eyes turn to his test against Paris Saint-Germain.

Strasbourg president Marc Keller has come out swinging after furious supporters turned on him and club captain Emanuel Emegha in the wake of the striker’s confirmed transfer to Chelsea. The fallout reached boiling point when fan groups unfurled hostile banners aimed at both men, sparking a fiery response from Keller during an emergency press conference on Thursday.

Luis Enrique has discovered a new tactical perspective by watching Paris Saint-Germain matches from the stands, first against Lens and then in the Champions League win over Atalanta. The Spaniard adopted the change after taking inspiration from rugby coaches and argues the vantage point offers clearer insights. However, he insists he will ditch this approach and not “play with fire” in Sunday’s heated clash with Marseille.

Monaco's Champions League journey began in chaos after their flight to Bruges descended into scenes straight out of a comedy sketch. With the air conditioning system completely out, Paul Pogba's teammates were forced to take off their clothes and sit in nothing but underwear as the cabin transformed into a sweltering sauna.

Samuel Umtiti has officially retired at just 31, bringing an end to a career that promised so much but was derailed by chronic knee injuries. The 2018 World Cup winner enjoyed highs with Lyon, Barcelona and France, but is now ready to take on a new challenge. Umtiti revealed his "ultimate goal" is to move into coaching, saying he has already started preparing for life on the touchline.

Marseille sporting director Medhi Benatia shed light on the departure of Adrien Rabiot, who joined Serie A giants AC Milan, following the Frenchman's brawl with ex-teammate Jonathan Rowe. Benatia expressed his regret over the midfielder's exit, revealing that he tried to build the bridges again, but also pointed fingers at the player's family for complicating things further.

Manchester United minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is expected to put Ligue 1 club Nice up for sale at a price of around €200 million (£174m/$237m). An official announcement is expected from INEOS shortly, as Ratcliffe is said to finally be ready to give up his stake with the French team that he originally acquired back in 2019 for approximately £89 million (€100 million).

Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos has thrown his full support behind new goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, who replaces Gianluigi Donnarumma following his move to Manchester City. The Brazilian defender hailed the 23-year-old’s personality, quick adaptation and potential to reach the pinnacle of the game as PSG prepare to begin their Champions League title defence against Atalanta.

Luis Enrique believes Paris Saint-Germain's first-ever Champions League triumph has lifted a weight off the squad, insisting it will be “easier” to win again this season. The Spaniard hailed his players for breaking through mental barriers last term, as Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Achraf Hakimi powered the club to a historic treble.