We are exactly half way through the 2022/23 Ligue 1 campaign and it is no shock that Paris Saint-Germain sit at the top of the pile. But what is slightly surprising is the margin of their lead…the star-studded champions have seen their advantage cut to three points following a run of two defeats in three games.
Fifth-placed Rennesopened up the title race with a stunning 1-0 victory over PSG last week, cutting the lead at the top of Ligue 1 after RC Lens won their home game against Auxerre. Only ten points separate the top five sides; so let’s take a look at the mid term state of the leading pack as we head into what promises to be a fascinating race for the title, and the three available Champions League places.
Paris Saint-Germain
Now that their squad has returned from the World Cup the Parisiens are at full strength for the second half of the campaign. They undoubtedly have the best squad by a mile, and the question, as always, is how their megastars are getting on with each other. And there is yet more speculation over the future of World Cup Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe, linking him with a summer move to Liverpool. The Reds have been tracking the star since 2017 when he was at Monaco but he went to PSG in an eye watering 180M Euros deal.
Well Liverpool are potentially about to enter a period of restructure, with the news that the club is up for sale and, like Chelsea and Newcastle United, that could spark a spending spree at Anfield. Any transfer would surely break the world record with PSG valuing their player at 400m Euros and Liverpool’s proposed sale by the Fenway Group may smooth the way for freer spending at the club.
That’s a story to keep an eye on while PSG attempt to rediscover their best form!
RC Lens
Lens are the surprise package in the league with 13 wins, five draws and a single defeat and the best defensive record in the league, conceding just 13 goals, one fewer than leaders PSG. They have an impressive cutting edge too. 6ft 2in forward Florian Sotoca has produced some of Lens’ best Ligue 1 2023 highlights with six goals and six assists, while 22-year-old Belgian ace Lois Openda has scored nine goals.
The latest Ligue 1 2023 betting oddsare squarely behind PSG retaining their title but Lens will take inspiration from Lille who stunned the football world by winning the 2021 title, and their fans are dreaming of a second Ligue 1 title after they won in 1998.
Olympique de Marseille
After a run of six consecutive league wins OM are two points behind Lens and five behind the leaders; and they could emerge as the biggest threat to the Parisiens. Last year’s runners up have plenty of star quality. Former Inter Milan striker Alexis Sanchez has six goals and the team is captained by the mercurial Dimitri Payet; meanwhile manager Igor Tudor has been effective in the loan market, bringing in defender Eric Bailly from Manchester United and attacking midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi from Atalanta.
AS Monaco
Wissam Ben Yedder is the most efficient scorer in Ligue 1 with a goal every 2.55 shots attempted
Away from Paris, Monaco have the most lethal strike pair with Wissam Ben Yedder on 11 goals while Breel Embolo has ten goals. France international Ben Yedder skippers the side and leads the line superbly, while Swiss star Embolo is a livewire, with a sharp turn of pace and a ruthless finish. Meanwhile, Chelsea defender Malang Sarr could be on his way out of Monaco after featuring in just 12 games in all competitions for les Rouge et Blanc. The 23 year old looks set to make a switch to La Liga strugglers Sevilla as neither Monaco nor his parent clubs seems to have a starting place for him.
Monaco will aim to, at least match last season’s third placed finish but the competition is fierce.
Stade Rennes
PSG’s trip to Rennes last week turned a little sour for the champions; and we had previewed the game here at SBOTOP predicting a Paris win, not least because of the issues Rennes seemed to be having off the pitch. There has been a frenzy of interest in the club’s best players, mainly Croatian midfielder Lovro Majer who is being tracked by mega-rich Newcastle United. And admirers of Hamari Traore will have noticed he scored the winner against PSG with a cool finish on 65 minutes. Despite missing injured top scorer Martin Terrier and suspended duo Benjamin Bourigeaud and Warmed Omari Rennes held on for a famous victory.
Terrier’s injury could keep him sidelined for a few weeks but the suspended players have paid their dues and so Rennes are nearing full strength, providing they don’t lose their prize assets over the next two weeks.
So with 19 games gone PSG are in the box seat, with OM and Monaco primed to fill the top three; but first they will have to displace Lens and that will take some doing, while Rennes are still in the hunt and have ambitions to gatecrash the Champions League party.
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Ligue 1: Monaco Ready to Play Hardball with Manchester United
As the off field frenzy in the January window gathers pace, some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs have been tracking the top players in Ligue 1, and AS Monaco are in a battle to keep one of their brightest stars.
Manchester United have been reported to have made an approach for Monaco’s central defender Axel Disasi but the Ligue 1 giants are keen to hold on the France international. AS Monaco are in a fierce race for a top three position and will be determined to, at least, match their third placed finish of last season. But to do that they need their best players at the club to help them improve on their current position of fourth in the league table.
Red Devils boss Erik Ten Hag is an admirer of Disasi and, after his side shipped three goals in a defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, he is keen to strengthen his rearguard. Raphael Varane and World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez are his two best defenders at present, but Ten Hag doesn’t seem to trust England’s Harry Maguire and back up is needed. Reports in the France media suggest the Manchester club has made contact with 24 year old Disasi, who’s profile increased dramatically when he featured, alongside Varane, in France’s World Cup team in Qatar.
But Monaco will not be happy to sell their player having lost his centre back partner Benoit Badiashile in a £35m transfer to Chelsea earlier in the window. Head coach Philippe Clement will resist as much as he can but reports suggest AS Monaco would listen to offers in the region of £45m for their defender. Manchester United are not the only club in the frame as Bayern Munich are said to have maid Disasi a priority target this month. A move to Germany would allow the Monaco star to link up with another France international, Dayot Upamecano.
Disasi has been in magnificent form for Monaco this season and the club will fight tooth and nail to keep him; but money talks and it will be a nervy few days for Clement. The latest Ligue 1 2023 betting odds make Monaco fourth favourites for the title and the loss of another big name could damage their top three hopes terminally.
Is Costil bound for Lille?
Goalkeeper Benoit Costil from AJ Auxerre during Ligue 1 away match against FC Nantes at Stade de la Beaujoire
The impending departure of their goalkeeper Leo Jardim has seen 2021 Ligue 1 Champions Lille make a quick move in the market and they look poised to bring Auxerre keeper Benoit Costil to the club. Lille currently sit in sixth place, just outside the European qualification slots while Auxerre are in serious trouble, in 19th place on 13 points from 19 games.
France sports newspaper L’Equipe has reported that the 35 year old Costil is highly likely to join Lille on an 18 month deal as a replacement for Jardim. He joined Auxerre in the summer but he has conceded 41 goals in 19 games for the newly promoted team. And while he was relegated with Bordeaux last season, Costil was called up by Didier Deschamps in 2021. Lille look set to recruit a high quality experienced stopper in the former Rennes man.
In preparation for this move AJ Auxerre are reported to have lined up Inter Milan reserve keeper Ionut Radu as a ready made replacement, with the 25 year old set to arrive at the club on loan with an option to buy. The Romanian goalkeeper has been on loan with Serie A new boys Cremonese and has made nine appearances this season and he has appeared fine times for I Nerazzurri having graduated from the Inter academy.
PSG determined to keep Mbappe away from Madrid
Last week, here at SBOTOP, we reported on a possible move by Liverpool to secure the services of Kylian Mbappe and that story is still hanging around in the Ligue 1 2023 news. He returned to action in PSG’s match with Rennes last week, coming on as a 55th minute substitute but he couldn’t help the league leaders to avoid a shock 1-0 reversal.
Recent rumours have emerged on Merseyside that the Reds are in the box seat to secure Mbappe’s signature, as PSG are apparently desperate to prevent him from signing for Real Madrid. There is some bad blood between the two clubs following Madrid’s pursuit of the player last year and, who knows, maybe PSG see Los Blancos as the biggest threat to their Champions League ambitions.
Any move may be contingent on a takeover of Liverpool, put up for sale by the Fenway Group, with speculation around Qatari involvement in a potential deal. Any sale of the 24 year old will break records; that’s for sure.
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After being given the night off in their last outing, Lionel Messi is going to be back for PSG’s Sunday visit to Reims for their next Ligue 1 match.
Messi last saw action for the Parisiens in their 5-4 friendly win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Riyadh All-Star XI last Friday in Saudi Arabia, where he scored the first goal of the match.
Because of a short turnaround between games, the 35-year-old was rested in PSG’s 7-0 demolition of US Pays de Cassel on Tuesday, so he should be able to rejoin Neymar and Kylian Mbappe on Sunday.
PSG are still on top of the Ligue 1 standings. However, their once seemingly insurmountable lead has been reduced to just three points over second-placed Lens, and they would be under more pressure if they didn’t take care of business against Reims.
Talking Points
PSG to be led by captain Mbappe
The Parisiens are still the overwhelming favourites to win the Ligue 1 title, but their margin of error is smaller than before. In fact, by the time PSG hosted Reims, Lens may have already moved level with them at 47 points.
Neymar in action during their match against Pays de Cassel
They have lost two of their last three league games, so they must get back on track as fast as possible, especially with the Champions League set to restart in the coming weeks.
The good news for Galtier is that he will see key returns ahead of Sunday, as Marco Verratti (thigh) and Nuno Mendes (hamstring) are ready to return from their respective injuries.
Nordi Mukiele and Marquinhos are listed as questionable for this game, while Presnel Kimpembe is still recovering from the heel injury he sustained while on national team duty for Les Bleus last November.
If both Marquinhos and Kimpembe are not available this weekend, then Kylian Mbappe is going to be the team’s official skipper since he was recently named vice-captain, although this has drawn mixed reactions.
Mbappe hasn’t been exactly the ideal leader for PSG with the drama he brought to the locker room earlier this season, but his quality on the pitch is undeniable. The 24-year-old forward comes into Reims in superb form, as he plundered five goals in their rout of Pays de Cassel.
Will Still living the dream at Reims
Will Still has never tasted defeat with Reims in his first major coaching role. Since taking over from Oscar Garcia, Reims have gone unbeaten in Ligue 1, although most of them were draws, so they’re still at the bottom half of the table.
Reims should win more games in the coming weeks if they continue to progress under Still. They aren’t stacked compared to PSG, but they do have quality players who could wreak havoc in the final third.
Folarin Balogun, on loan from Arsenal, is the team’s top scorer with 10 goals, and he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder. Flanking him are Junya Ito and Marshall Munetsi, who have accounted for seven goals and two assists this term.
Reims will most likely stay compact against PSG, looking to counterattack when the opportunity presents itself.
History
PSG were held to a goalless draw by Reims in their reverse fixture last October.
Reims were actually the more aggressive side in the final third with 24 shots to PSG’s 11, although the latter had more possession (64-per cent to 36). And Sergio Ramos was sent off in this fixture, which almost cost the Parisiens three points.
Christophe Galtier’s side has won eight of their last nine Ligue 1 home games against Reims, with the defeat being a 2-0 result in September 2019. Overall, they’re unbeaten in their last 31 Ligue 1 home games (W27, D4), scoring in each of the last 20.
Reims are undefeated in their last 11 Ligue 1 matches (W4, D7), which is the longest current streak in the competition and the team’s longest such run in the French top-flight since March 2019 (13).
The SBOTOP Ligue 1 2023 odds are unsurprisingly in favour of PSG, as they’re installed at 1.25 to win, whereas Reims are the underdogs at 8.75, and a draw is priced at 6.20 in the 1X2 market.
Reims have shown that they can hang around against the defending Ligue 1 champions, as shown in October. But during the said game, only Kylian Mbappe was present from the famous MNM triumvirate, and now they’re complete on Sunday.
Mbappe, Neymar, and Messi are expected to entertain us with new Ligue 1 2023 highlights, and they will prove to be too much to handle for Will Still’s side.
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Ligue 1: PSG, Lyon Get Busy as Winter Window About to Close
Things are getting interesting in Ligue 1, with transfer deadline day for the winter window fast approaching.
PSG and Lyon have made arguably the two biggest moves during this window, although the Parisiens might need to wait until next season to see their new signing.
Meanwhile, Marseille are also making moves of their own as they won the race to land a World Cup midfield ace.
Read on below as SBOTOP catches you up on all the latest transfer news and updates in Ligue 1 as the winter window winds down.
PSG seal deal for Inter Milan defender Skriniar
Inter Milan centre-back Milan Skriniar has confirmed that he has signed a pre-contract agreement with Paris Saint-Germain.
Skriniar can join PSG on a free transfer when his contract expires in the summer, but the two clubs are still trying to come to terms on a deal that would see him move to Paris this winter while giving Inter a transfer fee.
PSG were interested in signing Skriniar in the summer and their persistence has finally paid off. The champions suddenly need some reinforcements in defence after a string of disappointing Ligue 1 2023 results that has seen their lead at the top of the table shrink to just three points. The latest of which saw them surrender a 96th-minute equaliser to draw 1-1 with Reims.
Danilo Pereira, nominally a defensive midfielder, has started most of the season alongside Marquinhos and Sergio Ramos at centre-back with Presnel Kimpembe injured, so Skriniar’s addition would add some much-needed depth in defence.
In other PSG news, they are reportedly keen to add Zenit St Petersburg winger Malcom for additional depth to their front line. Meanwhile, veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas has attracted interest from Nottingham Forest, who have been missing Dean Henderson due to injury.
Lyon have also made a few more outgoing moves as they’ve sent winger Karl Toko Ekambi and midfielder Romain Faivre on loan to Rennes and Lorient, respectively. Tete, the team’s second-leading scorer with 6 goals, has also left the club after his loan deal from Shakhtar Donetsk expired.
However, one player Lyon are keen to hold onto is Rayan Cherki. The 19-year-old attacking midfielder has been subject to interest from PSG, but Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has turned PSG’s proposal and emphatically declared that Cherki will stay at Lyon – until the rest of the season, at least.
Lyon manager Laurent Blanc coaching from the touchline during their match against Strasbourg
Meanwhile, Lyon are working to bring head coach Laurent Blanc more attacking weapons to make up for the loss of Tete and Toko Ekambi. They are reportedly close to a deal for Heerenveen striker Amin Sarr, while Lokomotiv Moscow striker Wilson Isidor and FC Koln midfielder Ellyes Skhiri are also on their radar.
Marseille making midfield moves
Marseille have landed one of the breakout stars of World Cup 2022 as they signed Moroccan midfielder Azzedine Ounahi from Angers.
OM got the 22-year-old for €8m as they beat out the likes of Serie A leaders Napoli and Premier League club Leeds United, who were also reportedly in the running.
Ounahi’s signing comes on the heels of Marseille missing out on Serbian midfielder Ivan Ilic, who appears to be on his way to Torino.
Marseille are currently in third in the Ligue 1 table and are on a brilliant run of nine straight games unbeaten in all competitions. Although, their eight-game win streak came to an end as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Monaco. Ounahi’s arrival will help bolster OM’s Ligue 1 2023 odds of clinching a Champions League spot. Although, there is a possibility that Ounahi might just be a replacement for Matteo Guendouzi, who is being linked with a return to the Premier League. Guendouzi is reportedly a target of Aston Villa, where he would be reunited with old Arsenal coach Unai Emery.
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Paris Saint-Germain are reported to be ready to start negotiations with Lionel Messi over a new contract, with his existing deal set to expire at the end of the season.
The news came after the World Cup winner scored the decisive goal in PSG’s 2-1 victory over Toulouse at the weekend. That win put the Parisiens eight points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table and yet another title is in view, potentially a ninth in 11 years. Messi has scored three goals in five games since returning from Argentina’s victorious campaign in Qatar and his strike against Toulouse on Saturday was a crucial one.
The mid table visitors went ahead through a Branco van den Boomen free kick midway through the first half before Achraf Hakimi levelled for PSG before the break. And the winner was a trademark 25 year curler from Messi, his 15th goal in all competitions this season. The win stretched PSG’s lead over second placed Marseille who lost at home to Nice on Sunday, and club bosses are keen to extend their talisman’s stay at the Parc des Princes. He’ll be a key player in the coming weeks, particularly as Kylian Mbappe is doubtful for the Champions League clash with FC Bayern on Valentine’s Day, and before that the Parisiens have a Coupe de France tie away to Marseilles and a difficult league game in Monaco. The Ligue 1 2023 betting odds are right behind PSG for the 2022/23 title but the club’s owners have their heart set on the Champions League, and Messi is the man who can deliver at the highest level.
The seven times Ballon D’Or winner has been linked with a return to his beloved Barcelona and so club bosses in Paris are keen to get the negotiations moving, sooner rather than later.
Bernardo Silva from Manchester City during their match against Tottenham Hotspur in Premier League
In other news at the Parc des Princes, rumours are surfacing that the league champions might make a move for Manchester City star Bernardo Silva at the end of the current campaign. The Portuguese international has two years left on his contract but a departure this summer would enable the Sky Blues to pick up a decent fee for the player, and rumours suggest PSG would need to stump up around £50m for his services.
Competition for places at the Etihad has become more intense after the arrival of Erling Braut Haaland has changed City’s formation, and the emergence of Jack Grealish as a consistent starter also means game time for Silva has reduced. If he does decide to leave Manchester, Silva may be tempted to join his old Monaco team-mate Kylian Mbappe in Paris but the Ligue 1 giants will face competition from elsewhere, most likely in La Liga where Barcelona have been monitoring the player.
Monaco make a move
AS Monaco took advantage of the Ligue 1 2023 results going their way over the weekend to make a move on the top four with a 2-0 win away to Clermont Foot. Marseilles lost 3-1 at home to Nice and fifth placed Rennes went down by the same score at home to Lille. The surprise package Lens have been threatening to gatecrash the top three but they were held 1-1 away to Brest and, with only two wins from the last six games, they are in danger of drifting off the pace.
Monaco, in contrast, have picked up 14 points from the last six games and their strike partnership of Wissem Ben Yedder and Breel Embolo is one of the most potent in the league. After defender Guillermo Maripan gave Monaco a third minute lead in Clermont, Embolo doubled the lead ten minutes later to give his team an impressive away victory.
The latest SBOTOP odds rank Monaco as fourth favourites and they need to nudge themselves up to third which, if they continue in this form, they will.
Trouble in Corsica
Nantes’ 2-0 win over relegation threatened AC Ajaccio was marred by fan trouble on Saturday night as Les Canaries fans clashed with local supporters on the eve of the game. Second half goals from Evann Guessand and Ludovic Blas gave Nantes a useful win which took them seven points clear of the drop zone while Ajaccio are in serious trouble in 18th.
And there may be some serious strife for the guilty fans if identified after violent clashes broke out between two groups in the Ajaccio town centre and police deployed tear-gas to help them move the troublemakers on. Nantes have complained that no Corsican transport company agreed to drive their fans to the stadium and that led to further unnecessary frustration. But any more bother from either of these two clubs could see the authorities coming down hard.
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Bundesliga: Rose’s Red Bulls Raring to Derail Dortmund’s Title Dreams
Eight-time Ligue 1 champions AS Monaco are one of only two clubs to wrestle the French top-flight title away from PSG over the past decade. And while the 2022/23 crown is probably beyond reach, Les Rouge et Blanc have a keen eye on a top three place.
The 2017 French champions have been on a charge recently, winning five in an unbeaten league run of seven games, a sequence which has taken them to within two points of third-placed Lens.
And the upturn in Monaco’s fortunes has been sparked by its prolific attack featuring Swiss striker Breel Embolo. The 25-year-old hitman has scored four goals in the last four games and he’s currently joint fourth in the race for the Ligue 1 Golden Boot with 12 goals and alongside teammate Wissam Ben Yedder and PSG star Neymar.
Since making his debut at the age of 17 in a Europa League tie for FC Basel, Embolo has racked up over 219 club appearances, scoring 65 goals, and he has also struck 13 times in 63 games for Switzerland.
And this is his best season to date, scoring his 12 goals and assisting two in his first campaign in France following his transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach. As a one goal in two games striker he’s becoming a hotter property by the week and Monaco fans hope he can keep it up throughout a four-year contract.
Embolo has been noted worldwide during his appearances for the Swiss as a powerful and technically gifted player with explosive pace, and now that he has added more clinical finishing skills he is getting closer to emulating his idol Mario Balotelli. And he can also play in a deeper role in the centre of midfield where he is a proven ball winner.
But it’s up top where the Swiss master has been at his best this season. His recent goals have showcased his all round ability as a striker. Against Clermont he found space in the penalty area to power an unstoppable downward header into the net, and in a recent 3-2 victory over Auxerre he took a headed pass in the centre of the penalty area and smashed the ball first time into the top right corner.
Embolo started on the bench when Monaco took on Ajaccio in January, but when he arrived on the hour, he still had time to bag a brace in a 7-1 rout. His first was another powerful header direct from a corner, just two minutes after he had come on. And for his second, he used quick feet to make a smart finish.
The latest Ligue 1 2023 betting odds still reckon Monaco have plenty to do to claim that coveted top three place but they have a great chance if Embolo keeps firing. And it looks like Les Rouge et Blanc have picked up a bargain for a player who is still to reach his prime.
Ben Yedder and Embolo the dynamic duo
AS Monaco forward Wissam Ben Yedder during the Europa League match against Trabzonspor
Monaco’s great striking strength lies not just in one pair of boots as, with 12 goals and two assists, Embolo’s strike partner Wissam Ben Yedder is matching him stride for stride and both are serious contenders for the top scorer award – two goals behind Reims striker Folarin Balogun.
This partnership has provided its fair share of Ligue 1 2023 highlights this season and Ben Yedder helped himself to a hat-trick in the destruction of Ajaccio.
At 32 years of age, the France international is an experienced campaigner who oozes class. He joined Monaco from Sevilla for a cool €40-M in 2019, and since his arrival in Ligue 1, he has plundered 75 goals from 118 appearances and has become one of the most lethal strikers in the league.
At 5’7”, he has a low centre of gravity, brilliant balance, great technical footwork, and he can shoot sweetly with either foot. And now, any opposition has a second hitman to worry about as Embolo reaches new heights.
Monaco have a good chance of overhauling the surprise packages Lens, who currently sit third in the table, but Phillipe Clement’s side have a tough task next weekend.
Monaco host PSG on Saturday and are at SBOTOP odds of 2.74 to win with the visitors also odds against at 2.22. The Double Chance for Les Rouge et Blanc to extend their unbeaten league run to eight games is priced as low as 1.55.
This is a team bang in form and with the Parisiens gearing up for a huge Champions League match with FC Bayern next week, Monaco might find the timing to their advantage. And with two red-hot strikers fit and firing, they always have a chance.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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Three defeats on a run. That is not a fate many PSG fans would expect to suffer, but it’s true. It isn’t exactly a crisis but it has the makings of one.
And now the league leaders have a tough assignment when they meet fifth-placed Lille in a Ligue 1 fixture at the Parc des Princes. The last time the two teams met early in this campaign, PSG boss Christophe Galtier went to his old club and left with a 7-1 win, so there is an added whiff of revenge in the air to spice things up.
At SBOTOP odds of 1.62, the Parisiens are favourites to win the Sunday lunchtime kick-off, but they are not nailed on to beat the 2021 Ligue 1 champions. And they come into the game on the back of a gruelling defeat to FC Bayern while, last week, Lille swept Strasbourg aside 2-0.
Talking Points
Two in three is bad for PSG
Bayern Munich followed Monaco and Marseille as the third team to beat PSG over the past two weeks and the star-studded French outfit could only manage two goals in those three games. For a team top scoring in Ligue 1 with 55 goals that is a poor return, and the off-field soap opera at the club can’t be helping.
Old boy Kingsley Coman came back to haunt PSG on Tuesday and, after a two-week lay-off, the current PSG top scorer Kylian Mbappe came off the bench against Bayern but failed to make an impact.
And after the game, he took time to lecture his teammates on the lifestyle of an elite sportsman, presumably taking aim at Neymar, who was seen enjoying himself at the European poker tour in Paris the following day. Mbappe hasn’t been on good terms with the Brazilian star, who is big mates with Lionel Messi, since the start of the campaign.
The Parisiens have opened contract talks with Messi in the hope of securing his services beyond the summer, but Neymar is rumoured to be eying a move to the Premier League.
Christophe Galtier’s position as Paris Saint-Germain manager is under inevitable threat
All this is not helping boss Galtier, who is beginning to come under some serious pressure after watching his side lose three consecutive games. It’s the first time PSG have recorded this many losses on the bounce since 2011 and the trigger-happy owners will be watching the situation closely.
They still have a healthy five-point lead over Marseille at the top of the table and the Ligue 1 2023 betting odds aren’t about to turn away from Paris. That is, of course, unless Lille can make it four defeats on the bounce.
Lille out for revenge
On the last two occasions Lille have met PSG both times at home, they have suffered a right royal spanking, 7-1 at the start of this season and 5-1 in the 2021/22 campaign.
It’s almost as if PSG wanted to make a statement to the impudent 2021 champions.
Since then, head coach Paulo Fonseca has overseen an upturn in Ligue 1 2023 results and his team now has designs on a European place. A 3-1 win away to Europe chasing Stade Rennes helped them to climb into the top five and they have a striker who is banging in form.
Canada international Jonathan David has emerged as a genuine candidate for the Golden Boot. He’s now on 14 goals and has made four assists, and that has hauled him to within one of current leader, Reims striker Folarin Balogun.
Lille fans will remind their hosts that their man has more goals than any of Mbappe, Messi, or Neymar this season as he sits alongside Monaco hitman Wissam Ben Yedder and Lyon legend Alexandre Lacazette on 14.
David bagged a first-half brace against Strasbourg last week and he’ll be a handful for PSG on Sunday, as will the quick footed midfield star Remy Cabella, who has four goals and six assists.
History
PSG have beaten these opponents 31 times over the past 30 years, while Lille have come out on top 14 times, though the Lille fans would prefer to forget the last two meetings.
Lille have been slightly stronger over the past six games having won three, drawn one, and lost two games, while PSG have won two, drawn one, and lost three.
But the Parisiens have been imperious at home in the league, winning nine and drawing two of their matches at the Parc des Princes.
Lille are at 4.75 to win this game and 3.73 to draw, with the double chance at odds of 2.09. Fonseca’s side has six points to make up on third-placed Monaco, but I don’t think this is the weekend where they will make any progress. PSG are a mess off the field. But on it, they have the best players in the league by a mile. If they don’t win this, then we may well see some serious fallout in Paris.
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Before they defeated Lille in a seven-goal thriller on Sunday, the Parisiens had lost three consecutive games across all competitions, including their Coupe de France Round of 16 tie to Marseille.
PSG are still in pole position, though, with 57 points, but their huge lead was cut down to only five because of their inconsistent form.
Marseille are right behind them with 52 points, and they have reasons to believe that they can defeat PSG again, especially since they’re on a three-game winning streak.
Read on as SBOTOP analyzes the latest edition of Le Classique on Sunday.
Talking Points
Marseille have reasons to be confident
The resurgence of Marseille has made their ardent fans believe that they could claim their first Ligue 1 title since 2010 under Didier Deschamps.
Igor Tudor deserves praise for the work he has accomplished here at OM. Not too long ago, the Stadium Velodrome crowd booed him when he was first unveiled as their new manager to take the position of the departing Jorge Sampaoli, but now he has turned those jeers into cheers.
One of the players who benefits from Tudor’s arrival is Alexis Sanchez, as the Chilean winger has scored 11 goals in all competitions this season, including four goals and one assist in their last five matches.
PSG’s Neymar in action with Marseille’s Alexis Sanchez during the Round of 16 of Coupe de France
Sanchez came to the team as an afterthought because he fell down the pecking order at Inter Milan, but now he is a fan favourite at Marseille.
But Sanchez is not the only guy that PSG have to keep an eye on this weekend, as Marseille can also rely on the likes of Nuno Tavares, Chancel Mbemba, and Matteo Guendouzi to provide the goals.
Tavares is the team’s second-leading scorer with six goals, which is impressive for a left-back, while Mbemba and Guendouzi have accounted for eight goals and four assists so far this season.
OM are pretty solid at the back too, since they’ve only allowed 22 league goals so far this year. Before conceding two goals to Toulouse on Monday, Marseille had only allowed one league goal this month.
Neymar’s injury hurts PSG yet again
The Parisiens are pretty stacked in the final third, with Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi leading the way. However, they’ll be without one of their main protagonists for the next few weeks.
Neymar suffered an ankle injury and he was carried off on a stretcher during their 4-3 victory over Lille. He is not expected to be available not only against Marseille, but also against Bayern Munich in the return leg of their Champions League tie.
With Neymar out, vice captain Kylian Mbappe and co-star Lionel Messi will have to shoulder the load, while this is Hugo Ekitike’s big chance to solidify his place in Christophe Galtier’s rotation since he’ll replace Neymar in the starting XI.
It’s not all bad Ligue 1 2023 news for PSG, as Nordi Mukiele and Marquinhos resumed training on Wednesday after dealing with knocks. Both of them are likely to feature on Sunday to bolster PSG’s backline.
Marseille beat PSG two weeks ago in the Coupe de France Round of 16 with a scoreline of 2-1, as Alexis Sanchez and Ruslan Malinovskyi netted for Les Olympiens, while Sergio Ramos recorded the only goal for Paris.
Igor Tudor’s side has the opportunity to win two consecutive games in all competitions against the Parisiens for the first time in the QSI era (since 2011-12).
PSG have suffered five losses across all competitions in 2023, while Marseille have only lost once and have seven wins in Ligue 1 so far this year (D1, L1).
Lionel Messi is just one goal away from reaching 700 goals in his club career. Marseille would have to keep an eye on him, especially since he’s fresh from scoring the winning free-kick against Lille last week.
The Ligue 1 2023 odds predict a tight affair here in Le Classique. PSG were given the slight edge as they were installed at 2.31 to win, whereas Marseille were priced at 2.61 in the 1X2 market.
Marseille have proven that they can win in this fixture, and maybe they can pull it off again. However, we expect a response from PSG, so we’re leaning towards going for a draw at 3.55.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH:
= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
= €10 (CONFIDENT)
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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It never really stops but the speculation over the future of one of Ligue 1’s biggest stars has been in the news again this week, and the question for Neymar is…’will he stay or will he go?’
The enigmatic Brazilian is one of the France league’s most watched players and he’s provided plenty of Ligue 1 2023 highlightsagain, both on and off the field. Here at SBOTOP we’ve been watching the battle raging between Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar and Kylian Mbappe all season, as the France star has not been slow to voice his criticisms of his experienced team-mate.
They are still performing on the pitch though, and the latest Ligue 1 2023 betting odds have PSG nailed on the win yet another title, and with these two and Lionel Messi in the front three that’s exactly what we’d expect. World Cup winner Messi is big mates with Neymar and he has spent much of the campaign medPoker event in Parisiating between him and Mbappe whenever a row erupts.
Last week Mbappe seemed to criticise Neymar for going to a Poker event in Paris but he later denied this, saying his public message to his team-mates to eat and sleep well was not aimed at Neymar, but the timing was highly suspicious. Anyhow, the feud seems destined to rumble on and it’s difficult to see the Brazil star seeing out the rest of his contract at the Parc des Princes which expires in 2027.
He is in fine form, scoring 18 goals and making 17 assists in all competitions and there is a school of thought which suggests he might be happy to stay in Paris, but Neymar’s situation at the moneybags club has alerted some of the top clubs in Europe, and particularly England.
So where might Neymar end up next season?
Chelsea
Todd Boehly has spent an eye watering £542m in his eight months as owner of Chelsea, the latest addition being Argentine World Cup sensation Enzo Fernandez when the 22 year old signed for a cool £107m. The Stamford Bridge club could afford Neymar’s wages though it’s a little difficult to see where he would fit into a squad with a surplus of Number 10s, including Fernandez, Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz to name but three.
Chairman Todd Boehly is in the stands watching Chelsea match
Manchester City
The Sky Blues have dominated English football during the past ten years, winning four of the last five Premier League titles and they are in a good position to win again this year. Pep Guardiola has departed from his traditional fluid pass and move strategy by signing a big center forward in Erling Braut Haaland and time will tell whether that was a successful move, though the Norwegian has been prolific in his first season. Neymar is more in the mould of City’s smaller, quick-footed artists and he might be a good fit at the Etihad.
Real Madrid
He has been in Paris since his 2017 switch from Barcelona and there would be quite some unrest in Catalonia if Neymar rocked up at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Los Blancos are said to be monitoring the situation. Carlo Ancelotti has a good number of quick young and skilful forwards, such as Vinicius Junior, but he will lose some experience when Karim Benzema takes a step back and Neymar would bring more quality to the club.
There is no doubt that the Magpies could afford to recruit Neymar but they will need to finish in the Premier League top four to have any chance of signing him next summer. Eddie Howe’s team is currently fifth, but with a game in hand. He has put together a brilliant defensive unit but needs more spark and guile up front.
Miguel Almiron is having a superb campaign but Newcastle will need to upgrade soon if they are to become the superpower their Saudi owners are aiming for.
Paris Saint-Germain
And then Neymar might just stay put. Recent reports are emerging in France to suggest the Brazilian would be happy to remain at the Parc des Princes though it may not be his choice, and head coach Christophe Galtier has admitted he can’t guarantee the player will stay.
Things do change of course, but it is difficult to see how Neymar and Mbappe can put their countless squabbles behind them. Clearly the two megastars don’t get on and it doesn’t help that PSG look likely to exit the Champions League soon after losing their home Round of 16 leg against FC Bayern.
Mbappe was on his way to Real Madrid last summer but did a last minute U-turn. If he had gone to Spain then maybe Neymar would be more likely to stay in Paris.
One thing is for sure though. There are plenty more episodes of this soap opera to run.
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Ligue 1: PSG Breaking Away as Mbappe Leads the Way
PSG have responded positively to the pressure piling up on them after their Ligue 1 lead was cut because of their poor run of results.
After losing 3-1 to AS Monaco on February 12th, the Parisiens got back on track with back-to-back wins against Marseille and Lille, and now their lead has extended to at least eight points.
Kylian Mbappe has been the central figure in PSG’s recent success, and all eyes will be on him when they host Nantes tomorrow at Parc des Princes.
Meanwhile, Jonathan David and Folarin Balogun are also in great form for their respective teams, and they’re in second and third place in the Golden Boot race, respectively. And Alexandre Lacazette is currently on the mend for Lyon.
Read more below as SBOTOP features several French top-flight stars who have been making headlines in the Ligue 1 2023 news.
Kylian Mbappe on the verge of another milestone
Kylian Mbappe scored a brace in their 3-0 win against Marseille, which took him level with Edinson Cavani as PSG’s top goalscorer of all time. So, if he finds the back of the net against Nantes this weekend, he will become the team’s undisputed all-time leading scorer.
Also, in between his two strikes in the aforementioned game, Mbappe teed up Lionel Messi to score his 700th club career goal.
Mbappe should get his 201st career goal at PSG tomorrow since Nantes are in bad form right now. They’ve lost three of their last five league games, falling to 13th in the standings.
He is also the frontrunner for this year’s Golden Boot with 17 goals and three assists. With Neymar sidelined once again due to injury, Mbappe and Messi will be tasked with shouldering the offencive load, and Mbappe’s numbers are going to increase.
The 24-year-old striker had already won the last four Golden Boots here in Ligue 1 from 2019 to 2022, and the Ligue 1 2023 odds like his chances to win it again.
Jonathan David attracting suitors
Lille forward Jonathan David competes for the ball with Paris Saint-Germain defender Nuno Mendes in Ligue 1
Jonathan David is second behind Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race with 15 goals and four assists. He has been prolific for Lille this season, and scouts from various clubs have already taken notice.
When Manchester United was still searching for a striker, David was once linked to them, but that interest has subsided after Wout Weghorst’s arrival.
And RB Leipzig has now entered the fray, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Red Bulls admire David’s versatility to play either as a target man or as a second striker, but they’ll need to work out a deal with Lille, who are unlikely to sell him for a cheap price.
Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham are also rumoured to be keeping an eye on the Canadian striker.
David’s current contract with Les Dogues runs until 2025, but it’s an open secret that he wants to move to a bigger team this summer. Right now, his transfer value is between €39.4-M and €65.7-M according to Transfermarkt.
Folarin Balogun gives Arsenal a huge dilemma
Folarin Balogun has been on fire for Reims this season, recording 15 goals and one assist. He is the third-top goal scorer in Ligue 1 this season, with only Kylian Mbappe and Jonathan David having scored more in the French top-flight.
Because Balogun’s in great form, he’ll attract attention from all across Europe, which leaves Arsenal in a conundrum since it’s his mother club.
Arsenal will have to think long and hard about Balogun’s future since Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, and Eddie Nketiah are ahead of him in the pecking order, and Balogun is not keen to play second fiddle.
Balogun’s contract with the Gunners runs until 2025, and if they sell him, they can command a hefty fee given his current form.
And Arsenal could use that money as funds to fill their other roster needs, such as those of a midfielder, a winger, or a full-back.
Alexandre Lacazette working his way back
Lyon are itching to get back into Ligue 1’s top four and Alexandre Lacazette’s return couldn’t come soon enough.
Les Gones are currently ninth in the Ligue 1 table with 38 points. However, they’ve won three of their last four matches.
The former Arsenal man is Les Gomes’ top goalscorer this season, with 14 goals and four assists, but he hasn’t played since their 2-1 home win against Lens on February 13th due to a strained hamstring.
According to a report from Le Progres, Lacazette resumed training earlier this week, and he could make his return in their Coupe de France quarter-final tie against Grenoble next week.
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It wasn’t a pretty sight for PSG fans in Munich as the Bundesliga champions soaked up the pressure and then struck twice to run out 3-0 aggregate winners.
And the early exit started the inevitable media frenzy around the future of the current head coach, Christophe Galtier. He was under pressure earlier in the campaign after the Parisiens made a slow start, and now he’s under the microscope again.
Lionel Messi in action during PSG’s match against Lille at Parc des Princes
The richest club in Ligue 1 has said he is safe for now despite missing the club’s number one target, but the reports that he was losing influence at the club as early as November seem ominous.
And the day after defeat to Bayern Munich the French media reported that the club was considering a withdrawal of their contract offer to Lionel Messi, partly as a consequence of fan pressure. The frustrated PSG supporters have watched their Argentine magician lift the World Cup and they hoped he’d bring glory to their door, but it simply hasn’t happened.
The club had offered the Argentine an extension but it is now, apparently, under serious consideration.
PSG are expected to win Ligue 1 every year, but the Champions League is a prize that evades them. This was the fifth season in seven in which they dropped out of Europe’s elite competition at the first knockout stage and that simply isn’t good enough.
The Qatari owners may well think it’s time for a reset and Brazilian star Neymar is sure to be on his way, but the man who nailed his colours to the PSG mast last year, Kylian Mbappe, looks almost certain to stay.
Mbappe was on his way to Real Madrid at one point, but he made a spectacular u-turn at the 11th hour, so it would be odd if he were to jump ship now.
The France star was quick to speak after his clubs European exit, insisting that it did not affect his future at the club and he was now fully focused on winning the league.
Maybe Mbappe is happy to stay if Messi and Neymar say goodbye.
In the aftermath of defeat Mbappe said: “I’m calm, the only thing that matters to me this season is winning the championship and then we’ll see.”
The Ligue 1 2023 betting odds suggest he need not worry too much about missing out on league glory. We’ll pick up this story again soon I guess.
Lille, now managed by Paul Fonseca, are up to sixth and have suffered just one defeat in the last seven games, a 4-3 reversal to PSG. They were 3-2 up in that game with three minutes to go, but a late strike from Mbappe and a 95th minute penalty converted by Messi robbed Lille of a result.
It’s been a good turnaround for the club which was booed by its own fans when they failed to beat Reims in January, but they won their supporters back with a 5-1 drubbing of Troyes.
Now just six points behind AS Monaco in third, Fonseca’s men still have Europe in their sights.
Star striker Jonathan David is back to his best form and has scored 16 goals so far this season alongside Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder and just two goals behind Golden Boot leader Mbappe. And summer signing Remy Cabella has been in outstanding form and is one of the best creative midfielders in the league.
The club kept faith with Fonseca when times were not so good, and now they might just reap the benefits of their loyalty.
This weekend’s big games
Lille open the action on Friday when they host Lyon on Friday night and are at SBOTOP odds of 1.92to get a win.
On Saturday, Brest, down in 15th are at home to PSG with the champions at 1.36 to win and Auxerre who are also in relegation trouble, entertain fifth-placed Rennes who are priced at 1.97 for the win.
The big fixture on Sunday is in Monaco where Reims are the visitors with the hosts, currently third, favourites at 1.81 to win. Second-placed Marseilles are hot favourites to beat Strasbourg at odds of 1.42.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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Another Ligue 1 season and another Paris Saint-Germain triumph or so it seems as Christophe Galtier’s team of megastars homes in on an eighth league triumph in 10 seasons.
Only Lille and AS Monaco have managed the wrestle the French title away from Paris over the past decade, and it doesn’t look like anyone is ready to step up this season with a spectacular set ofLigue 1 2023 resultsgood enough to shake Les Parisiens.
Kylian Mbappe scored a 90th minute winner to give PSG a fourth consecutive win, beating Brest 2-1, and the champions are breaking away since they’re now 10 points clear of second placed Marseille.
That’s not to say head coach Galtier isn’t under pressure by the way, as his team’s exit from the Champions League at the first knockout phase is not to the club’s owners’ liking.
But let’s leave him to worry about that and take a look at the other battles raging down the top flight league table.
The top three
Three French teams will qualify for the 2023-24 Champions League and the latest Ligue 1 2023 betting oddsreckon the two clubs occupying second and third will stay there and join PSG among Europe’s elite next season.
Marseille are in decent shape in second despite drawing at home to Strasbourg last weekend, while surprise package Lens continue to impress in third.
Lois Openda scored a five-minute hat-trick as Les Sang et Or hammered Clermont Foot on Sunday. His first on the half hour was a fine shot from a tight angle, and then two more clinical finishes on 34 and 35 to seal the points.
That took Openda onto 10 goals for the campaign and kept Lens in that priceless third place.
Jonathan David scored a hat-trick for Lille in a 3-3 draw with Lyon
AS Monaco are in danger of slipping away, losing at home to Reims to make it just a single point from the last three games.
We’ve talked about Canada star David a lot here at SBOTOP and he’s a real talent. But former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette scored a late brace to earn Lyon a 3-3 draw and keep Lille in sixth place, five points behind Monaco in fourth and eight behind Lens in third.
But Lille are just about still in the hunt for a top three place as are Rennes, who stayed fifth after playing out a frustrating 0-0 draw away to battling Auxerre.
Europa League
In addition to Monaco, Rennes, and Lille, three more teams realistically have chances to grab a Europa League place.
Seventh-placed Nice are the biggest name in the second chasing pack. And with 18 points from the last eight games, they are the team in form.
With the experience of skipper Dante in defence and keeper Kasper Schmeichel to lead the team, Nice will be a tough opponent in the run-in and they have their eyes on at least matching their fifth-place finish of last season.
Nice are four points behind fifth placed Rennes on 43 alongside Reims and Lorient. Will Still’s Reims are on the charge too with four wins and a draw from the last five games and are certain to improve on their 12th place from the 2021/22 campaign.
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And they put down a marker at the weekend with a 1-0 victory away to Monaco, as Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun scored the winner early in the second half.
Lorient only just survived relegation last term, but under the guidance of head coach Regis Le Bris they are a different prospect this season, beating Troyes 2-0 to stay in the hunt for Europe.
Lyon, in 10th, will still push for a place. But seven points behind Rennes and with four teams to outrun, they have a lot of work to do.
The fight for survival
Unfortunately for Angers, we can pretty much say they are doomed, sitting rock bottom, 13 from safety on 10 points and 10 behind their nearest rivals.
19th placed Troyes have just picked up a single point in five games and are in real trouble, but it is three from five for the drop with Troyes, Ajaccio, Auxerre, Brest, and Strasbourg separated by just three points.
Auxerre, on 23 points alongside Brest and Strasbourg, have some momentum with two wins and three draws from the last five and they look best placed to climb away from trouble.
Coupe de France holders, Nantes, are in 14th on 29 points and should be able to avoid being dragged into the scrap for survival.
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Despite having a comfortable lead in the Ligue 1 table, PSG are going through a lot right now, and manager Christophe Galtier may very well be the scapegoat when it’s all said and done.
When PSG lost to Rennes last weekend, it was another setback for the Parisiens prior to the international break. And local reports claim that Galtier and Luis Campos’ jobs are in huge jeopardy.
On the other hand, Will Still is no longer unbeaten as Reims’ boss, while Alexandre Lacazette continues to climb up the scoring charts in Lyon.
These are some of the biggest Ligue 1 2023 updates in France this week, so learn more about them by continuing to read on below, courtesy of SBOTOP.
PSG reportedly searching Galtier’s replacement
PSG have considered replacing Galtier for several reasons. Not only is he under scrutiny for the unacceptable results, including their early exit in the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich, but also for his soured relationship with his players and his questionable tactics.
During the second leg of their Champions League tie against Bayern Munich, Galtier was particularly critical of El Chadaille Bitshiabu for conceding the opening goal. And then against Rennes, Galtier put most of the blame for their 2-0 loss on the academy players in the first team who were on the squad.
Footmercato also reported that Lionel Messi left their most recent training session earlier than usual after refusing to participate in several drills that the coaches organised, although Galtier denied it, saying that Messi went out because he felt discomfort in his groin.
Galtier is no stranger to criticism of his tactics, as most pundits say that his oft-used 3-5-2 formation is too rigid.
This was evident during their defeat to Rennes, as PSG were content to just drop back and wait for a counterattacking opportunity, which is not how they’re supposed to play given their immense firepower.
With Galtier’s future in Paris uncertain, Jose Mourinho might replace him this summer. The Special One has plenty of experience coaching big clubs in the Premier League and in Serie A.
But more importantly, Mourinho knows how to get his players to buy into his project. His no-nonsense demeanour is something that a club like PSG need considering the collective ego that they have on their roster.
Mourinho’s future at AS Roma is also far from guaranteed given their struggles to qualify for the Champions League, which could add to their financial predicament.
Will Still saw his undefeated streak in Ligue 1 come to an end when his Reims fell to Marseille on Sunday.
Ligue 1 Golden Boot candidate Folarin Balogun put the hosts ahead after 13 minutes, but Alexis Sanchez replied with two goals in 14 minutes to give the visitors the lead and the victory.
Reims had their chances in the second half, but they were let down because they couldn’t finish in the final third. Marseille were under enormous pressure as the hosts pushed for the equaliser, but they managed to hold on for the win.
Will Still has come a long way as a football manager, and Reims are still fined £22,000 every time he takes charge because he doesn’t have his pro licence yet.
Reims are in the top half of the Ligue 1 standings because of their 18-match unbeaten run under Still. Because of what he has done, Still is being linked to a possible move to West Ham United.
The 30-year-old admitted that he has dreams of coaching his boyhood Premier League club, which is currently in the relegation scrap in 18th place.
Lacazette eyeing huge Lyon milestone
Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette celebrates scoring their first goal against Nantes
Alexandre Lacazette scored in Lyon’s 1-1 draw against Nantes on Saturday, marking his 150th goal for the club. He is now the second-most prolific scorer in Lyon’s history after passing Bernard Lacombe’s tally of 149 goals in 230 games.
Now that he’s the team’s second-leading scorer, Lacazette is aiming to be on top of Lyon’s scoring charts, but he still has a long way to go. Up next for Lacazette is passing Fleury Di Nallo’s record of 222 goals.
If there’s anyone who can pass Fleury Di Nallo, it is Lacazette, considering he scored 150 goals in a significantly shorter period of time. The 31-year-old has been one of Lyon’s best players this season, and his leadership goes beyond the pitch. Lyon are currently 10th in the Ligue 1 table with 41 points, and they need more than Lacazette to increase their Ligue 1 2023 odds for a spot in Europe.
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Can Uncompetitive Ligue 1 Keep Hold of Star Names?
It’s the beginning of April and the Ligue 1 title race has long been over.
Once again, the resources of Paris St Germain have blitzed the rest of the field to the extent where much focus is now on who will secure a European berth and who will survive.
To be fair to Marseille and Lens, both are enjoying fine campaigns and, but for too many draws, would probably be closer to the heels of PSG.
However, it was never going to take Einstein to predict what was likely to happen as you may have read on these pages last summer.
After all, only Monaco (2017) and Lille (2021) have managed to stop the PSG juggernaut since they became a state-owned super club.
So, while the SBOTOP Ligue 1 2023 betting odds may encourage you to bet against a late-season collapse, even you know that is unlikely.
Whether they end up with another title, though, will hardly appease many Parisiens as they again underachieve overall.
For with the French top flight lacking in the overall quality of their English, Spanish, Italian and German counterparts, it will take more than Ligue 1 2023 highlights to keep the critics at bay.
Yet another last-16 exit from the Champions League – Bayern Munich saw them off with ease – has ensured the vultures continue to soar and the futures of their main three superstars will no doubt be debated long and hard again over the months ahead.
Now that’s not to say Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain will leave Paris, where he is reportedly settled.
But the yearn for the club where he spent all of his career until he was sold in the summer of 2021 for financial reasons provides a big pull.
Were he to leave, it would be another blow to the image of PSG as a home for superstars, even 35-year-old ones!
Ahead of Sunday night’s clash with Lyon, sitting in an unusual 10th place, he is in line to make his 50th Ligue 1 appearance and his statistics make better reading than you might imagine.
This term he has netted 13 of his 19 league goals for the club, as well as providing as many assists to give himself 46 goal involvements in his 49 top-flight outings since his arrival.
Indeed, since full statistical analysis started in 2006/07, only fellow PSG men Neymar (72 – 47 goals, 25 assists) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (57 – 43 goals, 14 assists) have had more goal involvements in their first half-century of appearances.
This is a return for Laurent Blanc who has overseen an improvement with only one defeat in their past nine.
They have lost some momentum by drawing their last three games but, regardless of the result, the OL boss should receive a positive reaction from fans of the capital club he coached between 2013 and 2016.
The final word, for now, goes to not an experienced, astute manager or a world superstar but a rookie making heads turn with midtable Reims.
Reims manager Will Still reacts from the sideline during their Ligue 1 match against Ajaccio
The six-time Champions of France regularly set records back in the middle of the 20th century, but even by those exceptionally high standards, 20 consecutive league games without defeat is unheard of in more modern times.
That run ended with a 2-1 defeat at Marseille before the international break but do not bet against them enjoying a top-half finish to the campaign.
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Ligue 1: Will Messi Follow Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia?
Lionel Messi has been urged to come home to Barcelona after he was booed in PSG’s recent defeat to Lyon. And there’s a growing possibility that he will leave the defending Ligue 1 champions this summer.
A local report from France claims that Messi is unlikely to re-sign with the Parisiens because negotiations between him and the club are at a standstill. PSG are asking Messi to accept a huge pay cut on his next deal, but the Argentine forward apparently is not willing to do so.
Lens continue to defy the Ligue 1 2023 odds as they close in on PSG, while Nantes are not only fighting to stay above the relegation zone; they’re also trying to move away from the bad press that they’ve had after dropping one of their key players recently.
Here are some of the top Ligue 1 2023 updates, courtesy of SBOTOP.
Messi weighing his options after being given a mouthwatering offer
Should Lionel Messi decide to leave PSG this summer, there will be no shortage of suitors for his services, for sure.
Staying in Europe will be Messi’s priority, but there’s a possibility that he could follow Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia, as Al Hilal reportedly offered him a massive €400 million-per-year deal.
Ronaldo is currently the highest paid footballer in the world because his contract with Al Nassr is €200 million per year. So, if Messi signs with Al Hilal, he’ll dwarf Ronaldo once again.
Messi makes €40 million gross annually from his existing PSG contract, but PSG want him to take a 25-per cent salary reduction to make room for possible new transfers to bolster their squad. RMC Sport claims that PSG are eyeing Victor Osimhen to strengthen their attack, but the Napoli star has a high asking price.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is playing well for PSG this season, and late last year, he led Argentina to their third World Cup victory.
But his performance has declined since then, and PSG were unable to go past the Round of 16 in the Champions League.
To summarise, Messi has four options this summer. He can choose to stay in Paris, return home to Barcelona, play in the MLS, or accept this massive offer from Al Hilal.
Lens stars attracting suitors
Several clubs are now interested in Lois Openda and Kevin Danso as a result of their strong performances this year.
Openda leads Lens in scoring with 15 goals, and he has also notched two assists. Danso, meanwhile, has been arguably their best centre-back this season.
RC Lens’ Lois Openda celebrates scoring their first goal against Rennes
Everton actually went after Openda last January, but the 22-year-old striker turned them down. AC Milan and Leicester City are now reportedly looking to sign him this summer.
His current contract with Lens is until June 2027. Openda joined Le Sang et Or from Club Brugge in July 2022.
Danso is on the radar of several clubs too. Inter Milan are considering him as a potential replacement for Milan Skriniar, while Newcastle United and Fulham are also keeping tabs on him.
Danso’s current contract with Lens is until June 2026, and he’s valued at around €16 million. Openda, on the other hand, has a transfer value between €22.2 million and €37 million.
Lens are second in the Ligue 1 standings with 60 points, tied with Marseille. They are unbeaten in their last five league matches, and they’re set to take on Strasbourg this weekend.
FFF slammed by fans for their Ramadan guidelines
The Premier League has encouraged referees to find a natural pause in play during evening games for Muslim players to break their fast, but that’s not the case here in France.
The France Football Federation (FFF) was heavily criticised by fans for this, and one team in particular was affected by this ruling.
Jaouen Hadjam was removed from Nantes’ match squad for fasting on matchdays during Ramadan. Nantes, who were without the 20-year-old full-back, suffered a 3-0 home loss to Reims on Sunday.
Fans of Nantes were stunned by Antoine Kombouare’s decision to drop Hadjam because he has been one of their most promising players this season. However, Kombouare insisted that he would not punish Hadjam.
The Nantes boss insisted that he only cares about his health.
“During the week, there are no problems with fasting players. I’m ready to support them if needed. We know it’s not an easy time,” said Kombouare. “But on gameday, you should not fast. And those who fast are not in the squad. I don’t want them to pick up an injury,” he added.
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There’s one big story that has been dominating the Ligue 1 2023 news over the past week. The ‘will he, won’t he’ question over Lionel Messi’s likely move away from PSG.
Kylian Mbappe may disagree, but he’s Ligue 1’s most famous player and it seems like the 2022 World Cup winner might be ready to return to Barcelona, though there has been chatter that Messi might even follow Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia. But the pull of Catalonia might just be too much for the Argentine magician to resist and it could be the perfect place for his swansong.
Several players at the Camp Nou, including Sergi Roberto and Ronald Araujo have already said they’d love to see Messi return and, yesterday, the Blaugrana’s star striker Robert Lewandowski joined the increasing clamour for his return. Speaking at a public appearance the Polish hitman made it clear he would love to play with the 35 year old saying: “Messi belongs at Barca and if he comes back it will be incredible. We know his place is here at Barcelona. I don’t know what will happen, but I hope that next season we can play together.”
Now that would be worth watching!
It’s hard for Ligue 1 to keep its biggest stars, though Mbappe resisted a move to Real Madrid last season, and the loss of Messi would be a blow to French football. He’s the league’s most prolific assist maker, teeing up his 14th of the campaign as he set up a goal for Sergio Ramos in a 2-0 win over OGC Nice at the weekend. It was his 28th goal involvement of the season as he had earlier scored his 14th goal to give PSG a first half lead and deservedly picked up the man-of-the-match award.
Rayan Cherki playing for Lyon against Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes
If the Parisiens are resigned to losing their veteran star forward then they could make a move to replace him with a player who is at the other end of his career. The French media have reported that Olympique Lyonnais winger Rayan Cherki is on the Parc des Princes radar. The 19 year old France U21 star has already made 75 appearances for Lyon and, if his team fails to qualify for Europe as seems likely, he could be ready to make a move. A versatile and quick-footed player, Cherki can play out wide or as an attacking midfielder just behind the striker, and he could be a smart replacement for Messi.
Whether he leaves or unexpectedly decides to stay in Paris, Messi is highly likely to pick up yet another title. The latest Ligue 1 2023 betting odds, here at SBOTOP, reckon it’s PSG’s to lose; with the league leaders rated at 1.03 to win the 2022/23 title with second placed Lens at 26.00 and Olympique Marseilles at 51.00. The Parisiens are six points clear with eight games to play, and while Lens are on the charge with four consecutive victories it looks like they are in a three way battle for two Champions League spots, along with OM and AS Monaco.
Four to go down this season
This is not the year to have an off season in the bottom half of the table as, following a 2021 vote by the French Professional League, officials decided to reduce the top flight from 20 clubs to 18. And that means there will be four sides sliding down to Ligue 2 while only two will come the other way.
Angers are pretty much gone, rock bottom on 14 points, with Ajaccio and Troyes in mortal danger on 21 points and seven from safety. Two wins on the bounce have lifted Auxerre out of the four-team drop zone and up to 15th place, leaving Strasbourg in the uncomfortable 17th spot, on 26 points and two behind Brest who have picked up four points from the last two games.
14th placed Nantes aren’t entirely out of danger; a return of two points from five games has left the Canaries just five points above the drop; but they have a decent chance for three points this weekend.
The relegation battle is where the real pressure is and there will be nerves shredded on Sunday when Strasbourg host Ajaccio, who have lost the last five, and Auxerre host Nantes. Should Strasbourg win then Brest will likely drop to 17th unless they can win at home to Nice.
While Messi and PSG are set fair for a title win there will be plenty of twists and turns at the bottom end of the table. It looks like three are down and the last place will be filled by one of four.
It’s going to the wire!
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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Ligue 1: Mbappe’s CV Grows Bigger as PSG Inch Closer to Another Title
PSG winning their record-breaking 11th Ligue 1 title feels inevitable at this point, with seven matchdays left in the 2022-23 season.
They recently defeated Lens in a top-of-the-table clash last Saturday, proving to everyone why they’re still the best side in Paris despite their countless shenanigans off the pitch.
Elsewhere, AS Monaco are back in the top four as they romped past Lorient even if their striker was in hot water, while Lille are clinging on to the fifth spot, and they’ve just beaten Montpellier.
Continue to read below as SBOTOP recaps some of the biggest Ligue 1 2023 updates.
Mbappe is now PSG’s all-time leading scorer in Ligue 1
Kylian Mbappe, 24, has already achieved so much in his young career. He has already won multiple Ligue 1 titles, a World Cup, and was recently given the captain’s armband for France.
On Saturday, Mbappe became PSG’s all-time leading scorer in Ligue 1 when he scored his 139th league goal in their 3-1 victory against Lens, overtaking Edinson Cavani, who netted 138 times in Ligue 1 for the team in 200 league matches.
Mbappe was the man of the match for PSG, as not only did he give them the lead for good, he also set up his teammate Lionel Messi for their third goal. Salis Abdul Samad was booked for a red card after 19 minutes, which certainly didn’t help Lens, and PSG rightfully took advantage.
Prior to this match, PSG had lost two straight home games, which gave title rivals Lens and Marseille hope. So this win against Lens certainly improves PSG’s Ligue 1 2023 odds of securing yet another title.
Mbappe has been the consistent bright spot for the defending Ligue 1 champions this season, especially with Neymar out for the season due to an ankle injury and Lionel Messi not exactly having a great campaign by his standards.
Lille are in contention for Europe next year because of Jonathan David, who is neck-and-neck with Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race this season. He has taken his tally to 20 goals and four assists in Ligue 1 after scoring against Montpellier last weekend, which is equal to his PSG counterpart.
David also made history in their win against Montpellier, as he became the fourth Lille player to score at least 20 Ligue 1 goals in a single season in the 21st century, joining the likes of Moussa Sow, Eden Hazard, and Nicolas Pepe.
Lille star Jonathan David celebrates after scoring a goal during their Ligue 1 match against Lyon
He has constantly improved his output since landing in France, so his price tag has reportedly risen to €65 million, and Lille are expected to sell him even if his current contract with Les Dogues runs until 2025. It has been an open secret that he wants to move to a bigger team this summer, preferably to a club that will play Champions League football next season.
RB Leipzig, Chelsea, Manchester United, and PSG have been linked with the Canadian striker all season long, but he has a new suitor in AC Milan, according to local outlets in Italy.
With Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic not getting any younger and Divock Origi not playing up to par, AC Milan are looking at David’s way to freshen up their frontline.
AC Milan are currently fourth in the Serie A table, and they’re through to the Champions League semi-finals this year after beating Napoli yesterday.
Ben Yedder’s future is uncertain
Wissam Ben Yedder is also in the running for the Golden Boot this season, as he has 17 league goals so far, and only Folarin Balogun, Alexandre Lacazette, Jonathan David, and Kylian Mbappe have more.
But despite leading AS Monaco in goals this season, Wissam Ben Yedder’s long-term future at the club is far from guaranteed.
The AS Monaco captain’s current contract expires at the end of next season, but talks over an extension have yet to get underway, according to reports from France.
The club reportedly wants Ben Yedder to take a wage cut on his next deal as he currently earns €650,000 per month, but he hasn’t shown a willingness to do so.
And what’s more, Ben Yedder was recently slapped with a huge fine and a six-month suspended prison sentence for tax fraud committed during his time as a Sevilla player.
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It amused me somewhat, but also surprised me, when my 11 year-old grandson referred to Ligue 1 yesterday as a ‘farmer’s league’.
Of course, they weren’t his own words. I suspect he picked it up at school or from an online video comparing the French top flight unfavourably to some of Europe’s other major leagues.
However, it did get me thinking.
How exactly is it thought of outside France?
How exactly do French fans rate it?
And where it is going next?
I came to one conclusion which was only backed up by a particular result this weekend.
Because for all of the Ligue 1 highlights they create; for all of the SBOTOP Ligue 1 betting odds which make them favourites virtually every game, the top team in the land are really failing to live up to expectations, given their resources dwarf each and every one of their domestic opponents.
Now do not get me wrong.
Paris St Germain deserve credit and are about to clinch yet another title.
Paris Saint-Germain players after their match against Lorient at Parc des Princes
They are five points clear of second-place Marseille at the top with five games remaining and could be champions again in under a fortnight.
Yongwa finished into the bottom corner from close range as they took the lead before half-time.
Then, three minutes from the end, Dieng made sure of the three points when he headed in the rebound after Gianluigi Donnarumma had parried his initial effort.
The race is not quite over after two goals in three minutes against basement battlers Auxerre kept alive Marseille’s faint hopes on Sunday evening,
The reality, however is that only Monaco (2017) and Lille (2021) have managed to stop the PSG juggernaut since they became a state-owned super club.
And while that’s not to say Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain will leave Paris, where he is reportedly settled, the yearn for the club where he spent all of his career until being sold in the summer of 2021 for financial reasons provides a big pull.
Were he to leave, it would be another blow to the image of PSG as a home for superstars, but the biggest loss of all to the French league would be Mbappe.
Let’s finish with the story of the weekend and a team which deserves plaudits galore.
Toulouse are the 2023 French Cup winners for the first time in 66 years after they demolished Nantes 5-1.
They arrived at the Stade de France not only as holders but having won the Coupe de France four times.
Two of those came in back-to-back seasons between 1998 and 2000, and the club’s fans packed into the stadium in Paris’ northern suburbs with the hope of history repeating itself.
Instead, Toulouse wrote their own as they became the first team to score four times in the first half of a French Cup Final since Lille achieved the feat against Bordeaux in 1955.
Zakaria Aboukhlal got the fifth late on after Ludovic Blas had pulled one back from the penalty spot for Nantes.
Toulouse coach Philippe Montanier hailed his side saying they would “go down in the history of the competition”.
Where this leaves Nantes, just above the Ligue 1 drop zone, remains to be seen.
In 16th place due to their superior goal difference, they visit the side directly below them, Brest, in midweek when they will be looking to end a run of nine league games without a win. Confidence could prove the key component with six league games remaining.
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The circus at Paris Saint-Germain continues to dominate the Ligue 1 2023 news as the season approaches its climax and, last week, it was Lionel Messi’s turn to write the headlines, though Kylian Mbappe is never too far away.
The Ligue 1 leaders are surely heading for a ninth title in ten campaigns but Messi was missing when they played relegation-threatened Troyes on Sunday night, serving a suspension for an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia in midweek. The Argentine star made a sincere apology, saying: “First, I want to apologise to my team-mates and the club. Honestly, I thought we were going to have a day off after the game like we did in previous weeks. I’m waiting to hear what the club want to do with me.”
Well the club immediately suspended the 35 year old World Cup winner for the Troyes game and the following weekend against Auxerre, and speculation is growing that Messi might have played his last game for Paris Saint-Germain. Barcelona fans are hopeful that he might be on his way back to the Camp Nou but their former talisman’s visit to Saudi will have set alarm bells ringing.
Messi’s nemesis, Cristiano Ronaldo is already in the Saudi Arabian league plying his trade with Al Nassr FC in Riyadh. CR7 seems to be enjoying life in the Middle East, scoring 12 goals in 12 games for the club he joined in January, and organisers of the Saudi league would love to pick up another marquee name. Before his disappearance Messi had been in fine form, making four goal contributions in the last four games, but the fans who welcomed him two years ago are now calling for his departure, as well as that of club chairman Nasser Al Khelafi. The Argentine’s contract expires in June when he celebrates his 36th birthday and he still has a couple of years at the top level in him.
But they won’t be in France.
More stars set to exit Paris
Following this episode PSG are left with just Kylian Mbappe up front as the third member of the Galactico trio, Neymar, has been out of action for a few weeks with a serious ankle injury and he won’t appear again at the Parc des Princes this season. The Ligue 1 2023 betting odds say the title is heading to Paris but the mood in the capital city is rather sombre.
There has been no denying the tension between the stellar players, Mbappe has had a long running spat with Neymar and Messi has largely backed up his Brazilian mate. And the bad blood just seems to be getting worse after French sports paper L’Equipe reported that Neymar’s Instagram account ‘liked’ a post from a pundit slamming Mbappe. His future is far from clear and Neymar could easily follow Messi through the exit door.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi in action against Angers
Mbappe was persuaded to stay at the Paris club last season as he increased his influence, but now it looks like he may be losing one of his allies as the Financial Fair Play regulations begin to tighten. Wing back Achraf Hakimi could be set to leave after two years at the club. He signed from Inter Milan for a fee of £52m in 2021 but now he might be destined for the Premier League, as long term admirers Chelsea could be set to pounce. The Moroccan international has played 78 times for PSG, scoring eight goals and making 11 assists, winning Ligue 1 and French super cup medals.
Chelsea could meet competition from Manchester United for the signature of Hakimi but Mbappe will become increasingly anxious should his pal leave.
And then there’s central midfielder Marco Verratti who has been at PSG since 2012 when he moved from his native Pescara. Now 30 years of age he too is unsettled, despite recently being offered a contract extension by the club. Reports in Italy suggest the Azzurri star is unhappy in the French capital and, though he hasn’t received the levels of criticism suffered by Messi and Neymar he is said to favour a move back to Italy. Verratti has been an important player for PSG but, after falling short yet again in the Champions League, Paris is not a happy place to be.
The Italian press claim Verratti does not like the way he has been treated by the fans and he wants out. Both Juventus and Inter Milan are rumoured to be interested, and I Bianconeri may well be looking to replace the outgoing Adrien Rabiot.
It’s going to be another turbulent summer at PSG and, here at SBOTOP, we’ll keep you posted as the story unfolds.
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Ligue 1: PSG on Course For Title But Rebuild is on the Horizon
PSG are a few points away from winning their ninth Ligue 1 title in the past 10 seasons, but the team is likely to undergo an overhaul.
While the future of Lionel Messi is the hottest topic in football circles nowadays, especially since he’s linked to a move back to Barcelona, his teammates Neymar and Marco Verratti were also mentioned in a possible exodus this summer.
Elsewhere, Folarin Balogun continues to be a bright spot for Reims even if they’ve fallen out of the European picture, while Nice are looking to strengthen their backroom staff this upcoming offseason, starting with a new manager.
Learn more about the latest Ligue 1 2023 updates by continuing to read below.
Neymar and Verratti placed on PSG’s transfer list
Lionel Messi is not the only one who’s on the verge of leaving the French capital this summer, as Neymar and Marco Verratti are also expected to be on the move.
Neymar and Verratti are among the top 5 highest earners within the team, so the pair are placed on PSG’s transfer list, looking to raise funds for new reinforcements.
Neymar’s 2022-23 campaign was off to a great start, but just like in the past few seasons, he has been blighted by injuries. He hasn’t made a league appearance since February after struggling with an ankle injury.
The Brazilian forward has made 29 appearances for the Parisiens this season, scoring 18 goals and dishing out 17 assists. A number of Premier League clubs have been linked with a swoop for him, such as Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Manchester United.
Verratti, meanwhile, is keen on moving back home to Italy despite signing a two-year extension back in December. Given everything he has done for the team these past few years, he is apparently dissatisfied with how the fans have treated him.
With that said, PSG are already looking ahead, and they have Bernardo Silva in their sights to retool their attack. The Manchester City star has been open about his desire to leave the Etihad for a new challenge, and perhaps going back to France is the right move.
In what could be a busy transfer window, PSG are also said to be in the mix for Les Bleus stars Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani, and they’re also looking for a centre-back and midfielder.
Balogun matches Ligue 1 record
Reims’ Folarin Balogun in action with Lens’ Jonathan Gradit during their Ligue 1 match at Stade Bollaert-Delelis
Folarin Balogun just became the joint-highest-scoring English player in Ligue 1 history after scoring his 19th league goal of the season against RC Lens on Saturday.
He is now level with the late Frederick Kennedy, who also scored 19 Ligue 1 goals in 1935-36. If Balogun can score one more goal before the end of the season, he’ll become the outright highest-scoring Englishman in Ligue 1 history.
Prior to Saturday, Balogun went through a goalless drought, having not found the back of the net in any of his last four matches that ended in losses. Because of their barren run, Reims are no longer in contention for a European berth, according to the SBOTOP Ligue 1 2023 odds.
The Arsenal loanee will look to make his final few games at Reims count before returning to his mother club this summer, although the Gunners are inclined to sell him for as much as £30 million because he could find minutes hard to come by with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah in the squad.
Nice considering Potter
When Didier Digard took over after Lucien Favre was sacked in January, the 36-year-old had Nice in contention for European football, but now it’s unlikely because they’ve fallen to 10th place.
Nice are ready to part ways with their interim manager this summer, and they are reportedly looking at Graham Potter to be his successor on the touchline next season.
Chelsea hired Potter after sacking Thomas Tuchel earlier this season, but he was eventually fired after a succession of bad results. Leicester City approached Potter when he was out of a job, but he preferred to take a break from management.
If Potter agrees to become their new manager, it’ll be a solid addition for Nice. Despite his tumultuous time at Chelsea, the 47-year-old is still considered a good manager by many, having transformed Brighton and Swansea into relevant clubs in England.
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All is not well at the home of the Ligue 1 reigning champions and the locals are getting restless in Paris, after yet another season without European success.
Since Qatar Sports Investment bought the club in 2011, Les Parisiens have totally dominated the French domestic league, but they have barely laid a glove on Europe’s big clubs or got near to Champions League glory, with the notable exception of a final appearance in 2020 when they were beaten 1-0 by FC Bayern. Since then they have reverted to type and PSG bowed out in the Champions League Round of 16 this year.
The club’s Ligue 1 2023 results have been good enough to open up an uncatchable six-point lead with two games to play, but that’s not been good enough for the PSG fans who were dismayed, a couple of weeks ago, when Lionel Messi went missing on a trip to Saudi when he should have been in Paris. And the clubs Ultra fans were filmed, last week, chanting for the board to resign, outside the PSG headquarters; and then they moved on to the home of Brazil star Neymar, calling for him too to leave their club.
Well the PSG Ultras will get their wish on that one.
Neymar’s people are already working hard to find him his next club and, reports have emerged n England that Manchester United have been offered a chance to sign the star. Whether he would be a good fit for the Old Trafford side, which is in the midst of its own transition period under Erik Ten Hag, is questionable, but it would make commercial sense in terms of shirt sales and sponsorship. The player’s wages and his ability to settle in the demanding Premier League may also be a worry so I suspect we are more likely to see him return to Spain.
Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio celebrates scoring their first goal against Getafe
Here at SBOTOP, we’ll be following this story which is due to reach a climax over the next few weeks but, in the meantime, PSG still have two games to play and Neymar is likely to feature. And, in better news for the fans, rumours of a big-name player going the other way are gathering pace as Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio is reported to be inching closer to a move to the Parc des Princes in the summer. Asensio will become a free agent at the end of the season and is the kind of player PSG would need to start their rebuild after the likely departures of Messi and Neymar.
Asensio has been offered a new contract by Los Blancos, but he is in advanced talks with the French champions after his discussions with the Madrid club hit a rocky patch in May. And the board is further trying to appease fans and strengthen their squad with a move for FC Bayern wingback and France favourite Lucas Hernandez. The French media says a deal is moving closer by the day, though the club does have a Plan B, with Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte in their sights.
Elsewhere, Champions League qualifiers RC Lens are bracing themselves to lose one of their best players, as reports are circling that striker Lois Openda would be interested in moving to Italy, where AC Milan are said to be keen. I Rossoneri have spoken to the Belgian’s representatives and have been advised that a 40m Euros package will be needed to sign the sharpshooter, who has scored 19 goals and made three assists in 36 appearances for his club.
With four teams set to drop to Ligue 2, as the top flight reduces to 18 teams, there’s a distinct possibility that one of France’s big guns is about to be relegated. At the start of the campaign, the Ligue 1 2023 betting odds didn’t have Nantes as a candidate for the drop but, with two games to play, the 2022 Coupe de France winners are in serious trouble. A run of two points from six games has left Les Canaris in the bottom four, a point behind Auxerre in the last safe spot. Angers Ajaccio and Troyes are already down, and Nantes have a home game against Angers on the last day, while Auxerre have a tough game away to Toulouse before hosting high-flying Lens on the final day.
I think Nantes might just squeeze through to safety.
At the other end of the table, with PSG, Lens, and Marseille in the Champions League and Monaco currently fourth, Lyon, Rennes and Lille are also fighting over the Europa League places; and the biggest game of the weekend pitches Monaco away to Rennes. The hosts are in better form, with four wins from six while Monaco have won just two in six, and a home win will really shake things up before the final day.
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So, another season passes in Ligue 1 and, without being disrespectful to the extent that my grandson recently called it a ‘farmers league’, the French top flight is probably the least exciting of all the top European leagues right now.
Yet there were still surprises this term and Paris St Germain’s road to another title was not the stroll it should have been.
The challengers and lesser lights deserve credit for some special victories and for creating plenty of Ligue 1 highlights and headlines so a number of players outside of the Parisiens make my team of the season.
GK – Yehvann Diouf – Reims
At the age of 23, Diouf has been superb for Reims.
They may be midtable but there’s nothing middle of the road about the French youngster who has the highest save percentage of any goalkeeper in the league and the second most clean sheets with 14, despite missing the first seven matches of the campaign.
In addition, his save percentage of 79.67% is the highest in the league.
One to watch.
RB – Jonathan Clauss – Marseille
I think a lot of Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi but Clauss has to get my nod after helping his team to third place.
What has swung it for me is his nine league assists, the joint-most by any defender in Ligue 1 as they qualified again for the Champions League.
Although they have slipped a place compared to last season, their points tally speaks of progress.
CB – Facundo Medina – Lens
With Medina at the heart, Lens have conceded 25 goals and kept 12 clean sheets.
Also aged 23, he has been integral to their surprise second-place finish.
That they have won 10 of their last 11 games, boast the best defence in Ligue 1 and have only lost once at home all season shows how important Medina has been.
CB – Marquinhos – Paris Saint-Germain
Is there a better centre back in the French league?
I am not so sure.
Certainly, he has been the pillar for the champions who have kept 11 clean sheets.
It’s a decade since the Brazilian joined the club from Roma aged 19. He has since become an indispensable part of the PSG set-up and has remained more consistent than some of his other team-mates.
Monaco may have struggled and they remain outside the European places on goal difference heading into the final weekend of the season.
However, that cannot be put on Caio Henrique who has been one of the most creative defenders in Ligue 1 with nine assists.
MID – Seko Fofana – Lens
Another of the Lens’ contingent.
A captain who leads by example as a box-to-box central midfielder and so influential in their return to Europe.
After two seasons of agonisingly near misses – consecutive seventh-placed finishes – the 1998 title winners have come a long way.
MID – Branco van den Boomen – Toulouse
So have French Cup winners Toulouse, guided by Dutch midfielder Branco van den Boomen.
Toulouse players celebrate winning the Coupe de France
His five goals and eight assists for a team in 13th place makes fine reading and, of course, he is a part of history after Toulouse became the first team to score four times in the first half of a French Cup Final (since Lille achieved the feat against Bordeaux in 1955) as they beat Nantes in the showpiece a month ago.
At the age of 33, this player is having something of an ‘Indian summer’.
Ten goals and seven assists in 31 league matches has prompted Lile to the verge of Europa League qualification.
The slight attacking midfielder is thriving in a league which appears to suit his abilities.
ATT – Lionel Messi – PSG
The World Cup-winning captain is a must.
He may have had a few hiccups by his normal high standards but 16 assists (top of the chart) and the same number of goals in Ligue 1, shows he is as consistent as ever even as he approaches his twilight years. He can depart Paris this summer with his head held high.
Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon) may consider himself unfortunate after scoring 27 times and assisting five in 34 league matches; likewise Lois Openda is another major factor in Lens’ season to remember – the Belgian striker has just equalled Roger Boli’s record goal tally over a single campaign for the club.
Yet I have plumped for:
ATT – Jonathan David – Lille
He is a goal machine, currently on a career-best 24 goals (four assists), all this during what has been a turbulent time for the club.
The club has changed ownership and has had to deal with issues concerning long-standing debt, the ripple effect of Covid-19 and the failed Mediapro TV deal.
Yet the Canadian has let his feet do the talking and only Mbappe and Lacazette have scored more.
He will certainly be a player to watch if Lille can hold onto him.
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Ligue 1 comes to a close this weekend folks, and the title will return to Paris Saint-Germain, a nice distraction from the never-ending circus at the Parc des Princes which continues to entertain.
But while the big name players in the capital city have hogged the headlines as much for their off field activities than on, there have been plenty of stars shining brightly elsewhere.
We’re taking a look at five who have attracted new admirers by the thousand, and for the money men at their clubs, they have all increased nicely in value.
Jonathan David – Lille
Canada star Jonathan David is fast becoming one of the hottest properties in European football after a stellar performance for Lille in the 2022/23 campaign. The 23-year-old has scored 24 goals to establish himself as the third top scorer in the league behind only Kylian Mbappe and Alexandre Lacazette.
David’s stock has been rising steadily throughout the campaign, and he is making a fast finish, scoring three in the last two games and he’s now bagged over 50 goals for Lille in the three years since signing from Gent.
He’s on a five year contract with two left, and as a second striker with bags of pace, he will be on the radar of any head coach who favours playing two up front.
For now, his target with one game to play is to make it 25 for the season and help Lille to keep hold of their fourth place.
Chancel Mbemba – Marseille
Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba celebrates after scoring the equaliser during their Ligue 1 match vs Stade Brestois 29
Signed on a free transfer from FC Porto last summer, Mbemba has had a fantastic campaign. And the Congolese defender has been recognised as the best African Ligue 1 player of the season, winning the Marc Vivien-Foe prize.
The 28-year-old has become one of the first names on the team-sheet at the Stade Velodrome, making 43 appearances in all competitions and, as a serious threat at set-pieces, scoring seven goals.
This is the first time the award has been handed to a defender and that makes it extra special for Mbemba. This has been his best season so far, and he’s a real find for Marseille.
And at 28 years of age, he is coming into his prime.
Khephren Thuram – Nice
Defencive midfielder Thuram picked up his first cap for Les Bleus in March, called up for France’s Euro 2024 qualifying games against the Netherlands and Ireland. And at the age of 22, he looks set to follow in the footsteps of his dad, Lilian, who represented France with distinction between 1994 and 2008.
At 6 ‘4”, he is a real unit, and he has already made over 100 appearances for Nice, and has recently been linked with a move to the Premier League with Liverpool monitoring his progress.
He’s the type of physical player Liverpool lacked in 2022/23, and Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is looking for a replacement for Fabinho, who failed to impress at Anfield last term.
Thuram is strong in the tackle, has superb positional sense, and is coolness personified on the ball. He will have no shortage of suitors.
RC Lens can make a good case for being “Team of the Season” as they finish clear in second place, currently just four points behind PSG after a spectacular set of Ligue 1 2023 resultsin the run-in. Les Sang et Or have won their last six games in the league, and the form of Belgian striker Lois Openda has caught the attention of fans and pundits in Europe.
Supporters of Lens won’t thank us but here at SBOTOP, we reported a story that Openda may be open to a move to Italy, where he is widely admired.
While with 20 goals for the campaign, he has scored double the tally of Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku. At 23 years of age, Openda has time on his side, and after making the Belgium squad for the Qatar World Cup, he has a bright future with the Red Devils too.
Habib Diallo – Strasbourg
Another player who has suddenly become a hot property is Strasbourg striker Habib Diallo, who is being watched by a host of Premier League clubs after plundering 20 goals to help his club avoid a relegation fight in some comfort.
The pre-season Ligue 1 2023 betting odds reckoned it would be a tough campaign for Strasbourg, but they will finish 15th and they have their Senegalese hitman to thank for their ability to turn draws into wins.
At 6 ‘1”, he’s a powerful figure and would be able to stand up to the rigours of English football with Brentford a possible destination. The Bees will be without their own top scorer, Ivan Toney, who has been handed an eight-month ban for betting irregularities.
Diallo has two years left on his contract with Le Racing and he won’t come cheap.
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Ligue 1: Mbappe, Messi, and Mbemba Stand Tall in France
PSG wrapped up the 2022-23 Ligue 1 title on Saturday. It is their second consecutive year winning it, and their stars, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, have achieved individual milestones along the way.
Kylian Mbappe won this season’s Ligue 1 Player of the Season award, while Lionel Messi passed Cristiano Ronaldo in yet another football achievement.
Elsewhere in Marseille, Chancel Mbemba, who was selected by our SBOTOP team as one of the top surprise packages, was recognised as the best African Ligue 1 player of the season. At the same time, they’re evaluating their managerial options ahead of the summer, just like AS Monaco and Nice.
Read more below for the latest Ligue 1 2023 updates.
All smiles for Mbappe and Messi
For the fourth consecutive time, Kylian Mbappe is the winner of the Ligue 1 Player of the Season award, breaking the record he shared with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who won it three times.
During his acceptance speech, Mbappe took the time to thank everyone in the club, including his co-star, Lionel Messi, who was also nominated for this award.
“Of course, I thank Leo, who has helped me a lot along with all the players,” said Mbappe.
Mbappe has been undoubtedly the best player in Ligue 1 this season, as he currently leads the league in goal contributions with 32. With 28 Ligue 1 goals, Mbappe can also win the Golden Boot trophy, as he holds a one-goal lead over Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette.
The 24-year-old forward also confirmed that he’ll stay in the French capital next season amid interest from rival clubs. Mbappe has one year left on his current deal with PSG, and he has been consistently linked with a blockbuster move to Real Madrid over the past year.
Lionel Messi, on the other hand, scored his 496th goal in Europe, passing Cristiano Ronaldo (495) in their 1-1 draw against Strasbourg. That was enough for the Parisiens to win their second Ligue 1 title in the last three years.
Like Mbappe, Messi has been linked with a move away from PSG. He has the option of following Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia, or he can go back to Barcelona or even join the MLS.
Messi has yet to make his move, but the ball is in his hands.
He is the first Marseille player since Andre Ayew to have won this award since 2015. The DR Congo native defied the Ligue 1 2023 odds by beating out the likes of Seko Fofana (RC Lens) and Terem Moffi (Nice) in the process.
Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba in action against Lille’s Mohamed Bayo during their Ligue 1 match at Pierre-Mauroy stadium
The 28-year-old was a key cog for Marseille’s backline, helping the team only concede 39 goals in 37 league matches so far. He is also the team’s second-leading scorer with seven goals, with the majority of them coming from set-pieces, which is impressive for a defender.
Mbemba joined Marseille on a free transfer from Porto last summer, and it’s safe to say that he has been a bargain.
Coaching updates from Nice, AS Monaco, and Marseille
Nice and AS Monaco are aiming to hire a new coach, while Marseille are trying to lock down their own via a new extension.
Nice are out of European contention, and their top management, particularly INEOS sports director David Brailsford, is pushing for Potter to be the man who can take them to the next level.
Potter endured a rough time at Stamford Bridge this season, but he still maintains a good reputation as a manager, except if you’re a Chelsea fan.
AS Monaco, meanwhile, are ready to let go of Philippe Clement, and they have Jesse Marsch as their target to replace him.
Marsch left Leeds United back in February, with the club now officially relegated from the Premier League. Other than Marsch, AS Monaco are also looking at Matthias Jaissle, while Ruud van Nistelrooy is an intriguing option.
Marseille have offered Igor Tudor a new contract, but the Croatian manager has yet to respond, according to local reports from France.
Tudor replaced Jorge Sampaoli at the helm and guided Marseille to a third-place finish this season. He has one year left on his contract, and he has been linked with a move to Juventus, his former club.
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The 2022/23 Ligue 1 champions are close to appointing a new manager as Luis Enrique is ready to sign a deal at the Parc des Princes, according to the French football press.
Earlier this month, Paris Saint-Germain sacked head coach Christophe Galtier after he led them to the league title, the reason being a repeat of the club’s annual exit in the Champions League.
And now it seems that former Spain and Barcelona boss Enrique is soon to be unveiled after the club failed to persuade either Julian Nagelsmann or Mikel Arteta to consider the job.
Enrique has been kicking his heels since he was sacked by Spain following La Roja’s underwhelming performance at the Qatar World Cup, and now the 53-year-old looks like he’ll be a busy man again very soon.
While the Spaniard struggled to deliver as an international manager, he has a proven record as a club coach, managing Roma and Celta Vigo before taking over at Barcelona in 2017. He led the Blaugrana to a Champions League triumph and back-to-back La Liga titles at the Camp Nou with Lionel Messi and Neymar in his side.
As and when he takes over at the Parc des Princes, Enrique will say hello and then a quick goodbye to Messi, as the Argentine World Cup winner has agreed to join David Beckham’s Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
It also seems likely his other Barca buddy Neymar could be on his way, as the Brazil ace has been unsettled in Paris for the last two seasons.
But what about Mbappe?
France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring their first goal against Greece during the Euro 2024 qualifier
Life in Paris is never dull and the circus continues with its glittering stars making many more Ligue 1 2023 news headlines than do matters on the pitch.
Yes, PSG won the league title yet again, but the future of Kylian Mbappe continues to produce the most column inches. And here at SBOTOP, we have our suspicions that the France star might be on his way to Madrid finally.
The club captain hit the headlines last week when he wrote a letter to PSG bosses, saying that he intends to stay at the Parc des Princes this season but will not sign an extension to his contract which expires in 12 months time.
If he doesn’t, then the threat that he can leave Paris as a free agent in 2024 looms large, and I can’t see the PSG owners living with that.
Last year, Mbappe looked like he was on the way to Real Madrid until he made a late U-Turn and, after the latest twist, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has given his opinion.
Rumours have linked Mbappe with a move to the Etihad. But the Sky Blues manager has taken to social media to dampen down that speculation, saying: “We will not sign Kylian Mbappe, he’s not joining Manchester City, and all of you know where he wants to go.”
For his part, Mbappe defended his letter saying: “I’ve already answered the question. I said my objective was to continue with the club. Staying at Paris Saint-Germain is my only option for the moment.”
The “moment” presumably meaning “this month” as PSG must surely be keen to recoup a big fee for their crown jewel rather than let him walk for nothing next year.
The Ligue 1 2023 betting odds back PSG as strong favourites to deliver again in 2024. But whether Mbappe stays or goes, Enrique will have a rebuilding job on his hands, and I’m sure he would rather start straight away.
While the Manchester City boss insists he’s not in the market for Mbappe, reports have emerged that he is keen to raid Paris for the next superstar on the conveyor belt.
Reports have emerged in Spain that Manchester City are at the front of the queue to sign PSG’s 17-year-old star Warren Zaire-Emery.
The advanced midfielder had a break-out season at the Parc des Princes last year, making 31 appearances and, while the French champions are not keen to sell him, an attractive offer will be listened to.
With a physical presence beyond his years, Zaire-Emery has been likened to a young Wayne Rooney who also had the physique of a man at the age of 17. And City have a bargaining chip in their hand as they are said to be willing to include PSG target Bernardo Silva in negotiations. Guardiola has put together arguably the best Premier League side of all time and, while Zaire-Emery is only 17 and may be one for the future, the City boss is never slow to integrate young players, as he did with Phil Foden and Rico Lewis.
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As much as they want to be low-key this summer, PSG just can’t help themselves.
The current Ligue 1 champions are in the midst of a mini-rebuild as they prepare ahead of the 2023-24 season, and they’ve made progress on that end. However, this development has been overshadowed by the shenanigans of some of their biggest stars.
As always, there are so many things happening in the French capital, so continue reading below as SBOTOP recaps the latest Ligue 1 2023 updates, with a particular focus on PSG.
Ins and outs from Paris
Even if he has not yet been officially announced as PSG’s new boss, Luis Enrique is going to inherit a team that’s in a state of flux. The former Spain national team coach recently landed in Paris to take a closer look at the place where he will live for at least the next two years.
Enrique’s first big task is to convince Kylian Mbappe to stay. These two will reportedly meet to discuss the future of PSG’s project, and the Spanish coach could offer the Les Bleus superstar the captain’s armband as part of the plan.
The recent additions of Lucas Hernandez, Milan Skriniar, and Marco Asensio help because they improve the depth of their current roster. Hernandez and Skriniar will beef up their backline, while Asensio helps mitigate Messi’s departure.
Spain’s Marco Asensio celebrates scoring a penalty during the penalty shootout in their Nations League match against Croatia
But with more players likely to leave Paris soon, namely Sergio Ramos and Leandro Paredes, PSG are far from done in the summer transfer window.
Reports claim that the Parisiens are keen on further strengthening their attack and midfield, with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane, Federico Chiesa, and Lucas Paqueta at the top of their minds.
Neymar mired in controversy yet again
It’s an open secret that the Parisiens have grown tired of Neymar’s inability to stay fit for an entire season, as well as his off-the-pitch drama, including the recent allegations of him cheating on his girlfriend.
Celeste Bright didn’t mince words and called out Neymar for sliding into her DMs. The American model, who boasts over 1.3 million followers on Instagram, shared a screenshot of a conversation she had with the Brazilian winger.
“If you have a girlfriend or wife, don’t direct message girls. It’s wrong, very disrespectful to your partner,” said the Fashion Nova ambassador.
Other than Bright, Brazilian blogger Fernanda Campos added credence to the accusations hurled at Neymar, as she said that she had met with the PSG star at an apartment in Sao Paulo on June 12, also with screenshots to support her claim.
As a response, Neymar penned an emotional apology on social media, showing remorse for his pregnant partner.
“Can’t imagine life without you. I don’t know if we’ll work out, but today you’re sure I want to try. Our purpose will prevail, our love for our baby will win, and our love for each other will make us stronger,” said Neymar.
Back on the pitch, Neymar’s future at PSG remains murky. There was reported interest from Manchester United and Saudi Arabia, but transfer talks have cooled down recently, so it’s likely that he will continue playing for the Ligue 1 champions for at least one more season.
Ligue 1 just released the opening fixtures for the 2023-24 season. Because they reduced the number of teams from 20 to 18, each side will play 34 matches instead of 38.
PSG’s first game is against Lorient, against whom they suffered a humiliating 3-1 defeat last April.
In the said match, Enzo Le Fee started the scoring for Lorient after 15 minutes, and then PSG were reduced to 10 men five minutes later when Achraf Hakimi was given a red card.
Kylian Mbappe netted the equaliser after 29 minutes, but Darlin Yongwa and Bamba Dieng eventually put the game away in favour of Lorient. The Ligue 1 2023 odds predict that the Parisiens will get their revenge, but bear in mind that upsets are more likely to occur on the very first matchday of the season.
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Ligue 1: Can Marcelino’s Marseille Make a Move on the Title?
Nine-time Ligue 1 champions, but not since 2010, Marseille, settled for third place in the 2022/23 season campaign. That wasn’t enough for manager Igor Tudor, who wandered through the exit door after just one year in charge at the Stade Velodrome.
Now, OM’s new head coach Marcelino has been readying himself for the next campaign, and he says he will respect the club’s values and culture as he tries to turn their fortunes around. Marseille have been forced to look on since 2010, as their Classique rivals Paris Saint-Germain have picked up title after title despite the Parisiens’ off-field rows which never seem to cease.
Marcelino has become OM’s fifth head coach in seven years, and he is working outside his native Spain for the first time. But he does bring title winning pedigree, leading Valencia to the Copa del Rey triumph in 2019 and Athletic Bilbao to a first trophy in 37 years when they won the Spanish Super Cup in 2021.
When he was unveiled as manager, Marcelino said: “We know the demands of the supporters and our ambition is that they will be proud of this team. The only mentality is to win,” he continued. “If we have a Ligue 1 match, we have to win, and the same goes for the French Cup and the Champions League.”
That will be music to the OM fans’ ears who have not tasted any silverware success in over a decade.
Marseille finished second in the league in 2022 but took a step back last season.
Marcelino has a good relationship with club president Pablo Longoria, who he worked with at Valencia, and now he needs to strengthen his squad before the start of the Champions League qualifiers in just over a month’s time.
Marseille’s Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring a goal during Ligue 1 match against Strasbourg
One priority is to keep former Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez at the club after the Chilean striker put in an impressive performance last term, scoring 18 goals in 44 appearances in all competitions and showed at 34 years of age he is still a top class goal scorer.
Sanchez’s goals took OM to Champions League qualification but, as we speak, he has not yet agreed to sign a contract extension with rumours in the French press suggesting the club has made a lower offer than expected.
OM desperately need more firepower and a full-back. And if Sanchez is to leave, then at least two strikers are needed.
With only Geoffrey Kondogbia through the door so far after completing an €8 million move from Atletico Madrid, Marcelino has plenty of work to do.
PSG and Real Madrid are round the table on Mbappe
In other Ligue 1 2023 news, Paris Saint-Germain star striker Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid are entering an intense period of negotiations. Following his rather public announcement that he would not sign a contract extension to his current deal which expires in 2024, Los Blancos’ ears pricked up and the PSG money men started to scramble.
There have been some confusing messages from Mbappe who then said he wanted to see out his contract at the Parc des Princes, but that is far from ideal for the club, who could pocket a fee of €200 million should he leave.
But one stumbling block is Mbappe’s loyalty bonus at PSG which the France star is reluctant to give up. The French champions and the Spanish giants are stepping up negotiations and, should they come to an agreement, the deal could happen very quickly as Los Blancos want to waste no time in replacing their departed goal machine Karim Benzema.
Here at SBOTOP,we have been keeping a close eye on this story and will be back with more news as it unfolds.
Behind the scenes, the PSG recruitment team is working hard and have contracts lined up – and in some cases signed – for the incoming quartet of forward Marco Asensio, wing-back Lucas Hernandez, centre-back Milan Skriniar, and Real Mallorca’s highly-rated attacking midfielder Kang-In Lee.
All four have real pedigree and, while the latest Ligue 1 2023 betting odds suggest they will be hot favourites again next season, PSG hope their new recruits will strengthen the club’s chances in Europe.
And PSG are in the hunt for Celta Vigo’s rising star Gabri Veiga, who can play in the centre of the park or as an attacking midfielder. With six Spain U21 caps to his name, he has a bright future with La Roja, and he scored 11 goals and made four assists in a sparkling campaign last year.
With a host of Premier League clubs tracking their young player, Celta may find it hard to keep hold of Veiga, who has a release clause of €40 million, and that is a price the Parisiens will also be happy to pay.
But they will have to convince the young star that the Premier League is not the only place to be for the world’s best players, and he would be following the likes of Messi, Neymar, and maybe even Mbappe.
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It looks increasingly doubtful that Kylian Mbappe will be playing in Ligue 1 next season; though after last year’s U-Turn we can never say ‘never’.
But why would Paris Saint-Germain let such a valuable asset play out his contract? Mbappe himself said he wouldn’t extend his stay at the Parc des Princes beyond 2024 and that seems to have forced the club’s hand. The betting markets believe the France star will be a Real Madrid player by August so maybe it’s time for Paris to prepare for life after Mbappe.
The Ligue 1 2023 betting odds will back PSG to win the title again next year, but if they get this situation wrong then they could open the door to the likes of Lens, Marseille and Monaco.
There are plenty of players the Parisiens would like to replace their star striker, should he go, but some are off limits. With a treble in the bag and a mission to dominate Europe I really can’t see Manchester City parting company with Erling Braut-Haaland. And Harry Kane looks destined to go to FC Bayern if he leaves Tottenham.
Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez is a brilliant forward, but I Nerazzurri will want to build on their Champions League final place and the Argentine is a big part of their plans. If he goes anywhere, he seems more likely to join his countryman Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs if Kane makes his move.
Let’s take a look at SBOTOP’s picks for the three most likely forwards to make a move to the French capital.
Victor Osimhen
Ligue 1: Victor Osimhen finished Serie A as the top scorer with 26 goal scored
Victor Osimhen playing for Napoli against Udinese’s Jaka Bijol
Napoli won the 2023 Scudetto in some style and it was a goal from Capocannoniere winner Victor Osimhen which got them over the line in a 1-1 draw with Udinese. And ever since that moment some of the biggest clubs on Europe have been pondering a move for the brilliant Nigerian. He’ll always be a Naples legend since he fired the Parteponei to a first Scudetto since the days of the great Diego Maradona, but the Serie A champions have a nervous few weeks ahead.
He scored 31 goals and made five assists in 39 appearances last season and, at 24 years of age Osimhen is only going to get better. He’s already one of the best strikers in the world and his blistering pace, strength on the ball and in the air, and lethal finishing put him alongside the likes of Mbappe and Haaland as a priceless commodity.
It would make huge Ligue 1 2023 news if Napoli’s star man were to move to PSG while sending a shock wave through Italy too.
Joao Felix
His transfer from Benfica to Atletico Madrid for a record 126M Euros made him the fourth most expensive player in world football and for a teenager that was one heck of a burden to shoulder and, while he has shown plenty of promise with Los Rojiblancos, Felix is not yet the finished article. He has spent the last six months on loan at Chelsea as the Blues finished in the bottom half of the Premier League and that can’t have helped his confidence much at all.
Women’s World Cup 2023
Italy
Argentina
1X2 Draw @ 4.00
First Half Under 1.00 @ 2.04
Total Goals 4-6 @ 3.20
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
CLICK HERE
But there is definitely a world class player in there. At the age of 23 he already has 31 caps for a highly talented Portuguese side and he has all the attributes of a top, top striker. His versatility is a real asset to any coach and his speed, quick feet and ingenuity make him an exciting prospect. The return to Atletico Madrid of Antoine Griezmann has squeezed Felix out at a developmental time of his career; he just needs the right club to push him on and PSG might just be it.
Richarlison
For an outside bet to replace Mbappe, Spurs’ 26 year old striker Richarlison is worth a closer look. The Brazil striker came to prominence as Watford’s best player in their 2017/2018 Premier League campaign and that earned him a move to Everton where he scored 43 goals in 135 appearances, playing a huge role in keeping the Toffees in the English top flight in 2022. He has scored 20 goals in 44 appearances for Brazil and Richarlison is clearly a player who should be in the Champions League. But his £50m move to Tottenham last summer has turned out to be a flop as he scored just once in 27 appearances. Richarlison is clearly a wildly gifted player with glittering skills and a hard edge, which PSG will need if they are to challenge in Europe. He signed a five year deal with Spurs but, if the right offer comes in then Richarlison might be ready to take a new direction.
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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 26-Jul-2023 at 3:08 PM
Ligue 1: That Mbappe Magic May Yet Have More Paris Romance to Discover
When you are one of the world’s richest clubs, certainly with finance which dwarfs all of your domestic rivals combined, then the SBOTOP Ligue 1 betting odds will almost always favour you.
Therefore, it goes without saying that much of the latest Ligue 1 news surrounds one club.
Add into the equation that you at trying to hold onto arguably the greatest player in the world, and that focus multiplies.
In recent weeks, these pages have long mooted the difficulty of French clubs keeping hold of their star names.
But should the honeymoon between Paris St Germain and Kylian Mbappe really be over, then the repercussions could be like no other.
This is the player, one of the few, who was not criticised by the fans of his own team last season.
Yes, PSG won Ligue 1 but the margin, a single point from Lens, was a pretty average return considering the vast gulf between the two in terms of financial clout.
While Mbappe shone, the Lionel Messi experiment rarely had the ‘wow’ factor many expected, even though he scored 32 goals in 75 games.
And the club failed yet again in the Champions League, despite the trinity of Messi, Mbappe and Neymar which bordered on ostentatious.
Beyond the domestic league, the PSG cycle now appears to have reached something of a tipping point so it’s little wonder the player who has scored 212 goals in 260 games for the club is eyeing a move.
His contract expires next year and he has expressed his desire to leave then, so PSG are being pressured to sell this summer or face the prospect of a big loss.
Even the arrival of a new coach in Luis Enrique is unlikely to change his stance so it remains to be seen whether the new French captain is involved when Ligue 1 kicks off in just under a month from now.
Can Luis Enrique guide defending Ligue 1 champions PSG to Champions League glory?
Former Spain and Barcelona boss Luis Enrique is unveiled as PSG’s new manager
After claiming a fifth straight award as France’s top scorer, who can replace him is the question being asked by many.
Well, according to reports, Dusan Vlahovic has given his greenlight to move to the Ligue 1 powerhouse from Juventus.
Closer to home, Jonathan David has settled at Lille and his contribution last season culminated in a career-best 24 league goals, extending his record to 52 in 112 league games since moving to France.
Then there is Lois Openda whose goals fired RC Lens back into the big time as the club secured Champions League qualification for the first time in two decades.
Runners-up in Ligue 1, Openda starred as one of France’s finest forwards to score 21 league goals, including the fastest hat-trick in Ligue 1 history, scored within four minutes and 30 seconds in a 4–0 away win over Clermont Foot.
Habib Diallo is on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs after the forward’s year-on-year improvement at Strasbourg which featured 20 league goals last term, to take his tally to 40 in 100 Ligue 1 appearances.
Elye Wahi has also emerged as one of Ligue 1’s brightest talents across the last two campaigns, with the 20 year-old forward having shown real signs of potential at Montpellier.
Wahi followed a 10-goal return in 2021/22 with an even better campaign last season, scoring 19 league goals to rank among the league’s leading scorers.
Perhaps then, the replacement is on their doorstep.
Should Mbappe depart, and it seems almost certain he will – even if 12 months from now – they will have lost someone who has delivered Ligue 1 highlights in abundance.
Yet if they keep him for another campaign, there is every reason to believe they will improve which perhaps gives them time to consider other options.
LIGUE 1
Paris Saint-Germain
Lorient
1X2 Paris Saint Germain @ 1.19
Over 3.50 @ 1.93
Paris Saint Germain First Half Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.19
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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So far, the club has been busy in the transfer market this summer, spending some €150 million on Bayern Munich’s Lucas Hernandez, Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte from Sporting Lisbon, South Korean Lee Kang-in from Mallorca and French striker Hugo Ekitike, who was signed after a loan spell (€ 28.5 million).
On top of free transfer arrivals Marco Asensio and Martin Skriniar, there already appears to be a fresh influx of talent in the French capital and that could be key.
Asensio turned down the opportunity to extend his contract with Real Madrid after seeing his place as a starter diminish last season.
Never mind the big superstars then, what about the substance.
That is something PSG has lacked at key times in recent seasons.
If that is to change under Enrique, then just maybe, Mbappe’s Parisian story will have another romantic chapter to come.
●●●
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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 26-Jul-2023 at 3:10 PM
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