Tag Archives: France

Spain 2 France 1: A semi-final for the ages as Yamal makes history with wondergoal – The Briefing

“Spain are the first nation through to the Euro 2024 final after beating France 2-1 in Munich. After a series of games at this year’s European Championship that could safely be filed as ‘cagey’, Spain and France served up a superb encounter on Tuesday evening. Didier Deschamps’ side took the lead inside 10 minutes via a Randal Kolo Muani header from a delightful Kylian Mbappecross, but Spain hit back with two extraordinary goals, the first a welcome-to-the-big-time rocket from Lamine Yamal (who, as you might have heard, is 16) followed by a clever finish from Dani Olmo four minutes later. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Will France’s players be liberated after ‘immense relief’ of country’s election outcome?

“The France team were en route to training when news emerged that the far right in the French elections had been defeated. Happiness and relief coursed through a group of young sportsmen who had taken it upon themselves to speak out in favour of the legendary national motto of ‘liberté, égalité, fraternité’. It took courage and confidence to tackle such a sensitive issue so publicly. The response to the election result from within the camp spoke volumes about how profound it has been for their message to have arguably helped swing the vote. … Kylian Mbappe had urged the public to vote and appealed in particular to the youth of France, warning against the dangers of extreme and divisive ideas. How must those players have felt watching the pictures coming through of young people crying in celebration as the election results assuaged their worst fears? …”
NY Times/The Athletic
NY Times/The Athletic: France, racial politics and why ‘the Mbappe effect’ is shaping a bitter election

France’s defence is controlled, disciplined and built in the image of Didier Deschamps

“Despite having an array of attacking talent at his disposal, not one of Deschamps’ players has scored a goal from open play during Euro 2024. And yet his team are through to a semi-final against Spain having beaten Portugal on penalties 5-3 following a 0-0 draw after extra time. For all of France’s offensive woes, they make up for it with the best defence of the tournament. They have conceded just one goal, a penalty against Poland (twice taken by Robert Lewandowski), in five games and are yet to go behind. Les Bleus have faced Romelu Lukaku, Lewandowski, Memphis Depay and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have a combined 344 international goals, admittedly some in better form than others. …”
HY Times/The Athletic

Why are France not scoring goals from open play at Euro 2024?

“Didier Deschamps is a glass-half-full sort of fella. France’s three goals so far at this summer’s European Championshipconsist of two own goals and a penalty. But after the 1-0 win against Belgium in the round of 16, Deschamps said: ‘My only regret is the number of shots we had and tried to put too much power into them, and they went off target. I’m immensely proud of what we’ve done, to be in the quarter-finals again.’ …”
NY Times/The Athletic

France 1 Belgium 0: Are the French improving? Was De Bruyne wasted deep? What now for Belgium?

“France are into the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 — despite having mustered only a penalty and two own goals in four matches to reach the latter stages of the tournament. The substitute Randal Kolo Muani’s late shot took a wicked deflection off Jan Vertonghen to defeat Belgium in a dour contest in Dusseldorf as Didier Deschamps’ side forced passage rather unconvincingly into a last-eight tie against either Slovenia or Portugal. The centre-half’s own goal was the ninth of the finals to date. Daniel Taylor, Peter Rutzler and Mark Carey analyse the key talking points from Dusseldorf. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
NY Times/The Athletic: France still striving to coax the best from Antoine Griezmann

Euro 2024: Ranking every team in the group stage – England 13th, Georgia 5th, Austria 2nd

Romania
“The group stage of Euro 2024 is done. Opinions have been formed, conclusions drawn, rash predictions (revised from your pre-tournament rash predictions) have been made, players/teams/managers have been written off as chumps and losers or hailed as the next geniuses of the game. But who has been the best team at the tournament so far? There is a natural way of determining who’s been good and who’s been bad: specifically, who’s qualified and who hasn’t. However, that’s a little dull, isn’t it? It doesn’t take in the nuances of entertainment and subjectivity; just because you progress to the latter stages of a tournament doesn’t mean people want to watch you play football. So here’s a definitive ranking of the 24 teams who have done battle at Euro 2024. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Netherlands 2 Austria 3: Sabitzer’s sublime winner and Koeman outfoxed by Rangnick

Netherlands goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen can only look on after an own goal by Donyell Malen opens the scoring.
“Austria are through to the knockout stage as group winners after a sensational and topsy-turvy 3-2 victory over Netherlands. Ralf Rangnick’s side took the lead twice but were pegged back on both occasions before Marcel Sabitzer’s 80th-minute winner sealed the three points and condemned Ronald Koeman’s side to a third-place finish. The result caps a disappointing group stage for Netherlands and they will have to wait and see which side of the draw they end up on. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
Guardian: Austria top group with Netherlands in third after Sabitzer strike settles thriller
NY Times/The Athletic – France 1 Poland 1: Mbappe scores at last but draw sees French finish second in Group D – The Briefing
Guardian: France settle for second place as Robert Lewandowski earns Poland point

United by football?

“France’s Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Marcus Thuram compose one of the most thrilling attacking trios in the ongoing 2024 European championships. Under normal circumstances, they’d be categorically focused on extending their national team’s domination in world football over the last eight years. In that time period, Les Bleushave won the 2018 FIFA World Cup and reached the final in three of the last four major competitions they’ve participated in (European championships and World Cups). Instead, the dominant media narratives that have sunk in over the last few weeks are not about the players’ footballing abilities, but rather their decision to speak out on France’s precarious political state of affairs this summer. …”
Africa Is a Country

Netherlands 0 France 0 – Why was Xavi Simons’ goal disallowed? Should Rabiot have shot?

“The Netherlands and France played out the first 0-0 draw of Euro 2024 as both moved closer to qualification for the knockout stages. The first-half was defined more by a strange decision than anything else. Adrien Rabiot was played through on goal courtesy of a flick from Marcus Thuram. Just yards away from the net, he chose to try and pass the ball to Antoine Griezmann rather than shoot. The ball was slightly behind Griezmann, and his attempt did not trouble Bart Verbruggen in the Netherlands goal. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
Guardian: Netherlands have to settle for draw with France after VAR rules out Simons strike

French far-right leader condemns Mbappé’s anti-extremism remarks

“The French far-right leader Jordan Bardella has criticised the footballer Kylian Mbappé over his call for young people to vote against the ‘extremes’ in parliamentary elections this month. ‘I have a lot of respect for our footballers, whether Marcus Thuram or Kylian Mbappé, who are icons of football and icons for youth … But we must respect the French, we must respect everyone’s vote,’ Bardella told CNews TV on Tuesday. …”
Guardian

France’s altered defensive shape worked against Austria – but game state was a crucial factor

“When Didier Deschamps was asked a question about the pairing of N’Golo Kante and Adrien Rabiot in midfield after France’s 1-0 victory against Austria, he politely interrupted it to make a small correction. … France’s switch to a midfield three featuring the Atletico Madrid forward has continued throughout the European Championship qualifying campaign and into the tournament, but they slightly adjusted their shape off the ball in their opening game against Ralf Rangnick’s Austria. Usually, France’s 4-3-3 moves to a lopsided 4-4-2 when they are out of possession, with Kylian Mbappe maintaining a high position, while the right winger drops deeper to form a midfield four and the left midfielder is tasked with defending the flank. This way, Deschamps frees Mbappe of any defensive responsibilities and keeps him in an advanced position to be a threat on the transition. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Euro 2024: 24 fans from 24 countries preview the tournament

“Fans from across Europe share their predictions for the Euros. Most are tipping France or England to be champions …”
Guardian

Oldest squad? Most caps? Player call-ups per club? Here’s your ultimate Euro 2024 data guide

“One player arrives at Euro 2024 with the best goals-per-cap rate, and it’s not Cristiano Ronaldo. One player will break the record as the oldest men’s player in European Championship history, and it’s… not Cristiano Ronaldo. Nearly one in five players competing in Germany play their club football in one country, but which one? Allow The Athletic to sprinkle some data-led seasoning on top of your tactical insights before the summer’s tournament, breaking down the make-up of each squad and providing some curious tidbits to fuel your excitement before the games begin. This is your definitive data guide to the squads at Euro 2024…”
NY Times/The Athletic

Euro 2024: D – France, Netherlands, Poland, Austria

France Euro 2024 squad guide: A squad of stars. Proven winners. All other teams, beware “The manager: Didier Deschamps is the third longest-serving manager of a European nation and has overseen France’s return to the top of the world game. He was appointed in 2012, in the aftermath of a chaotic World Cup in South Africa two years prior. Blessed with an outstanding talent pool, he has turned France into a team to be feared again. His winning mentality was forged by a hugely successful playing career, which saw him win the Champions League twice, with Marseille and Juventus, before his crowning moment at the World Cup in 1998, where he lifted the trophy as captain of the national team on home soil. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Netherlands Euro 2024 squad guide: Big names like Van Dijk and De Jong, but still lacking firepower “The manager: When Koeman arrived for his second term as Netherlands manager, replacing a 71-year-old Louis van Gaal who had just completed three spells, it caused little excitement. Koeman returned to the role off the back of failures in his last two club roles — at Everton and Barcelona — though his short spell in charge of the national team between 2018 and 2020 was more successful than might have been remembered. After missing out on qualification to the 2016 Euros and 2018 World Cup, the 61-year-old ensured a no-drama qualification for the delayed finals of Euro 2020, though stepped down to take over at Barcelona before the tournament. He also led the Netherlands to the final of the first Nations League in 2019. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Poland Euro 2024 squad guide: Few strengths beyond a fading Lewandowski and a very tough group “The manager: Michal Probierz likes a 3-5-2 — and a controversial remark. Probierz was a promotion from within. In September 2023, he was coach of Poland’s under-21s when Fernando Santos was dismissed. Santos, who led Portugal to their unlikely Euro 2016 success, was not popular. His team were not good, either. A friendly win over a very poor Germany was a rare high point of a nine-month reign and Santos was sacked following an awful 2-0 defeat to Albania in their European Championship qualifying group. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Austria Euro 2024 squad guide: Revitalised under Rangnick and eyeing upsets in Group D “The manager: After working in club football for the best part of four decades, his six months managing Manchester United in the 2021-22 season appear to have put Ralf Rangnick off. Over the past two years, he has shifted into the international game for the first time, preparing Austria for a close-to-home European Championshipjust over their northern border and, whisper it, appears to have positioned them in something approaching the ‘dark horses’ category… if they can get out of a really tough group also containing France, the Netherlands and Poland. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Euro 2024 favourites: how England, France, Spain and others are shaping up

Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi has earned a first senior Spain.
“The last international break before the end of the European club season will give those national teams who fancy their chances of winning Euro 2024 a vital opportunity to try out new players, and maybe swing the axe at a few of the old guard, too. France — World Cup finalists in 2022 — will be looking to finesse a seriously impressive squad, Euro 2020 runners-up England will be plotting to go one better this time around, while tournament masters Germany will be desperate to improve on the disappointments of the last European Championship and World Cup. The Athletic assesses how those teams and the tournament’s other big hitters are shaping up… ”
NY Times/The Athletic (Video)

Lyon, Brest and Lorient light up Ligue 1 on a final day full of drama

“And just like that, another Ligue 1 season has come to an end. The title had long been decided but the final day served up more than its fair share of drama across nine matches. From Lorient’s heroic attempt to avoid automatic relegation to Brest turning in a bravura performance to secure passage to the Champions League via a top-three finish, this was, despite the absence of Kylian Mbappé, a fine advertisement for the quality of the league. Nowhere witnessed more drama than Lyon. After sinking to the bottom of the table in early December, five points adrift of safety, they rallied in the second half of the campaign under Pierre Sage. …”
Guardian

Dortmund’s famous win vs Paris Saint-Germain was built on both luck and judgement

“There’s a tendency to frame football matches in black and white: the winners got it right, the losers weren’t up to the task. But the reality is usually somewhere in between — an individual mistake here, or a shot that hits the post and stays out there, moments that can change the game state and momentum. More often than not, the 90 minutes and more played on the pitch are a shade of grey, and Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 away win against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday to take them into next month’s Champions League final, 2-0 on aggregate, was the perfect example of that. …”
The Athletic

The French clubs being bought – and distorted – by Premier League teams

“The message from the Tribune Ouest, home of the self-styled Ultra Boys 90, is loud and clear. Half an hour into Racing Strasbourg’s home game against OGC Nice, a huge banner is unfurled: ‘Non a la multipropriete”’(‘No to multi-ownership’). One of the Ultra Boys, Strasbourg’s most vocal supporters, grabs a megaphone and issues an impassioned diatribe against multi-club ownership — his message reverberating all over the Stade de la Meinau as the match is going on. …”
The Athletic (Video)

PSG 2 Barcelona 3: The tactical to-and-fro, a glimpse of Barca’s future and Mbappe quelled

“It turns out the thrills and spills of this week’s Champions League quarter-final first legs were not reserved for the Bernabeu or Emirates stadium. Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona played out another mesmerising tie at Parc des Princes with the visitors, inspired by Raphinha’s first goals in the competition, recovering their poise magnificently after a brutal opening to the second half to claim a lead to take back to Catalonia. …”
The Athletic

Champions League quarter-final draw: Predictions, tactics and players to watch

“The Champions League quarter-final draw is complete — and there is no shortage of intrigue. From the winners of the last two seasons (Manchester City and Real Madrid) being paired against each other to Harry Kane returning to north London to face Arsenal, or one-half of the draw opening up for one of the less-fancied teams in the last eight (something unlikely to ever happen again given the format changes from next season), the sub-plots are fascinating. The Athletic assembled an expert panel to cast their eyes over the four ties to explain where they will be decided, who they are tipping to go through and which team they are expecting to lift the trophy at Wembley on June 1. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Union takes criminal action against club for first time as footballers fight ‘widespread’ abuse of rights

“A players’ union has launched criminal action against a football club for the first time in an attempt to stop what it calls the ‘widespread’ behaviour of alleged bullying and intimidation of players. The Slovenian players’ union (SPINS) has filed a criminal complaint against national champions Olimpija Ljubljana, who won the Slovenian domestic double in 2022-23 and stand accused of alleged ‘bullying, harassment and humiliation”’of four players. SPINS has filed criminal charges against the club and its management, accusing them of leaving the players out of training sessions or camps in an attempt to get them to leave or sometimes to sign new contracts. Olimpija has yet to respond to the complaint. …”
The Athletic

Euro 2024 state of play: How the eight favourites are shaping up with 100 days to go

“Do England have enough cover at centre-back to be contenders? Will Kylian Mbappe’s reduced minutes at Paris Saint-Germain as his summer exit looms have an impact on France? What about the Euro 2024 hosts — can Julian Nagelsmann settle on a system and starting XI with only 100 days to go until Germany kick things off against Scotland in Munich on June 14? And, most importantly, will Italy’s players be allowed to play Call of Duty between their games? Our experts look at how the eight favourites are shaping up ahead of this summer’s tournament…”
The Athletic

The new-manager bounce is alive and well in Ligue 1

“Ligue 1 has been no stranger to managerial changes this season. Marseille and Lyon alone have churned through six permanent appointments between them. Sacking and replacing managers is often the work of rash or poorly organised clubs, but could this be a campaign in which those changes bear fruit? This weekend saw positive results for all four of the sides who have changed managers this season. …”
Guardian

How Real Sociedad’s high press gave Paris Saint-Germain a ‘nightmare’

“For Paris Saint-Germain, the Champions League round of 16 has brought heartbreak in five of the last seven years. They theoretically have one foot in the quarter-finals after a round-of-16 first-leg win over Real Sociedad. Despite winning 2-0 at the Parc de Princes, their struggles against the high press are a concern for the return leg and possible future knockout matches. …”
The Athletic

Bayern Munich are… boring. How did Europe’s most thrilling club become so safe?

“… Bayern weren’t bad. No, it was worse than that — they were boring. Watch the Champions League for any length of time and the favourites settle into predictable roles, like a high-school rom-com: Barcelona are the pretty ones, Manchester City the nerds, Paris Saint-Germain the rich kids due a comeuppance, Real Madrid the awkward main characters everyone knows will get a third-act makeover and live happily ever after. …”
The Athletic

Kylian Mbappe’s transfer status: Free to talk to clubs, Real Madrid’s deadline, PSG’s stance

“Today, as we begin 2024, Kylian Mbappe enters the final six months of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), which means he will be able to negotiate with clubs who are interested in signing him on a free transfer at the end of that deal. Aged 25, Mbappe is already a World Cup winner, runner-up and Golden Boot winner, and widely recognised as one of the finest football players on the planet. His future has also been the subject of frenzied and protracted speculation with the Frenchman frequently flirting with Real Madrid and falling out with PSG. …”
The Athletic

Free agents in 2024 – the players who can now sign pre-contract transfer agreements

“This season’s winter transfer window is now open, meaning clubs can officially start the scramble to add reinforcements or offload players deemed surplus to requirements. Premier League sides can do business until 11pm GMT on Thursday, February 1 — and, following discussions with the major leagues around Europe, that will also be deadline day in La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy), Ligue 1 (France) and the Bundesliga (Germany). But while clubs who want to sign players under contract must negotiate and, usually, pay a transfer fee during a FIFA-determined transfer window, wise forward planning allows ‘pre-contract agreements’ in some circumstances. The Athletic explains what these are and which players due to be out of contract in the summer could now step up transfer plans. ….”
The Athletic

First World War Christmas truce: How much football was actually played?

“It’s one of the best-known stories about the First World War: the Christmas truce of 1914, when soldiers from both sides spontaneously laid down their guns and, for a few hours at least, acted as if they weren’t trying to wipe each other out in a cruelly pointless war. Part of the story was the football match that broke out in No Man’s land. The image of the two sides uniting, in a manner of speaking, over the common language of sport became incredibly evocative, a slice of normality amidst the horror. …”
The Athletic

World Cup 2022 migrant worker diaries, one year on: Death, regret, joy and trying to return

“One year ago tomorrow, a bisht-wearing Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup trophy into the Qatari night. That moment would not have happened without migrant labour. Foreign workers, making up more than 90 per cent of Qatar’s population, built eight stadiums, miles of roadway and dozens of accommodation blocks. The deaths of thousands of these workers remain unexplained. During the tournament, FIFA and Qatari organisers have pushed back against discussion of migrant worker rights, insisting that it was time to focus on football. Over that month, with the help of human rights researchers Equidem, The Athletic published four instalments of diaries written by migrant workers. …”
The Athletic

France struggles to find right balance as violence at matches escalates

Marseille’s supporters light flares at the Stade Vélodrome.
“When Fabio Grosso’s bloodied face was plastered across the front page of L’Équipe on 30 October – ‘Disgust and shame,’ the headline read – there was already a prevailing sense that the spate of violent incidents in French football was plumbing new depths. Lyon’s Italian coach was injured as the team bus was pelted on its arrival at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille for a high-stakes Olympico showdown. To make matters worse, Nazi salutes and racist chanting were seen and heard from a small minority of the Lyon fans who were already inside the stadium. The match was postponed and played without away fans more than a month later. …”
Guardian

Euro 2024 draw analysis: Spain, Italy, Croatia in toughest group, England happy, France v Netherlands

“A virtual ‘group of death’ for Spain, Italy and Croatia, a kind draw for England and a juicy meeting between France and the Netherlands were some of the highlights of the Euro 2024 draw. Our expert panel of James Horncastle, Raphael Honigstein, Matt Slater, Dermot Corrigan and Mark Critchley assembled to offer their verdict on what lies ahead in Germany next summer — from the players who can make the tournament their own, which group they consider the toughest, and, crucially, who they are backing to win it. …”
The Athletic
W – UEFA Euro 2024

Eurowatch: Paulo Fonseca’s Lille rediscover their rhythm to end November on a high

“Lille have regained their stride. Until Sunday night, November had been a frustrating month for Paulo Fonseca’s team. They had been held in Marseille, dropped points carelessly at home to Toulouse and, in between, failed to beat Slovan Bratislava in the Europa Conference League. But Lille ended the month well, proving too sophisticated for Lyon at the Groupama Stadium. They produced a stylish attacking performance to move up to fourth in Ligue 1 and the 2-0 win also offered a reminder of how watchable their head coach’s brand of football can be. …”
The Athletic

The cautious contenders: How Nice became the most effective team in Ligue 1

“Every season, Ligue 1 has a surprise package. This season, it is Nice. A plucky underdog story? Not exactly. They are bankrolled by INEOS, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s company, who took over in 2019, and are playing their 22nd consecutive Ligue 1 campaign. Nice have recorded top-half finishes for eight years in a row but never truly challenged for the title or had any European success. …”
The Athletic

Toulouse 3 Liverpool 2: VAR row, Endo and Tsimikas flop and Klopp’s plan falls apart

“This was supposed to be the night that Liverpool secured their Europa League knockout qualification — instead, they delivered one of their worst recent displays under Jurgen Klopp to slump to a shock defeat, and one clouded by controversy. The visitors deservedly trailed at the interval through Aron Donnum’s 36th-minute goal and things did not improve after half-time. …”
The Athletic
BBC – Toulouse 3-2 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp angered by ‘chaotic’ performance – and media conference (Video)
The Athletic: Liverpool’s away form is becoming a problem – so what’s going wrong? (Video)

Kylian Mbappe’s drilled, near-post finish is bamboozling opponents

“… Henry’s reference to playing style is that he was, and Mbappe is, a right-footer who played off the left, though they share an interpretation of the role as more inside-forward than winger. Across his senior career, Henry registered more than twice as many league goals as assists, while Mbappe’s ratio is three to one. Henry’s trademark became the far-post finish, often curled into the bottom-right corner. Mbappe scores those — in fact, he can score every type of goal — but is increasingly getting goals in a way Henry did not. He is still cutting in from the left but reversing the shot, using the laces or instep to drill a near-post finish, catching the goalkeeper and defender(s) unaware. …”
The Athletic (Video)

The restoration of Reims: The real story of Will Still and the Ligue 1 side

“Reims are having a renaissance. After facing then Ligue 1 leaders Monaco two weeks ago, they spent the international break fifth in Ligue 1 with 13 points from eight games, four off the top. The Athletic was there for that one, keen to see a Reims side who are resurgent under their now famous manager. …”
The Athletic (Video/Audio)

France: 2023-24 Ligue 1 – Location-map with 3 Charts

“… The map shows the 18 clubs in the current season of the French Ligue 1 [2022-23]. Note: for 2023-24, Ligue 1 has contracted to 18 teams. In June 2021, the LFP voted to contract Ligue 1 back to 18 clubs, for the 2023–24 season, by relegating 4 and promoting 2 from Ligue 2. The reason for this was two-fold…fewer matches, and more money to go round (from television deals) {see this}. The lighter domestic schedule is hoped to help French teams to be better rested, and thus compete better in UEFA competitions, especially as the Champions League Group Stage will be expanded from 6 to 8 games in 2024. …”
billsportsmaps
W – 2023–24 Ligue 1

How Eddie Howe’s Newcastle neutralised Kylian Mbappe

“When facing Paris Saint-Germain, there are two defensive questions to answer: how to stop their attacking collective and how to stop Kylian Mbappe. It’s not a simple equation, because even if you disrupt PSG’s rhythm and restrict their chances, one moment of brilliance from Mbappe can turn things around. ‘I struggle to think of any better players in the world than him at the moment,’ Newcastle United’s head coach, Eddie Howe, told TNT Sports before his side met the French champions on Wednesday evening. …”
The Athletic
Guardian: Newcastle’s quest to become northern powerhouse gathers momentum

Marseille are a managerless mess and their fans deserve some of the blame

Marseille were beaten 4-0 by PSG on Sunday but that has not been their biggest disaster in the last week.
“A coach’s life is never simple at the Vélodrome. After just seven games in charge, Marcelino resigned as Marseille manager last week in response to what he called ‘intimidation, threats, insults and slander’. The Spaniard became the fourth Marseille coach to resign in less than three years and he is not the first to do so under duress from the club’s volatile fanbase. Marseille, so often their own worst enemies, routinely implode and start again. As their 4-0 thrashing to PSG on Sunday night underlines, this latest farce will be difficult to overcome. …”
Guardian

The €437m worth of players that PSG let go

“PSG have, in recent years, built a team of superstars. But by including Mbappe, Neymar and Messi in the same team, they’ve had to say goodbye to many young and homegrown players. Over €400million worth of young talent in fact. They’ve sold so many players, they could theoretically field a team capable of competing at the top level. These are some of those players. Written by Seb Stafford-Bloor, illustrated by Craig Silcock.”
YouTube

European roundup: Barcelona edge past Osasuna, PSG thrash rock-bottom Lyon

Robert Lewandowski (centre right) celebrates with Ferran Torres after his match-winning penalty.
“Robert Lewandowski’s late penalty earned Barcelona a hard-fought 2-1 La Liga win at Osasuna on Sunday evening. Lewandowski converted from the spot in the 85th minute after Alejandro Catena grabbed the Poland forward’s right arm inside the penalty area. The defender was shown a red card for the last man-foul, before Lewandowski scored with a tidy finish to the goalkeeper’s left. …”
Guardian

Champions League 2023-24: Ten players to keep an eye on in the group stage

“For those longing to hear the melody of the Champions League anthem again, fear not. European football’s top club competition is back for one last season in its current guise. The group-stage draw was made on Thursday and there are some mouthwatering games in store when it all kicks off in just over two weeks. …”
The Athletic

Girona: Fearless, free-flowing and La Liga’s unlikely entertainers

“Lucas Chevalier is at the forefront of the next generation of French goalkeepers — a generation emerging at just the right time. Some context: 36-year-old Hugo Lloris, the former French national team captain, announced his international retirement after last year’s World Cup and is still expected to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Monaco look revitalised under the smart management of Adi Hütter

“Monaco winning their first two matches of the season is not a total surprise. But their performances in the 4-2 victory against Clermont on the opening weekend and their 3-0 win against Strasbourg on Sunday suggest their reboot is coming together apace, especially given that other putative European contenders have stumbled out of the blocks. …”
Guardian

2022–23 Ligue 1

Le Havre
“The 2022–23 Ligue 1, also known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, was the 85th season of the Ligue 1, France’s premier football competition. It began on 5 August 2022 and concluded on 3 June 2023. As the 2022 FIFA World Cup began on 20 November, the last round before the break was held on 12–13 November. The league subsequently resumed on 27 December. … Paris Saint-Germain were the defending champions, and they won a record-breaking eleventh title with one match to spare, following a 1–1 draw against Strasbourg on 27 May. …”
W – Ligue 1

Real Madrid? Man Utd? Chelsea? Where Should Kylian Mbappé Go and Where Would He Fit Best?

“Kylian Mbappé has outgrown Ligue 1. It’s been evident for a few years now, to be honest. So, it wasn’t all that surprising to hear the news that he isn’t planning on extending his Paris Saint-Germain contract beyond 2024. … The 24-year-old has already achieved more than most will in their whole career. After helping Monaco to the Ligue 1 title in his first full season as a professional in 2016-17, he moved to PSG, where he has won the league in five of his six seasons, only failing to do so in 2020-21. …”
The Analyst
NY Times: Kylian Mbappé Tells P.S.G. He Won’t Extend Contract in 2024

Manuel Ugarte: Talented midfielder set to be PSG’s newest signing

“The Portuguese league, for its entirety, has been dominated by three teams, Porto, Benfica, and Sporting CP. In fact, their grasp on the league has been so strong that in its 89-year history, only two teams (Belenenses in 1945-46 and Boavista in 2000-01) have won the league apart from the three aforementioned teams. And this is why these three teams generated the best talent in football. …”
Foot the Ball
W – Manuel Ugarte

PSG’s 11th Ligue 1 title is historic. It just doesn’t feel that way

“The job is done. It has proven to be more stressful than anticipated but what many regarded as a foregone conclusion has belatedly been reached: Paris Saint-Germain are the champions of France for a record 11th time, courtesy of a rather underwhelming 1-1 draw away to Strasbourg. This is a landmark moment. French football has become accustomed to PSG title triumphs but this latest success puts that dominance on a new footing. …”
The Athletic

Paris Saint-Germain Finances 2021/22

“Paris Saint-Germain are seemingly a club in crisis, even though they are currently on top of Ligue 1, as their results this season have been disappointing by their high standards, while rivals like Lens and Marseille are too close for comfort. Fans have recently called for the board to resign, criticising the club’s management for a lack of a sporting vision and poor recruitment, including many over-rated talents and mercenaries. They say that too many players are only in Paris for the money. …”
Swiss Ramble

As Lionel Messi leaves PSG, an opportunity arises for Luis Campos

“Neither of PSG’s two most recent marquee signings has worked out as hoped. Both could even be classed as outright mistakes in hindsight. However, as one’s Parisian journey looks set to end in acrimony, the other may yet deserve a second chance. As PSG beat Ajaccio 5-0 on Saturday to move within one win of another underwhelming league title, hopes of revolution again returned to the Parc des Princes. …”
Guardian

In a Superclub’s Shadow, Paris F.C. Tries to Raise Its Game

“The contrast could not be more stark. On a frigid Saturday evening earlier this year inside the Stade Charléty, a World War II-era stadium tucked alongside a highway, the stands are barely a quarter full. Only about 3,000 fans have turned up to watch Paris F.C., a crowd so small that when the home team goes to salute its support after its victory, the players need only to go to one corner of the stadium. The other sections are not even open, given the paltry demand for tickets. …”
NY Times
Guardian: Lionel Messi, Neymar and protests at PSG’s serially underachieving superstars

Mbappe is on course to break 10 records this season – and he’s not finished yet

“Kylian Mbappe enjoys a unique status in the French game. In the 41st minute of Paris Saint-Germain’s trip to Angers on Friday, they won a corner. By that point, Mbappe had scored twice and Angers were staring at defeat, and probable confirmation of their relegation in the days to follow. Mbappe walked over to take the set piece, in between the Colombier and Jean Bouin stands, right in front of the home supporters. These were not Angers’ most vocal ultras, it must be said. But the 24-year-old raised his arms, as if to encourage the crowd to generate some noise. They did. And they cheered him. …”
The Athletic

European roundup: Barcelona held at Getafe, Union Berlin title dream fades

“Barcelona were held to a second straight 0-0 draw in La Liga after mid-table Getafe managed to take a point off the leaders in a hard-fought game on Sunday. Xavi’s side, who drew 0-0 with Girona last weekend, still have a healthy lead over second-placed Real Madrid at the top of the standings. Madrid’s 2-0 win over Cádiz on Saturday means Barça’s lead is now 11 points with nine games left in the season. …”
Guardian

Lens dream of Champions League return after 20-year absence

“We’ve written about plenty of surprise packages in this column, but it’s rare for clubs to break into the European places in Ligue 1. Reims did it in 2018-19 but, other than that, the top seven of PSG, Marseille, Monaco, Lille, Rennes, Nice and Lyon have been remarkably consistent for the last half-decade. Lyon’s recent stutters have created an opportunity for a new face to secure a place in Europe. …”
Guardian
W – RC Lens

As Barcelona fail to spark, fans call for Lionel Messi once more

“In Barcelona’s two most recent home games — the loss to Real Madrid last week in the second leg of a Copa del Rey semi-final and the draw in La Liga against Girona on Monday night — fans at Camp Nou have been chanting Lionel Messi’s name in the 10th minute. ‘Messi! Messi!’ Those calls, symbolically timed for the minute matching the shirt number the Argentinian superstar wore for the Catalan club for so many years until that shock departure to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, echoed like a desperate song reminiscent of better times for Barcelona in the opposition penalty area. In neither of these last two matches have Barca managed to score. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Kylian Mbappe, a PSG marketing video that upset him and what we know about his future

“From the outside, it appeared to be just an ordinary marketing video sent to Paris Saint-Germain season ticket holders to try to coax them into a renewal. But then, on Thursday, an Instagram story appeared on Kylian Mbappe’s account, expressing to his 102 million followers that he was unhappy about the whole thing. … This was not the first time Mbappe has used social media to vent his frustrations. Last October, after a 0-0 Ligue 1 draw with Reims, Mbappe dropped a subtle message on an Instagram story about his perceived unhappiness at being played as a central striker. …”
The Athletic

Thriving in Transition: A Scouting Report on Folarin Balogun

“When big clubs loan their youngsters out, it doesn’t always work out that well. A common outcome is a loaned-out player sitting on the bench at a relegation-battling side that plays in a style diametrically opposite to their parent club’s, and it can cost the player a year of their development at a crucial stage. Folarin Balogun’s spell at Stade Reims might be an example on the other end of the spectrum. …”
The Analyst (Video)

Where is the best fit for Nagelsmann after Bayern: Tottenham, PSG, Real Madrid, Chelsea?

“It’s amazing to think Julian Nagelsmann is still only 35. It’s a testament to his talent that he is more established than someone of his age may otherwise be, and feels like he’s been around forever. He was the Bundesliga’s youngest permanent head coach when he took charge of Hoffenheim aged 28, and was still just 33 when he arrived at Bayern Munich. …”
The Athletic
The Athletic: Bayern Munich, Julian Nagelsmann and a very surprising sacking (Video)

Lionel Messi, PSG and what we’re hearing about his future

“Lionel Messi in Paris. Will there be another season? That is one of the most important plotlines at play at the Parc des Princes right now and, judging by this week’s latest instalment of Parisian drama, a conclusion is still some way off. On Friday, Jorge Messi, the Argentinian forward’s father, posted a dramatic message on his Instagram story. It read: ‘Danger — FAKE NEWS!!!!’, followed by emojis of an exclamation mark, a radioactive symbol and a skull. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Ligue 1 relegation battle shows it pays to be decisive if sacking a manager

“Football clubs are often indecisive when the stakes are high. Too often they dither over transfers, dropping players who have lost form, or dismissing managers. The dangers of this approach has been on show in Ligue 1 this season, where the relegation of four clubs rather than the usual three has made the need for success even more acute than usual. Ligue 2 is a particularly difficult division to bounce back from, as St-Étienne are discovering. Having been relegated from the top flight last season, they are now 13th in the second tier. …”
Guardian