Ligue 1, the bulk of the first day of the French top league is played Sunday: tough engagement for Blanc’s Lyon.
The most significant novelty of Ligue 1 2023-24 is undoubtedly the reduction in the number of teams, which after 20 years from 20 has been reduced to 18. An attempt to increase the competitiveness of the tournament and put some panache, especially regarding the fight not to be relegated. As is the case in the Bundesliga, only the last two will relegate directly, while the third-last will have to play a play-off.
After achieving yet another quiet salvation, Brest dreams of finishing the league among the top ten. The Bretons, who drew 1-1 with Ranieri’s Cagliari in the last friendly, will make their debut against Lens, a revelation team of the last Ligue 1. The Giallorossi finished in second place behind champions Psg and the feeling is that if they had committed a few less missteps they could have seriously undermined the heavily favored Parisians. In any case, the Sang et Or qualified for the Champions League for the first time in two decades, an unthinkable goal at the beginning of the season. The goal is to repeat but the numerous disposals-two above all, those of Fofana and Openda-generate a few too many questions. In any case, one can give confidence to Franck Haise’s men in the Brest challenge, which should not guarantee too many emotions. Montpellier, a team that finished on a crescendo last season, will also likely debut with a win. Occitans Michel Der Zakarian are favored against newly promoted Le Havre.
Monaco, watch out for tricky Clermont
Monaco, relying on Austrian Adi Hutter, is on the hunt for redemption. The Monegasques must archive last season, which ended even outside the European placings.
The Principality’s lineup played several friendlies in the preseason, but had mixed results. Victories with Betis, Leeds and Bologna and defeats with Cercle Brugge, Genoa and Bayern Munich. It took penalties, however, to determine the winner of the test with Arsenal. Hutter his men will make their debut at home to hostile Clermont: it will not be easy to return with the three points in their pockets, at the end of a match that promises goals. The first day also features a re-run of the last Coupe de France final: Nantes vs. Toulouse. The yellow-greens, defeated in the last act of the national cup, were saved only at the last gasp and for now seem to be a step below the Whites. Bruno Genesio’s Rennes starts again with important ambitions: in front of their own public the three points should come against the newly promoted Metz. Complicated trip, finally, for Laurent Blanc’s Lyon, back from a preseason full of shadows (4 defeats out of 5). Expelling Strasbourg will not be at all obvious.
Ligue 1: possible winners
- Lens (in Brest-Lens, 1:00 p.m.)
- Montpellier (in Montpellier-Le Havre, 3 p.m.)
- Toulouse or draw (in Nantes-Toulouse, 3 p.m.)
- Rennes (in Rennes-Metz, 5:05 p.m.)
The game by at least one goal per team
- Nantes-Toulouse, 3 p.m.
- Strasbourg-Lyon, 8:45 p.m.
Ligue 1: the match from at least three goals overall
- Clermont-Monaco, 3 p.m.
- Rennes-Metz, 5:05 p.m.