World Soccer - UK (2020-10)

F R A N C E L

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Rennes, France’s third representatives
in the Champions League this season,
have been quietly going about their
business under young coachJulien
Stephan. After leading the club to
victory against PSG in the final of the
2019 Coupe de France – their first
major trophy in 48 years – Stephan
took Rennes to a highly creditable
third-place finish last season with a
squad consisting almost entirely of
French players, including highly rated
17-year-old midfielder Eduardo
Camavinga. They’ve added much-
travelled France international midfielder
Steven Nzonzi to the ranks on loan from
Roma, and it will be interesting to see
if they can continue their impressive
progress this season.
It’s also going to be a big season for
two of France’s most prestigious clubs
as they attempt to claw their way back
to the top table. Monaco narrowly
avoided relegation in 2018-19, but
bounced back to finish a creditable
ninth last time out. That still wasn’t
enough to keep Roberto Moreno in
the job however, with the Spaniard
replaced by Niko Kovac.
With his predecessor lasting less than
seven months, Kovac will be under no
less pressure than he was in his previous
role at Bayern Munich – particularly as
he takes charge of a team featuring
Ligue1’s joint-top scorer last term,
Wissam Ben Yedder, who notched18
goals to match PSG’s Kylian Mbappe.
Saint-Etienne, meanwhile, will be
hoping that coach Claude Puel can
finally bring the good times back to
the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Puel
has already coached Monaco, Lille,
Lyon and Nice in France, so is a vastly
experienced helmsman. Despite
finishing a ghastly17th last season,
Les Vertsdidatleastmakeittothe
cup final where they were unlucky to

lose to PSG, despite having veteran

defender Loic Perrin sent off in the

first half in his final game for the club

before retirement.

With the likes of Reims, Lyon

and Montpellier also harbouring big

ambitions for the coming campaign,

Bordeaux won’t find it any easier this

time around than they did last season.

Having been dogged by off-the-field

ownership problems and highly

disgruntled fans for quite some time

now, Girondins recently lost their

director of football and only just

managed to persuade coach Paulo

Sousa to remain at the club. They’ll

need a lot of hard work and a fair

slice of luck to turn things around.

HowardJohnson

FRANCE LIGUE 1 Season Preview2020-21

With his predecessor lasting less

than seven months, Kovac will be

under no less pressure [at Monaco]

than he was in his previous role

at Bayern Munich

Goal machine...

Wissam Ben Yedder

Under pressure...

new Monaco

coach Niko Kovac

LORIENT

It was extremely tight at the

top of Ligue 2 when Lorient were

promoted as champions 28 games

into last season. Coach Christophe

Pelissier’s side were on 54 points,

one ahead of Lens and with just

four points separating the top five

teams. The vastly experienced

Fabien Lemoine, formerly of Rennes

and Saint-Etienne, will be a key

player for them in Ligue1.

LENS

It’s good to see one of France’s

best-loved clubs back in the top

flight after an absence of five years.

Coach Franck Haise will be hoping

that the notoriously fanatical fans

of the “Blood And Golds” will give

his side extra impetus in their

bid to remain in Ligue1.

Caption

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