defender Youssouf Kone have both
left for Lyon, however, and star striker
Nicolas Pepe is on his way too. There
have been arrivals, but no big names,
and Galtier will have his work cut out
to replicate last season’s feats while
also dealing with the added pressure
of Champions League football.
Lyon look better equipped to push
on this term, but there are nonetheless
question marks. They replaced their
unpopular coach Bruno Genesio with
the Brazilian Sylvinho in the close
season, while hugely popular former
Lyon midfielder Juninho has returned
to the club as sporting director.
President Jean-Michel Aulas hopes
this untested “Dream Team” can turn
Lyon into serious rivals to PSG, but three
key players have departed. Midfielder
Tanguy Ndombele has joined Tottenham
Hotspur, left-back Ferland Mendy went
to Real Madrid and midfielder Nabil
Fekir headed to Real Betis. Besides
the recruits from Lille, Lyon have also
brought in Sampdoria’s Danish centre-
back Joachim
Andersen. All
this makes fora lot of change for one close season and
it remains to be seen how Lyon cope.
Of the other teams in Ligue 1, plenty
of eyes will be on Marseille under Andre
Villas-Boas. Last season was yet another
massive underachievement for the
American-owned outfit and the club’s
notoriously demanding fans will have
very little patience if things start badly.
There’s been precious little transfer
activity and striker Mario Balotelli hasn’t
extended his six-month contract, which
leaves them short of firepower.
Elsewhere, 1998 French World Cup-
winner Patrick Vieira is preparing for his
second campaign as coach of Nice after
finishing seventh last time out.
Reims were promoted to the top flight
in 2018 and under David Guion finishedeighth, an excellent performance that
was achieved with the help of loanees
Baba Rahman from Chelsea and Sheyi
Ojo from Liverpool. Both players have
returned to their parent clubs and, with
the Belgian Bjorn Engels heading for
Aston Villa, Guion will need to use
all his technical guile to improve on
last season’s campaign.
And how will Rennes boss Julien
Stephan, at just 38, get on after leading
the club to their first trophy in 48 years
back in April? Rennes beat PSG in a
penalty shoot-out in the Final of the
French Cup and finished in 10th place^
in Ligue 1. Impressive, especially since
Stephan only took over in December
after Sabri Lamouchi was fired.
With neutrals hoping for a real
challenger to PSG to emerge this
season to stop Ligue 1 from becoming
a procession, the smart money is on
Lyon to step up to the plate.
Howard JohnsonFRANCE LIGUE 1 (^) Season Preview 2019-20
Neutrals will be hoping for a real
challenger to Paris Saint-Germain
to emerge this season to stop Ligue
1 from becoming a procession
Preparation...
Patrick Vieira
Newcomer...Paris
Saint-Germain’s
Pablo Sarabia (left)
Impressive...
Rennes boss
Julien Stephan