After the international break, the French championship resumes this Friday evening. With many unanswered questions.
Ligue 1 is back. After two weeks of international break, French clubs return to the pitches of the French championship this weekend. Le Figaro takes stock of things to know about this long-awaited recovery.
What are the challenges of this 9th day?
There are issues at every level. First of all, at the top of the table, AS Monaco will try to stay at the top of the standings by winning against FC Metz on Sunday afternoon (5:05 p.m.). But the Principality’s team will have to be wary of OGC Nice (2nd), which hosts Olympique de Marseille this Saturday evening (9 p.m.), Paris SG (3rd) which hosts RC Strasbourg Alsace a little earlier (17 hours) but also Stade Brestois (4th) which faces LOSC at home on Sunday afternoon (3 p.m.). At the bottom of the table, Clermont Foot 63 and Olympique Lyonnais, last and penultimate respectively, will face each other this Sunday evening (8:45 p.m.) in a match which could ultimately prove decisive in the race to remain. FC Lorient (16th) will try, for its part, to get out of the red zone against Stade Rennais (Sunday, 1 p.m.), in a Breton derby which promises to be exciting given that the Rouge et Noir (8th) need points to get back into the race for Europe.
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What is the match to watch this weekend?
Without any hesitation: the meeting between OGC Nice and Olympique de Marseille. This Saturday evening (9 p.m.), we should indeed witness a real opposition of style between on the one hand the surprising Aiglons of Francesco Farioli (2nd, 16 points) who have the best defense in the championship with only four goals conceded and the other the fiery Phocaeans of Gennaro Gattuso (6th, 12 points) who play forward football based on intensity. The Canebière team – which could be deprived of its supporters – will do everything possible to inflict its first defeat on the Gym and thus put itself back in the rankings. But the Niçois will be motivated by the idea of taking, at least temporarily, the lead in the championship. A great meeting in perspective!
SEE ALSO – Alexis Sanchez’s double with Olympique de Marseille against OGC Nice in August 2022 (3-0)
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Will AS Monaco remain at the top of the championship?
The only leader in Ligue 1 with seventeen points on the clock, AS Monaco advances against FC Metz, this Sunday afternoon (5:05 p.m.), with a lot of certainty. And confidence. And this, especially since the Garnets (15th, 8 points) are at the bottom of the table. On paper, the meeting appears totally unbalanced. Adi Hütter’s men, who can rely on an impressive offensive strike force (already 21 goals scored, best attack in the championship), have every reason to believe in a victory at the Stade Louis-II and can, therefore , hope to retain the lead in the championship. However, they are not immune to a misstep, like against FC Lorient in mid-September (2-2). Especially since their pursuers, OGC Nice, Paris SG and Stade Brestois, who all play before them, could well put pressure on them.
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Will Kylian Mbappé find the net again?
Criticized for his ineffectiveness before the international break, in particular for his “misses” against Stade Rennais (1-3), Kylian Mbappé – who remains in three Ligue 1 matches without a goal – has found form with the Blues. Starting against the Netherlands (1-2) and Scotland (4-1), the Parisian dazzled the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam last Friday with a splendid double and shook the nets at the Stade de France last Tuesday on penalty. Suffice to say that his “getaway” with the Blues did him a lot of good. We should therefore find him in great form this weekend, against RC Strasbourg Alsace. It would therefore not be surprising to see him increase his lead in the Ligue 1 scorers rankings (7 goals). In any case, it would be a good omen a few days before a very important meeting in the Champions League against AC Milan (Wednesday, 9 p.m.).
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Will Olympique Lyonnais (finally) find their way to victory?
Eight matches. Three (small) points. No victory. Six (small) goals scored. The results of the start of the season for Olympique Lyonnais are catastrophic, very far from the ambitions displayed by its owner John Textor who a few weeks ago was still talking about qualifying for the next edition of the Champions League. To get out of their bad patch, Les Gones must win at all costs this Sunday evening (8:45 p.m.), at the end of the 9th day of Ligue 1. Especially since they face a direct competitor in the fight to maintain , Clermont Foot 63. But with the “best” glimpsed against FC Lorient (3-3) before the international break, and a Rayan Cherki in full swing, as he showed during the week with the Espoirs, the training du Rhône has reason to hope for its first success of the season.
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Why will there be a minute of silence?
During this 9th day of Ligue 1, tribute will be paid to the victims of the latest tragic events in France, Belgium and the Middle East. “A minute of meditation will be observed in tribute to Dominique Bernard, French teacher stabbed to death Friday October 13 at the Gambetta-Carnot high school, in Arras, to the two Swedish supporters who came to attend the qualifying match for Euro 2024 between Belgium and the Sweden and murdered by a terrorist in Brussels, Tuesday October 16, as well as in tribute to the multiple victims of the dramatic events that recently occurred in Israel and Palestine“, indicated the Professional Football League in a press release.
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Who will be the player to watch?
Without a doubt: Wesley Said. In the absence of Elye Wahi (suspension), the 28-year-old versatile striker should be established at the forefront of the Lens attack this Friday evening (9 p.m.), against Le Havre AC. He will have the difficult task of leading the Sang et Or to success so that they move up the rankings, who are currently in fourteenth place after their poor start to the season. Scorer during his first start against Téfécé (1-2) at the end of September, he should have the opportunity to shine against the promoted team. The question is whether he will be realistic…or not.
