Tag: Ligue 1

Reims president: It’s impossible for us to sign Balogun

The 21-year-old is pricing himself out of a long-term stay at the Ligue 1 club

Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot knows he and his club will have to enjoy Folarin Balogun while they can.

Balogun has turned in an incredible season on loan from Arsenal, and is currently tied for the most goals in Ligue 1 with 15. 

The forward’s campaign has led to plenty of speculation over his future as he gets set to return to Arsenal at the conclusion of the season. The Gunners will mull over whether to cash in on the 21-year-old, offer him a first-team role in 2023-24, or send him on another loan — presumably to a bigger club than Reims.

In an interview with  France Bleu, Caillot was realistic about his club’s prospects of landing the USMNT-eligible striker on a long-term basis, though he admitted he still holds out faint hope of bringing him back on another loan next season.

“I think [signing him permanently] is impossible,” Caillot said. “The rules of the game are clear: these are boys that, when they join us, know that they’re here to improve and that it’s a step for them. So even if I’m not deciding for him, either Folarin will return to his club (Arsenal) to have his chance, he’s loaned out, or transferred to a very big club.

“He is a player that should go even higher. So obviously we’ll ask him if he feels good here, and at his club, but I think that now, he will need to take a step up.

“We are already working on life after Balogun, the day when he will leave our club. But if he and the club are open to another year at Reims, we’ll do everything to make it happen.”

While Balogun’s club future remains in the air, his international destination has also become a major talking point. The forward has most recently represented England at the Under-21 level, but has said he remains open to playing for his birth country of the United States or Nigeria.

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Paris Saint-Germain vs. Angers, live stream, TV channel, time, lineups, how to watch Ligue 1

Paris Saint-Germain will meet the Angers in Ligue 1 action on Wednesday at the Parc des Princes.

Paris Saint–Germain will meet the Angers in Ligue 1 action on Wednesday at the Parc des Princes. PSG is coming off a 3-1 win over Chateauroux at the weekend, while the Angers accelerated to the next round after knocking off Strasbourg on penalties.

This will be a great match today, here is everything you need to know to catch the action this afternoon.

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Angers

  • When: Wednesday, January 11
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS En Español
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

League 1 Starting Lineups

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Mukiele, Marquinhos, Ramos, Bernat; Vitinha, Pereira, Ruiz; Messi; Mbappe, Neymar

Angers possible starting lineup:
Bernardoni; Bamba, Hountondji, Blazic, Doumbia; Mendy, Bentaleb; El Melali, Hunou, Thioub; Sima

League 1 Odds and betting lines

League 1 odds were last updated Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Paris Saint-Germain (-600) vs. Angers (+1500)

Draw: +675

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Tim Weah bags two assists in five minutes as Lille thump Strasbourg

Weah is looking sharp, which is great for USMNT fans

Tim Weah’s return from injury doesn’t seem to include a slow build back up to top form.

The U.S. men’s national team attacker, making his second appearance of the 2022-23 season after suffering an ankle issue in preseason, produced two assists in a five-minute span as Lille sprinted to a 3-0 away win over Strasbourg.

Weah made his first appearance of the season for Lille last weekend, playing 16 minutes in a 1-0 win over Lens. On Friday, he came in as a substitute in the 65th minute, with Lille ahead by a goal thanks to Jonathan David’s first half spot kick.

In short order, Weah was setting David up for a brace. A Lille attack in the 76th minute went awry inside the Strasbourg box, but the visitors kept play alive, cycling it wide right for Weah. Given enough room to serve the ball in, Weah chose to drive a low ball back into the mixer towards the Canadian national team striker, and David simply had to tap the ball home from all of four yards.

Five minutes later, Lille surged forward on the break, giving Weah a platform to pick up another assist. A nasty tackle from Gerzino Nyamsi sent Carlos Baleba sprawling, but advantage was played as the ball zipped right to Weah.

Before anyone from Strasbourg could challenge him, Weah cleverly chopped a square pass over to the onrushing Rémy Cabella, who provided a clinical finish from just inside the area.

Now with three wins in their last four games, Lille have moved up to sixth place in Ligue 1 at the moment, just one point off of the European places.

Watch Weah’s two assists for Lille

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Kylian Mbappé is having some regrets about that PSG extension

Just five months after signing a new deal with PSG, the superstar forward wants out

Just five months after opting to stay at PSG, Kylian Mbappé wants to leave PSG.

That is according to, well, everyone. A flood of reports on Tuesday suggested the PSG superstar wants out at Parc des Princes, despite rejecting a move to Real Madrid in May in favor of a new three-year contract at PSG.

It’s been a trying season for Mbappé despite his usual goalscoring success. The 23-year-old has been frustrated with the role he’s played under coach Christophe Galtier, which he’s made clear with posts on social media.

There have been numerous reports that his relationship with Neymar has deteriorated, with the two stars feuding on the pitch early in the season over penalty-taking duties.

Mbappé also feels betrayed by PSG’s front office according to Marca, as sporting director Luis Campos, president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Galtier all promised a host of signings over the summer that never materialized.

This doesn’t look like a player having a fun time.

Where could Mbappé go?

The forward reportedly wants to leave PSG as soon as possible, which would be this January. But where could he go?

Unsurprisingly, as ESPN reports, his preferred destination is the place he nearly went this summer, Real Madrid.

But Marca has said PSG’s relationship with Madrid has gone cold, in part due to the Liga club’s persistent recruitment of Mbappé in recent years.

The publication suggests Liverpool as a possible option, but the Merseyside club may struggle to afford the France international having recently made Mohamed Salah the most expensive player in club history with a new three-year deal worth about £350,000 a week.

In any case, Mbappé seems highly unlikely to actually leave PSG in January. But there is now abundant evidence that the superstar’s relationship with the club is badly damaged, if not broken. Five months after the Mbappé transfer saga seemingly ended, it is very much back up and running.

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Let’s all marvel at this nine-second red card in Ligue 1

We’re not even mad, that’s amazing!

Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo will certainly have better career accomplishments, but he may never have a more unlikely one than Sunday’s incredible nine-second red card.

It is nearly impossible to even fathom how a player could be sent off after nine seconds. Punch a player in the face straight after kickoff? Go two-footed into the first challenge you see?

Todibo did neither of those things in Sunday’s game against Angers. Instead, Angers striker Abdallah Sima found himself in a near-breakaway situation straight off the kickoff. Todibo clumsily brought him down, which prompted the referee to produce a straight red for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

It almost goes without saying, but Todibo’s red was the fastest in Ligue 1 since at least 2006-07, when Opta began tracking that data.

Nice would go on to lose the match 1-0, which finished with 10 players on each side after Sofiane Boufal was also sent off for Angers midway through the second half.

Watch Todibo’s nine-second red card

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Video: El golazo de Neymar con asistencia de Messi para victoria del PSG

El PSG derrotó por la mínima diferencia al Stade Brestois por la Ligue 1 con un soberbio gol anotado por Neymar con un gran pase de Lionel Messi. Al minuto 30 del primer tiempo el astro argentino se combinó con el astro brasileño para hacer un gol …

El PSG derrotó por la mínima diferencia al Stade Brestois por la Ligue 1 con un soberbio gol anotado por Neymar con un gran pase de Lionel Messi.

Al minuto 30 del primer tiempo el astro argentino se combinó con el astro brasileño para hacer un gol de fantasía que encendió las redes por la calidad tanto del pase como en la definición.

Messi tomó la pelota cerca de medio campo y visualizó el movimiento del brasileño por lo que lanzó el esférico al área con una comba perfecta para que Neymar controlara de gran manera y definiera de manera magistral.

Lionel Messi sumó su asistencia 17 en lo que va del 2022, siete en la presenta campaña siendo el máximo pasador en todas las ligas top europeas y aunque sigue la falta de gol, se está convirtiendo en un generador de juego para su equipo incluyendo el mayor número de oportunidades generadas.

El triunfo del PSG en el Parque de los Príncipes se consiguió no solo por el golazo que se mandaron el 10 de Argentina y Brasil, también Donnarumma hizo lo propio al atajar un penal y conservar el marcador para su equipo.

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Lorient vs. Lyon, live stream, TV channel, time, lineups, how to watch Ligue 1

Lorient will meet Lyon in Ligue 1 action on Wednesday in a match that was rescheduled from August.

Lorient will meet Lyon in Ligue 1 action on Wednesday in a match that was rescheduled from August. Lorient is coming off a 1-0 win over Ajaccio in their last match while Lyon is coming off a 5-0 thrashing of the the Angers in their last match.

This will be a great match today, here is everything you need to know to catch the action this afternoon.

Lorient vs. Lyon

  • When: Wednesday, September 7
  • Time: 12:55 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS En Español
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

League 1 Starting Lineups

Lorient possible starting lineup:
Mvogo; Kalulu, Laporte, Talbi, Le Goff; Innocent, Abergel, Le Fee; Kone, Moffi, Ouattara

Lyon possible starting lineup:
Lopes; Gusto, Mendes, Lukeba, Tagliafico; Faivre, Tolisso, Caqueret; Tete, Dembele, Ekambi

League 1 Odds and betting lines

League 1 odds were last updated Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Lorient (+320) vs. Lyon (-135)

Draw: +300

We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Timothy Weah’s injury could keep him out of the USMNT’s September games

The forward’s ankle problem appears to be worse than originally thought

Timothy Weah’s time on the sidelines is going to be longer than initially expected — and it also may have ruled out a potential transfer to Valencia.

Lille coach Paulo Fonseca said last week that Weah’s ankle injury would likely keep him out for the club’s first two games of the season.

But one week later, Lille president Olivier Létang said the injury would keep Weah out at least three more weeks, which could mean he misses the USMNT’s final two World Cup tuneups on September 23 and 27 against Japan and Saudi Arabia.

“For Timothy Weah, he is injured in the ankle and has three weeks of immobilization,” Létang said at a press conference on Saturday.

Létang also spoke about Weah’s potential transfer to Valencia, saying there had been some interest from the La Liga side but that 22-year-old is now set to stay in France.

“We spoke with Timo, but there were no more requests than that. Valencia was there,” Létang said. “… [Weah] is expected to stay too.”

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Erik Palmer-Brown has finally found a home. It could land him a USMNT World Cup roster spot.

The defender is back where it all began in Kansas City after a winding road through Europe

Erik Palmer-Brown is back in Kansas City almost 10 years after it all began.

In 2013, Palmer-Brown became the youngest signing in Sporting Kansas City history when he joined the club at age 16 on a homegrown deal.

On Sunday, Palmer-Brown could line up for the U.S. national team against Uruguay after a career odyssey that’s taken him through Portugal, Belgium, Austria, and finally France.

It’s that final stop, with Ligue 1 side Troyes, that has finally given Palmer-Brown a home at which he can reasonably expect to stick around for a while.

“I think I’m at a place in my career now where it’s a little more stable,” the defender said on a call with reporters on Friday.

“Playing in France and Ligue 1, I think Tim [Weah of Lille and the USMNT] can attest, it’s a great league and week in week out, you’re going to have a tough game. So as an individual, I’ve grown a lot in that league and the competition is fierce.”

Palmer-Brown signed with Manchester City in 2018 but was immediately loaned to KV Kortrijk in Belgium. Further loans with NAC Breda, Austria Vienna, and Troyes would follow.

After playing in just two of Troyes’ first 19 league games in the 2021-22 season, Palmer-Brown established himself as a starter in the team’s back line.

Palmer-Brown would go on to start 18 of Troyes’ final 19 Ligue 1 games, helping the team secure survival in the first division and also securing himself a permanent transfer from City.

The defender’s resurgence on the club level led to a national team recall for the team’s final three World Cup qualifiers in March. He played the final 10 minutes of the USMNT’s crucial scoreless draw against Mexico, earning his first cap in two years.

“To be part of that last qualifying group of games and to be a part of the team that helped qualify for the World Cup, it gives you tremendous confidence,” Palmer-Brown said.

Palmer-Brown had played himself into contention for a World Cup roster spot even before Miles Robinson’s unfortunate injury. Now, there is even more on the line for the defender as he looks to impress on Sunday back where it all began.

“For me in KC I was just a really young guy and still going through the motions of learning how to be a professional,” he said. “Now being in Europe and having a little more experience, and using that experience from being younger to now, [I can] take that into hopefully making a World Cup roster.”

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Saint-Etienne fans storm pitch, attack players with flares after relegation

Fans immediately stormed the pitch, with many throwing flares at their players

Saint-Etienne fans stormed the pitch immediately after their side was relegated on Sunday, with some fans attacking players in scary scenes at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

Auxerre defeated Saint-Etienne on penalties in the relegation playoff, with Les Verts now set to play in Ligue 2 for the first time in 18 years.

Immediately after Auxerre’s winning penalty hit the back of the net, a swarm of fans stormed the pitch with some making a beeline to their players and throwing flares at them.

Players were immediately evacuated as flares filled the skies, with riot police dispatched to the pitch to attempt to regain control.

In a statement on its website, Saint-Etienne said it “strongly condemns these acts, gives its full support to those affected and will initiate the necessary legal proceedings.”

A season of fan violence in France

The 2021-22 season featured a host of ugly incidents in stadiums across France, with Saint-Etienne involved multiple times.

On two occasions during the season, including the final match of the regular season, the club was forced to play matches behind closed doors due to fan unrest.

Earlier in the season a match between Nice and Marseille was abandoned after Nice fans stormed the pitch and threw projectiles. Nice was handed a two-point deduction as a punishment.

Another Marseille match, this one at Lyon, was abandoned later in the season when Dimitri Payet was hit by a water bottle thrown from the stands.

After a host of incidents early in the season, France’s sports minister Roxana Maracineanu issued a warning: “Everyone must understand that it is the survival of French football that is at stake.”

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