French football/soccer : French League One 2011/2012 season preview

Lille clinch first Ligue 1 title since 1954

Ahead of the final round of matches last season, Lille secured their first French league title since 1954. Lille also beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at the Stade de France to win the French Cup, which gave the club their first double in 65 years. Champions Lille and Marseille, who clinched second place, secured the UEFA Champions League group stage. Lyon secured third place in Ligue 1 and a UEFA Champions League play-off berth by beating Monaco 2-0 on the last day of the 2010/11 season. Lyon's win also sent Monaco into the second division for the first time since 1976.

Champions and Cup winners: Lille (Champions League group stage)
Runners-up: Marseille (UEFA Champions League group stage)
Third place: Lyon (UEFA Champions League play off round)
Fourth place: Paris Saint-Germain (UEFA Europa League)
Fifth place: Sochaux (UEFA Europa League)
Sixth place: Rennes (UEFA Europa League)
Relegated: Arles-Avignon, Lens, Monaco
Promoted: Evian, Dijon, Ajaccio.

Fourth-placed Paris Saint-Germain and Sochaux, in fifth, enter the UEFA Europa League in the play-off round. Fifth-placed Rennes will start in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round. At the bottom, Arles-Avignon, Lens and Monaco were relegated to the French second division, while Evian, Dijon and Ajaccio were promoted to Ligue 1.

team	titles	2006/07	2007/08	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11
St. Etienne	10	11	5	17	17	10
Marseille	9	2	3	2	1	2
Lyon	7	1	1	3	2	3
Bordeaux	6	6	2	1	6	7
Nice	4	16	8	9	15	17
Lille	3	10	7	5	4	1
Paris SG	2	15	16	6	13	4
Sochaux	2	7	14	14	16	5
Auxerre	1	8	15	8	3	9
Rennes	-	4	6	7	9	6
Toulouse	-	3	17	4	14	8
Nancy	-	13	4	15	12	13
Lorient	-	14	10	10	7	11
Valenciennes	-	17	13	12	10	15
Caen	-	-	11	18	-	11
Montpellier	-	-	-	-	5	14
Brest	-	-	-	-	-	16
Ajaccio	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dijon	-	-	-	-	-	-
Evian	-	-	-	-	-	-

Garde named new Lyon coach

Remi Garde was appointed as Lyon's new coach following Claude Puel's deperature. The once superpower of French football fired Puel in June, ending his disappointing three-year tenure at the Ligue 1 team. Garde, who was heading Lyon's youth academy, joined the club's coaching staff in 2003. He held a variety of roles but has no experience as a head coach. The 45-year-old has signed a one-year contract with the option for a further 12 months. Lyon have also been quiet in the transfer market with new coach Garde already boasting a good side on paper who failed to show their potential on the field under Puel.

Fournier to lead Auxerre, Valenciennes opt for Sanchez

Laurent Fournier has been named Auxerre coach in place of Jean Fernandez who refused to renew his contract and left for Nancy this summer. Fernandez, 56, has been brought in to replace Uruguayan coach Pablo Correa, who left Nancy at the end of the season after nine years in charge. Fournier, meanwhile, left Strasbourg in May after failing to lift the club out of the third division. Auxerre escaped relegation in the closing stages of last season and Fournier is confident that the team will progress under his tenure.

Daniel Sanchez has been appointed as the new coach of Valenciennes. Sanchez, 57, arrived from secon division team Tours in place of Philippe Montanier, who left at the end of last campaign to become the Real Sociedad coach. Meanwhile, Didier Deschamps has signed a two-year extension to his contract as Marseille coach, ending speculation that the former France captain may leave. Under Deschamps, Marseille won Ligue 1 and the League Cup in 2010. They won the League Cup again this year and finished the Ligue 1 season as runners-up.

This page is introduction to the 2011/2012 French League 1 season. Latest news, statistics, results and predictions you can find on our main Euro Football > France page.

Gillot takes over as coach at Bordeaux

Bordeaux announced that they have appointed Francis Gillot as their new coach replacing Jean Tigana. The 51-year-old has signed a two-year contract, having been in charge of Sochaux since 2008. Tigana stood down in May after the club lost at home 4-0 to Sochaux. Bordeaux had a dismal 2010/11 campaign and finished on the seventh spot. Meanwhile, Gillot helped Sochaux secure a place in Europe last term as the club finished fifth in Ligue 1.

Sochaux appoint Bazdarevic as new coach

Sochaux, meanwhile, have appointed Mehmed Bazdarevic as their new coach following Gillot's departure. The 50-year-old Bazdarevic returns to Sochaux where he played between 1987 and 1996 and also started his coaching career as an assistant. Bazdarevic has been a head coach since 2003, most recently at Arles-Avignon. Having taken charge mid-season, he could not prevent the Provence club finishing bottom of Ligue 1.

#	team	points	g.dif.	win-draw-loss
1	Lille	76	32	21-13-4 (38)
2	Marseille	68	23	18-14-6 (38)
3	Lyon	64	21	17-13-8 (38)

4	Paris SG	60	15	15-15-8 (38)
5	Sochaux	58	17	17-7-14 (38)
6	Rennes	56	3	15-11-12 (38)
7	Bordeaux	51	1	12-15-11 (38)
8	Toulouse	50	2	14-8-16 (38)
9	Auxerre	49	4	10-19-9 (38)
10	St. Etienne	49	-1	12-13-13 (38)
11	Lorient	49	-2	12-13-13 (38)
12	Valenciennes	48	4	10-18-10 (38)
13	Nancy	48	-5	13-9-16 (38)
14	Montpellier	47	-11	12-11-15 (38)
15	Caen	46	-5	11-13-14 (38)
16	Brest	46	-7	11-13-14 (38)
17	Nice	46	-15	11-13-14 (38)

18	Monaco	44	-4	9-17-12 (38)
19	Lens	35	-23	7-14-17 (38)
20	Arles	20	-49	3-11-24 (38)

French football league standings for season 2009/2010.

Marseille favored to win title

Lille stunned French football with last season's surprise league and cup double but online bookmakers have established Marseille as a clear favorite for the 2011/12 title. Marseille also picked up the first silverware of the French season after an incredible finale to their Champions Trophy game with Lille. They defeated the Ligue 1 champions 5-4, recovering from a 3-1 deficit with just six minutes of regular time left. The Champions Trophy, played overseas for the fourth year in a row, usually pits the league champions against the cup winners, but Lille's double triumph last May obliged Marseille, second last season, to provide the opposition.

team	odds	team	odds
Marseille	3.3	Lyon	3.5
Paris Saint-Germain	3.8	Lille	6
Bordeaux	20	Rennes	30
Montpellier	80	Saint-Etienne	85
Auxerre	100	Sochaux	100
Lorient	150	Toulouse	200
Evian	250	Nice	300
Caen	500	Nancy	500
Valenciennes	500	Brest	750
Ajaccio	1000	Dijon	1000

The preseason odds for the outright winner of the 2011/12 French football league

French Cup (Coupe de France) finals in last five years

2007 Sochaux - Marseille 2:2 (5:4 on penalties)
2008 Lyon - Paris Saint-Germain 1:0 (after extra time)
2009 Guingamp - -Rennes 2:1
2010 Paris Saint-Germain - Monaco 1:0
2011 Lille - Paris Saint-Germain 1:0

League Cup (Coupe de Ligue) finals in last five years

2007 Bordeaux - Lyon 1:0
2008 Paris Saint-Germain - Lens 2:1
2009 Bordeaux - Vannes 4:0
2010 Marseille - Bordeaux 3:1
2011 Marseille - Montpellier 1:0

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key players
(with transfer market value in m€)

Ajaccio

Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa (6); Defense: Carl Medjani (1.8), Leyti N'Diaye (1), Samuel Bouhours (0.9), Anthony Lippini (0.9); Midfield: Benjamin Andre (1.5), Frederic Sammaritano (1.4), Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi (0.8), Christian Kinkela (0.8); Forward: Andy Delort (0.6), Ilan (0.5).

Auxerre

Goalkeeper Olivier Sorin (4.8); Defense: Adama Coulibaly (5), Cedric Hengbart (3.8), Stephane Grichting (2.5); Midfield: Delvin Ndinga (4.5), Dariusz Dudka (2.5), Kamel Chafni (2.3); Forward: Anthony Le Tallec (3), Dennis Oliech (2.6), Roy Contout (2.2), Issam Jemaa (1.7).

Bordeaux

Goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso (10); Defense: Benoit Tremoulinas (9), Mickael Ciani (6), Marc Planus (5.5); Midfield: Jaroslav Plasil (7.5), Wendel (6), Landry N'Guemo (4), Jussie (4), Fahid Ben Khalfallah (4); Forward: Anthony Modeste (5.5), Yoan Gouffran (5).

Brest

Goalkeeper Steeve Elana (2.4); Defense: Ahmed Kantari (2.5), Moise Brou Apanga (2.3), Paul Baysse (1.8); Midfield: Bruno Grougi (3), Mario Licka (1.8), Benoit Lesoimier (1.8), Diallo Guidileye (1.2); Forward: Nolan Roux (5), Romain Poyet (1.3), Jonathan Ayite (1.3).

Caen

Goalkeeper Alexis Thebaux (2.2); Defense: Thomas Heurtaux (2), Jeremy Sorbon (1.9), Nicolas Seube (1.5), Gregory Leca (1.4); Midfield: Romain Hamouma (4.5), Damien Marcq (2.5), Sambou Yatabare (1.3); Forward: Pierre-Alain Frau (2.5), Kandia Traore (1.2), M'Baye Niang (1).

Dijon

Goalkeeper Jean-Daniel Padovani (1); Defense: Abdoulaye Meite (1.5), Samuel Souprayen (1.5), Steven Paulle (0.9), Chaher Zarour (0.6); Midfield: Younousse Sankhare (1), Daisuke Matsui (1), Benjamin Corgnet (0.9), Eric Bautheac (0.9); Forward: Brice Jovial (1.5), Gregory Thil (1).

Evian

Goalkeeper Bertrand Laquait (0.6); Defense: Daniel Wass (2.5), Fabrice Ehret (0.8), Brice Dja Djedje (0.8), Jonathan Mensah (0.7); Midfield: Guillaume Lacour (0.8), Jerome Leroy (0.8), Eric Tie Bi (0.6); Forward: Sidney Govou (2), Yannick Sagbo (0.9), Youssef Adnane (0.8).

Lille

Goalkeeper Mickael Landreau (6); Defense: Aurelien Chedjou (8), Mathieu Debuchy (6.5), Franck Beria (3.8); Midfield: Eden Hazard (22.5), Rio Mavuba (8), Benoit Pedretti (6.5), Florent Balmont (4.5), Ludovic Obraniak (4); Forward: Moussa Sow (11), Dimitri Payet (9).

Lorient

Goalkeeper Fabien Audard (3.2); Defense: Bruno Ecuele Manga (4.5), Gregory Bourillon (2), Maxime Baca (1.5); Midfield: Arnold Mvuemba (4.5), Alaixys Romao (3.5), Mathieu Coutadeur (3), Sigamary Diarra (2.5); Forward: Lynel Kitambala (2.8), Kevin Monnet-Paquet (2.5), Julien Quercia (1.6).

Lyon

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (17); Defense: Aly Cissokho (10), Dejan Lovren (7.3), Anthony Reveillere (5); Midfield: Yoann Gourcuff (20), Michel Bastos (14), Kim Kallstrom (9), Miralem Pjanic (9); Forward: Lisandro Lopez (22), Bafetimbi Gomis (10), Jimmy Briand (9).

Marseille

Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda (15.5); Defense: Stephane Mbia (15), Rod Fanni (7), Cesar Azpilicueta (6.5); Midfield: Lucho Gonzalez (13), Alou Diarra (12), Mathieu Valbuena (10), Benoit Cheyrou (9); Forward: Loic Remy (15.5), Andre-Pierre Gignac (11.5), Andre Ayew (10).

Montpellier

Goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren (3.6); Defense: Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (4.5), Garry Bocaly (3.5), Abdelhamid El Kaoutari (1.9); Midfield: Joris Marveaux (3.2), Younes Belhanda (3), Marco Estrada (2.8); Forward: Olivier Giroud (5), Karim Ait-Fana (3), Souleymane Camara (2.6), John Utaka (2.5).

Nancy-Lorraine

Goalkeeper Damien Gregorini (1.4); Defense: Mickael Chretien Basser (3.5), Andre Luiz (2.5), Reynald Lemaitre (2); Midfield: Pascal Berenguer (2.5), Jonathan Brison (2.2), Samba Diakite (1.8), Bakaye Traore (1.7), Alexandre Cuvillier (1.7); Forward: Youssouf Hadji (3.5), Marama Vahirua (3).

Nice

Goalkeeper David Ospina (6.5); Defense: Francois Clerc (2.4), Renato Civelli (2.2), Luciano Monzon (2), Drissa Diakite (1.8); Midfield: Anthony Mounier (5.5), Emerse Fae (4), Kafoumba Coulibaly (2.4), Didier Digard (2.3); Forward: Eric Mouloungui (2.3), Mickael Pote (0.6).

Paris St. Germain

Goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu (10); Defense: Mamadou Sakho (16), Sylvain Armand (5.5), Christophe Jallet (4.5); Midfield: Jeremy Menez (15), Nene (12.5), Blaise Matuidi (8), Mohamed Sissoko (7.5); Forward: Kevin Gameiro (13.5), Guillaume Hoarau (11), Mevlut Erding (8.5).

Rennes

Goalkeeper Benoit Costil (1); Defense: Kader Mangane (7), Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik (4.5), Onyekachi Apam (4), Romain Danze (3); Midfield: Yann M'Vila (16.5), Julien Feret (5), Yacine Brahimi (3.2); Forward: Victor Montano (6.5), Jonathan Pitroipa (4.5), Razak Boukari (4.2).

Saint-Etienne

Goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier (8); Defense: Jean-Pascal Mignot (3.8), Albin Ebondo (3), Carlos Bocanegra (2.5); Midfield: Jeremy Clement (4), Bakary Sako (3.8), Alejandro Alonso (3.8), Loic Perrin (3.5); Forward: Florent Sinama-Pongolle (3.5), Gonzalo Bergessio (3), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2.8).

Sochaux

Goalkeeper Teddy Richert (1.8); Defense: Damien Perquis (3.7), Jeremie Brechet (2.5), Sebastien Corchia (2.5), Yassin Mikari (2.3); Midfield: Marvin Martin (7.5), Ryad Boudebouz (6.5), Kevin Anin (3), Sebastian Roudet (2.5); Forward: Modibo Maiga (6), Sloan Privat (2).

Toulouse

Goalkeeper Yohann Pele (2); Defense: Cheikh M'Bengue (5.5), Daniel Congre (3.6), Pavle Ninkov (3); Midfield: Moussa Sissoko (11), Etienne Capoue (8), Franck Tabanou (6), Etienne Didot (5), Paulo Machado (4.3); Forward: Umut Bulut (6), Emmanuel Riviere (5.3).

Valenciennes

Goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau (2.8); Defense: Rudy Mater (3.5), Gaetan Bong (2.5), Benjamin Angoua (2.2), David Ducourtioux (1.8); Midfield: Carlos Sanchez (3.7), Gael Danic (3.5), Renaud Cohade (3), Remi Gomis (2.8); Forward: Gregory Pujol (4), Mamadou Samassa (2).

French Ligue 1 pages

French Ligue 1 statistics, news, predictions
French Ligue 1 weekly review
French Ligue 1 injured and suspended list
French Ligue 1 standings
French Ligue 1 transfers
Ligue 1 season 2011/2012 preview - key players, 2011 standings