Euro Bites: Ligue 1

The Ligue 1 season is just three weeks old, but champions Paris Saint-Germain are already in ominous form atop the French top flight with three wins from three games. Keeping pace with Laurent Blanc’s men unexpectedly are SC Bastia, Angers SCO and FC Nantes.

At the bottom, life is already looking miserable for EA Guingamp and Montpellier HSC, who are pointless and yet to even score this term.

Things are not much better for Lille OSC, who are also without a goal from their first three games, but Herve Renard’s team do at least have two points from a possible six.

MICHEL IN AT MARSEILLE

Although it was thought that Olympique de Marseille might wait until the September international break to name their new manager, les Phoceens have already replaced Marcelo Bielsa.

Spanish tactician Michel is the new man in charge at Stade Velodrome after spells with Rayo Vallecano, Real Madrid Castilla, Getafe, Sevilla and Olympiacos.

The 52-year-old’s impact was instant, with Marseille spectacularly thumping ESTAC Troyes 6-0 on his debut. Abdelaziz Barrada, Lassana Diarra, Lucas Ocampos and Romain Alessandrini each found the net once, while Michy Batshuayi hit a double.

PSG MAKE STRONGEST LIGUE 1 START IN 10 YEARS

Last Friday’s 1-0 win away at Montpellier was Ligue 1 champions PSG’s third victory in as many games and their 100 per cent start to the new campaign is their best since they won their three opening fixtures of the 2005-06 term.

Blaise Matuidi’s 61st minute strike was the difference between the two sides at Stade de la Mosson, with les Parisiens making light of the absences of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Angel Di Maria, Marco Verratti and Gregory van der Wiel, as well as an early injury to Javier Pastore.

CURSE OF THE EX STRIKES FOR LYON

Until last Sunday, Mehdi Zeffane had never scored a Ligue 1 goal. In fact, during his time with Olympique Lyonnais, he only made 12 appearances in nine seasons as a senior squad member.

Signed by Stade Rennais manager Philippe Montanier this summer and handed his debut for the Bretons for two minutes at the end of the previous week’s 1-0 home win over Montpellier, the tactician deployed right-back Zeffane in an unfamiliar left-sided midfield role.

The result? The 23-year-old Algeria international’s first senior goal against his former employers and it was a well-taken individual effort to secure an unexpected 2-1 away win.

Mapou Yanga Mbiwa, making his Lyon debut, committed a howling error to gift Rennes the lead before Nabil Fekir had equalised for les Gones.

TITLE HOPEFULS ALREADY DROPPING POINTS

With PSG already top of Ligue 1 with nine points from a possible nine, it is imperative that title hopefuls Lyon and AS Monaco do not allow them to open up an early lead that could prove insurmountable later on.

Les Monegasques and OL are already in danger of doing just that after falling behind the capital club inside of the first three weeks.

Leonardo Jardim’s men are unbeaten, but have already drawn twice and are four points behind PSG, while Hubert Fournier’s Lyon are one point further back after their home defeat to Rennes and a home draw against FC Lorient.

MIXED FORTUNES IN EUROPEAN PLAY-OFFS

Ligue 1’s continental representatives experienced mixed fortunes last week and face a crucial round of play-off games in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League in the next few days.

Monaco lost 3-1 away at Valencia CF after having a goal ruled out for offside and a clear penalty not given at the Mestalla, so they now face an uphill task at Stade Louis II on Tuesday before hosting Ligue 1 leaders PSG on Sunday.

AS Saint-Etienne have a crucial away goal to defend after a 1-1 draw in Moldova against FC Milsami Orhei. Romain Hamouma’s strike at Complexul Sportiv Raional is potentially priceless, but he also got sent off and will miss the second leg.

Girondins de Bordeaux beat FK Kairat Almaty 1-0 at home thanks to a Wahbi Khazri goal and must defend that lead in Kazakhstan on Thursday.

NICOLLIN NOT A FAN OF “MERDE” BIELSA

Although Marcelo Bielsa is now long gone, some in Ligue 1 have not finished criticising the charismatic Argentinian manager after his abrupt exit at Marseille.

Outspoken Montpellier president Louis Nicollin is famous for his memorable quotes and was blunt in his assessment of el Loco when straying off topic with Midi Libre last week ahead of PSG’s visit.

“The PSG president? He is a friend. Nasser (Al-Khelaifi) is a good mate. Compared with Bielsa, who is a s**t and never made any effort to learn French, there is nothing to see. He (Al-Khelaifi) is richer than the whole world, yet he made a point of learning French. I tip my hat to him.”