SALTCITYSOCCER

With an effective practice, Nantes enters the Ligue 1 campaign with a move to Toulouse. Its coach, Antoine Kombouaré, maintains confidence in his players, despite a difficult last season.

A new sponsor, new broadcasters, two big-spending Olympiques… A quick update on the news in Ligue 1 for this 2024-2025 season.

Ligue 1 resumes its rights this weekend. After a few months of travel, it’s the return from vacation for the players of the French champions on August 16, with the kick-off given during the meeting between Le Havre and Paris-Saint-Germain.

A first day that will conclude with the clash between Stade Rennais and Olympique Lyonnais at 8:45 p.m. on Thursday. Before embarking on this new season, here is a quick update on what you need to know about this new edition of Ligue 1 « McDonald’s ».

A new broadcaster in dance

After lengthy negotiations, Ligue 1 has found broadcasters on the wire, a month before the restart. French clubs are confident in their proposal concerning DAZN, a British platform launched in the sport in 2020, and beIN Sports, which has a Qatari cryptography already broadcasting many foreign championships since 2012. The latter legacy of the main poster of This day in Ligue 1, when DAZN broadcasts the hour of the weekend.

An alloy between the two plates that make the fact at 50 euros per month to have the possibility of watching the entry of Ligue 1. A summer plus a season that has passed, it is perhaps better for the clubs, and the TV is available for sale « Only » 500 million euros, far from the billion hoped for the Professional (Site notre blog d’information) League.

Seven French clubs in the European Cup

Paris Saint-Germain is, as usual, qualified for the Champions League in the Champions League, the capital club and this is accompanied by AS Monaco and the surprising Stade Brestois, and perhaps- It is the same thing as LOSC, during the course after the victory in March in the third round of the preliminary competition against Fenerbahçe. The three (or four) French clubs have discovered the new format of the competition, with these six-second matches and a single team of 36 teams. A new system also implemented in the Europa League, where France will be represented by OGC Nice and Olympique Lyonnais. In the European Conference League, the objective is to qualify for the qualification on the 22nd of the year in the play-offs (return on the 29th).

Three historic clubs return

A new club has discovered the French elite in this 2024-2025 season, with three historic clubs from the returning champions: Auxerre, Ligue 2 champion, Angers (second in Ligue 2) and Saint-Etienne, winner of its All-return play-off against Metz at the end of last season. Angers and AJA are doing the « elevator » by going back up to Ligue 1 only after being relegated.

The new faces of the elite

If the transfers are made at different times, they will be settled in the league and while waiting for the outcome of the television rights file, some clubs have proven to be particularly active. Accustomed to major changes every summer, Olympique de Marseille has once again shaken up its efficiency, by appointing the Italian coach Roberto de Zerbi as its head. After Lilian Brassier, the Marseille club welcomed Ismaël Koné, Mason Greenwood and Pierre-Emile Hojberg, all from the Premier League, as well as Elye Wahi, the hopeful from Lens.

Another Olympique team that has been very successful during the transfer window: Olympique Lyonnais. The Rhone club has a massive increase in options for its children arriving in the winter season: Saïd Benrahma, Mama Baldé, Orel Mangala, Ernest Nuamah, Duje Caleta-Car. Also included are the transfers of Moussa Niakhaté, Abner Vinicius and Georges Mikautadze. That is, in total, more than 134 million euros spent. PSG is, for its part, more discreet, with the Russian full-back Matvey Safonov, Willian Pacho and Joao Neves, coming from Benfica Lisbon.

PL 2023/24 Top Scorer

In addition to the usual high level of activity in the transfer market, Chelsea FC have secured another important personnel appointment. The Blues have signed Cole Palmer, the most valuable player in the 42-man squad with a market value of €80 million, to a long-term contract. The 22-year-old is now tied until 2033, two years longer than previously.

No other Chelsea professional has such a long working document, but these types of contracts are no exception. Enzo Fernandez even signed for nine and a half years until 2032, when he transferred 121 million in January 2023. Palmer is one of 17 players under contract until at least 2030.

Palmer, for whom Chelsea paid £39m from Manchester City last year, celebrated his breakthrough last season. While he did not go beyond the role of an extra player for the Skyblues, he was directly involved in 33 Premier League goals in 2023/24, a league-wide record. That was 25 goals and 15 assists in 45 games in all competitions.

Fenerbahçe-Lille, pre-match

Tonight at 7pm, LOSC will finish the job in Istanbul in order to validate its ticket for the play-offs of the
Champions LeagueIn the first leg, the Dogues managed to snatch victory (2-1) in injury time.

« We are halfway aheadnoted Bruno Génésio at the end of this meeting. On the other hand, the match is based on a great fight in an extraordinary atmosphere, almost already known. The game can be played on the field, in different directions. We have a goal in advance, we will see if that will be enough.

For this already crucial match, the new northern coach will have to do without the services of Umtiti, Bentaleb and Bouaddi. To get his revenge, Ismaily has returned to the group. In the opposing camp, José Mourinho will not be able to count on Fred.

Fenerbahçe-Lille, the probable lineups

Fenerbahce: Livakovic – Müldür, Söyüncü, Oosterwolde, Kadioglu – Szymanski, Yüksek – Kahveci, Tadic, Saint-Maximin – Dzeko.

Lille: Chevalier – Meunier, Diakité, Alexsandro – André, Gomes – Tiago Santos, Cabella, Haraldsson, Gudmundsson – David.

Fenerbahçe-Lille, how to watch the match?

The match between Fenerbahçe and Lille will be broadcast directly on RMC Sport’s Twitch channel, also on RMC Découverte, on March 13 at 7 p.m. You can also watch the coverage on BFM Grand Lille and BFM Grand Littoral.

“Images” Report

VfB Stuttgart spent 47.7 million euros on Deniz Undav (28) and Ermedin Demirovic (26) alone, without any possible bonuses – and apparently still want to strengthen their attack. As reported by « Bild », the Swabians are interested in two foreign players: Armando Broja (22) from Chelsea and Chuba Akpom (28) from Ajax. In both cases, VfB is likely to prefer a loan.

With a market value of €22 million, Broja is the more valuable of the two. The Englishman, who plays for the Albanian national team and took part in the European Championships in Germany, is back at Chelsea after his second-half loan at Fulham FC. However, he is among the candidates for sale there. The key thing is that after recovering from a torn cruciate ligament, the Blues and Cottagers have played 776 minutes spread over 27 appearances (two goals/one assist) throughout the season. Broja was also recently traded to VfL Wolfsburg. According to the report, VfB have made contact.

As for Akpom’s personality, VfB has had positive discussions with the player’s management. The former England U21 international is said to be able to imagine a transfer to Stuttgart. Only last year, he moved from Middlesbrough FC to Ajax for €12.3 million, for whom he played 39 games with 15 goals and three assists. His market value is €12 million.

VfB has already signed 13 new signings, including permanent signings Jamie Leweling, Anthony Rouault, Leonidas Stergiou and Undav. So far, spending amounts to €64 million against revenues of €65.7 million. In the Bundesliga, only FC Bayern (€142 million) has invested more; VfB is the leader in terms of revenues.

After Inter’s farewell

Alexis Sánchez returns to his debut. The 35-year-old forward joins Udinese Calcio. The Bianconeri were Sánchez’s first stop in Europe. From 2008 to 2011, he played 112 games for Udinese, in which he contributed 21 goals and 20 assists. The Chilean’s international career then began with a €26 million transfer to FC Barcelona.

Sánchez now returns to Udinese on a free transfer after his second league title with Inter Milan. At the table 15. The veteran signed a two-year contract last season in Serie A. Last season, he contributed four goals and five assists in 33 games. Udinese have described Sánchez, known as « El Niño Maravilla », as the greatest talent ever discovered by the scouting department.

This ad is omnipresent this championship season. European champion and reigning Spanish champion, Real Madrid has added Endrick and Kylian Mbappé to its armada. FC Barcelona wants to reproduce by repatriating Dani Olmo, one of the great architects of the victory at the Euro. And Atlético de Madrid is still there.

The Colchoneros are about to pull off a great coup by acquiring a world champion, Julian Alvarez, who left Manchester City. « I have a new challenge »a confirmed Pep Guardiola, ready to play as a player at Atlético.

Madrid will thus be able to line up a new-look attack next season. Alvaro Morata is part of Milan, but it is a solid scorer like Alexander Sorloth, who is there to replace him. By adding Alvarez (who would numerically compensate for the departure of Memphis Depay), and of course Antoine Griezmann, the squad looks great.

Defender Robin Le Normand arrived from Real Sociedad, and Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) came to strengthen the midfield. For Diego Simeone, the aura of what builds a great team to, as often, try to tickle Real and Barça.

…better and better!

The 2021/22 season of the 2nd League of Andorra is now fully available in the (Site notre blog d’information) database. Penya Encarnada d’Andorra, previously relegated, became champions with – including the playoffs – 122:21 goals. The club remained the only team promoted. Before the season, CE Jenlai had withdrawn its team from the game, and UE Extremenya did the same after the season. In addition, Sant Julia B was excluded from the competition from April.

Former Andorran U21 international Deco d’Extremenya won the top scorer title with 23 goals, just ahead of Brazilian Jefferson de Penya Encarnada. Defender Joe Joyce N’Diaye, now active in Germany for Cosmos Koblenz in the Rhenish League, also played for the champions.

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