PARIS (AP) – French league leaders Marseille will take on fourth-placed Reims on Saturday in a matchup of teams with solid defense and attacking flair.
chase the first one Ligue 1 Marseille, who have won nine times since 2010, have made a strong start to the season, boasting one of the league’s best attacks and defenses, scoring 21 goals and conceding only seven.
Meanwhile, the Lens share the league’s best defensive record. Although they have scored fewer goals than Marseille (12), the arrival of 2018 World Cup winners Florian Thauvin and Odsonne Edouard this summer has significantly strengthened Pierre Sage’s attacking options. The former Lyon manager will be in charge of his 50th Ligue 1 match against Marseille.
Marseille head north after their five-game winning streak ended in midweek with a 2-1 loss to Sporting in the Champions League.
major matches
After years of Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance, this season couldn’t have been more tense. After eight rounds, there is only a four-point difference between Marseille and seventh-placed Monaco.
PSG, who beat Bayer Leverkusen 7-2 in the Champions League in midweek, remain favorites to retain the title despite being one point behind Marseille.
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, who returned from injury, scored against the German team and is expected to return to the domestic stage when PSG visit 12th-placed Brest on Saturday.
Third-placed Strasbourg play Lyon on Sunday, while Lille host bottom club Metz.
Featured players
PSG midfielder Seni Mayur came off the bench to score the winning goal for his team. champions league final, There is no sign of the momentum slowing down.
The 19-year-old midfielder, who broke into the first team in the 2023-2024 season, has continued to increase his influence this season, starting all three of PSG’s Champions League games.
Despite missing out on the France Under-21 squad earlier this month due to a minor thigh injury, Mayur was decisive last week, saving PSG from a 3-3 draw in Strasbourg.
Activity suspended
Sadibou Sane, who was sent off for the second time this season in Metz’s 4-0 loss to Toulouse, was handed a three-match ban by the league’s disciplinary committee for a dangerous challenge on Cristian Caceres.
The Metz defender had already served a three-match suspension after receiving consecutive red cards against Paris FC in August.
off the field
Lille president Olivier Letang has been handed a one-match suspension and a further two-game suspension by a disciplinary committee for comments he made to a referee.
After Lille lost 1-0 to Lyon last month, LeTang said there were deep-rooted problems with French refereeing. “Every weekend, almost every game, there are problems. And the problem is that there is no dialogue. The people at the top of the French Football Federation do not have the skills to manage what is needed,” he said.
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