PARIS (AP) – French soccer fans may finally have a legitimate title contender in Ligue 1 after defending champion Paris Saint-Germain dropped more points than usual.
Heading into Round 11 this weekend, the top six teams are separated by just two points. This was the first time this had happened since 2010, when Lille won the title just months before Qatari investors bought PSG.
PSG has one loss and three draws, leaving them in a precarious situation with a one-point difference with second-place Monaco.
Marseille, Strasbourg, Lyon and Reims are one point behind Monaco.
major matches
PSG manager Luis Enrique A decision will need to be made on whether to rotate players for the home game against Nice, who have won their last three league games and are in eighth place. PSG, who are struggling, have drawn three of their last four league games.
Monaco coach Sebastian Pocognoli wants to go unbeaten in five games since the start of the season. Instead of the unstable Adi Hütter. Monaco hosts a resilient Paris FC side, who came back from a 3-0 deficit to draw with Lyon on Wednesday.
Marseille will travel to the penultimate side of Auxerre on Saturday with coach Roberto de Zerbi in charge, but they cannot afford to make any more mistakes.
Although Marseille defeated PSG this season, they still lack consistency and are struggling defensively.
De Zerbi is furious.
“We have to decide which team we want to be. The team that played against PSG or the team that changes depending on the weather,” De Zerbi was quoted as saying after the draw against Angers.
Featured players
Elba Guirassi’s brace in Wednesday’s 5-3 defeat against Monaco made him the youngest player to score twice in Nantes’ top flight.
The winger will be looking to follow that performance when Nantes host rock bottom Metz on Sunday.
Guirachy is a product of Nantes’ youth organization and is the younger brother of Borussia Dortmund’s versatile striker Therou Guirachy.
Magnes Akuriosh’s brilliant performance in Monaco’s game against Nantes – which included a goal, an assist and plenty of driving runs from deep – marked a much-needed return to form for the highly regarded attacking midfielder.
Strasbourg seem to have found a gem in attack, with new signing Joaquín Panicelli leading the scoring list with nine goals. The Alsace-based team will face Rennes on Sunday.
Activity suspended
PSGFW Desiree Duet absent several weeks He suffered a strain in his right thigh during Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Lorient.
Marseille will be without midfielder Bilal Nadir, who went down midway through the second half of Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Angers.
Marseille announced that the results of hospital tests were reassuring and that Nadir’s health was not at risk. However, he was still under observation.
off the field
PSG is getting richer, with revenues reaching 837 million euros (about $976 million) last season.
Forbes magazine valued the club at $4.6 billion in May.
One of the big hurdles to making much more money on matchdays is the Parc des Princes stadium. The number of spectators will be around 48,500, and the club wants a 60,000-seat stadium to match that of other major European clubs.
PSG does not own the stadium, as it is owned by Paris City Hall and Mayor Anne Hidalgo has no intention of selling it.
Therefore, PSG may have to build a new stadium elsewhere. But to do so, you will need to leave the city and move to the suburbs of Passy or Massy.
Such a move may not please the historic fan base.
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
