Sacre bleu! It's the Ligue Une 08/09 thread! featuring much Lyon dominance

The French season starts tommorow with the Super Cup game between champions Lyon and cup winners Sochaux. The game starts at 18.00 CET.

Lyon are again major favourites to win the title and IMO they'll do it again easely. The interesting thing will be how Marseille will do without Ribery? Will PSG finally have at least a decent season? Was Toulouse a one-season-wonder or is there more in the club? And how will Guy Roux manage at another club then Auxerre (he's Lens's new manager)?

News:

Toulouse net Cetto from Nantes

Toulouse FC have signed Argentinian defender Mauro Cetto on loan from relegated FC Nantes Atlantique for the season.

Reversal of fortune

The 25-year-old captained Nantes during their relegation campaign but will now have the chance of UEFA Champions League football with Toulouse playing in the third qualifying round next month. His arrival will help coach Elie Baup cover for the absence of injured centre-backs Daniel Congré and Dominique Arribagé who will miss the start of the campaign.

High quality

"We needed someone ready to step in at the top, and he is", said Baup. "He is a high-quality defender." Cetto had a taste of the UEFA Champions League during his first season with Nantes, 2001/02, playing four games. The former Rosario Central player made 109 Ligue 1 appearances for the Canaris. Toulouse have also signed striker André-Pierre Gignac, defenders Herita Ilunga and Jon Jönsson and goalkeepers Alan Mermillod and Rudy Riou.

Maurice-Belay on way to Sochaux

FC Sochaux-Montbéliard have signed AS Monaco FC winger Nicolas Maurice-Belay for an undisclosed fee.

Four-year deal

Maurice-Belay, who has agreed a four-year contract with the French Cup winners, spent last season on loan at relegated CS Sedan-Ardennes, appearing in 30 Ligue 1 games. The previous campaign he got his first taste of UEFA Cup football with Monaco. The 22-year-old will not be eligible to play in Saturday's French Super Cup match against champions Olympique Lyonnais.

New faces

Maurice-Belay becomes Sochaux's fourth summer signing following the arrivals of midfielders Stéphane Dalmat, Lionel Mathis and Bojan Jokic. Sochaux kick off their Ligue 1 campaign away to Paris Saint-Germain FC on 4 August before entering the UEFA Cup in the first round on 19 September.

St-Etienne cling on to 'new Drogba'

The world's top clubs will have a while longer to wait before they can get their hands on Bafétimbi Gomis after the striker agreed new terms at AS Saint-Etienne.

'New Drogba'

The 21-year-old striker was one of the unheralded stars of French football last season, ending the campaign as St-Etienne's top scorer with ten goals in 30 Ligue 1 games. Both UEFA Cup holders Sevilla FC and German champions VfB Stuttgart were looking to prise the man Marca called "the new Drogba" away from Les Verts, and for a while it seemed they might be successful.

Friendly appearance

Gomis' signed a new contract with Les Verts earlier this week, extending his existing deal by a year to June 2011. New St-Etienne coach Laurent Roussey was then relieved to field him during Wednesday night's 3-3 friendly draw against local minnows FC Andrézieux-Bouthéon. Prior to that, the unsettled academy graduate had been refusing to play in any friendly fixtures.

Unsettling interest

St-Etienne had finished eleventh in the Ligue 1 table last season under Roussey's predecessor Ivan Hašek, once more missing out on European football. Since competing in the UEFA Cup in 1982/83 the one-time giants of French football have had only one European campaign - a UEFA Intertoto Cup sally in 2005 - so it was inevitable big offers would unsettle the young Gomis.

'The right place'

However, it seems that Roussey - who helped St-Etienne win their last French title in 1981 - helped persuade Gomis to stick with the club. "I spoke with Laurent and realised that, at 21, you need the right place to develop and not money," said Gomis. "Laurent has huge plans. He is starting his coaching career while I am starting my playing career. We both have lots to prove."

Rothen to remain with PSG

France midfielder Jérôme Rothen has pledged his future to Paris Saint-Germain FC by penning a three-year extension to his current contract, tying him to the club until June 2011.

Final appearance

The 29-year-old, who has eleven caps, joined the capital club for €10m in summer 2004 shortly after playing in the UEFA Champions League final for AS Monaco FC against FC Porto. Injuries have restricted the former SM Caen and ES Troyes Aube Champagne star to 73 league appearances and four goals since then, although he did win the French Cup in 2006.

Relegation scrap

Rothen said: "I always wanted to be more involved in the team. I hope now I can celebrate wins with the fans who showed me their suppor." PSG played in the UEFA Cup last season but will not this term after being involved in a relegation battle for much of last season. Rothen's deal comes hot on the heels of Paul Le Guen snapping up defender Grégory Bourillon, midfielder Didier Digard and centre-back Zoumana Camara.

Tahirovic signing thrills Lille

LOSC Lille Métropole have signed one of the most talented young players in Sweden, Halmstads BK forward Emra Tahirovic, as they look to regain their place among the French élite.

'Huge potential'

Despite qualifying for the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League for the first time last season, Claude Puel's side finished tenth in Ligue 1 to miss out on a return to Europe. Swedish Under-21 international Tahirovic has been in impressive form in the Allsvenskan this term, scoring four goals and creating five in his 13 appearances. "He is athletic, able to play deep and comfortable with both feet," said Puel of the 19-year-old. "He is a player with huge potential."

Camara comes to terms with PSG

French side Paris Saint-Germain FC have agreed a four-year contract with AS Saint-Etienne centre-back Zoumana Camara, who was capped once by France in 2001.

'Among the best'

"He is among the best players in France at his position," said PSG president Alain Cayzac after agreeing an undisclosed fee with St-Etienne. The 28-year-old, who was born and raised in the Paris suburbs, previously played for FC Internationale Milano, Olympique de Marseille, Leeds United AFC and RC Lens, among others. PSG, who failed to clinch a European spot last season, have previously signed Didier Digard from Le Havre AC and Grégory Bourillon from Stade Rennais FC this summer.

Transfers:

Auxerre:

In:Marcos Antonio (Gil Vicente, POR), Ciani (r.p, Lorient), Maoulida (Marseille), Chafni (Ajaccio), Lesage (Le Havre), Tamas (Spartak Moscou, RUS), Langil (Nîmes), Ré. Riou (Lyon)

Out:Cool (retraite), Radet (free), Akalé (Lens), Ciani (t.d, Lorient), Be. Cheyrou (Marseille), Dufour (Grenoble), Mathis (Sochaux), Kaboul (Tottenham, ANG), Sagna (Arsenal, ANG)

Bordeaux:

In:Lavie (r.p, Gueugnon), Jussié (t.d, Lens), Blanc (entr.), Tunani (pro contract), Saivet (pro contract), Chalmé (Lille), Baldé (r.p, Legia Varsovie, POL), Bellion (Nice),A.Diarra (Lyon)

Outarcheville (Glasgow Rangers, ANG), Cid (Bolton Wanderers, ANG), Enakarhire (r.p, Dynamo Moscou, RUS), Ricardo (entr., Monaco), S. Dalmat (Sochaux), Sekour (p., Nantes), Faubert (West Ham, ANG), Beto (t.d, Huelva, ESP), Mavuba (Villareal, ESP), Smicer (f.c), Ayité (Brest)

Caen:

In:Gomis (Laval), Nivet (Troyes), Thébaux (libre), Eluchans (Indepediente, ARG), Boucansaud (Troyes), O. N'Diaye (pro contract), Jemaa (p., Lens), K. Svensson (Rangers, ECO)

Out: Valéro (Nîmes), Ben Askar (t.d, Al Shamal, QAT), Adnane (p. Cherbourg)

Le Mans:

In:Ibrahima Camara (t.d, Parme AC, ITA), Bouhours (pro contract), Edjenguele (pro contract), Portalès (pro contract), Traoré (GFCO Ajaccio), Garcia (entr, Dijon), Maïga (t.d, Raja Casablanca, MAR),Pinault (r.p, Angers),Choplin (r.p, ESSG), Lupède (r.p, ESSG), Ibrahim Camara (Sénart-Moissy, CFA), A. Keita (Djoliba AC, MAL), Gervinho (Beveren, BEL), El Bahri (Rabat, MAR)

Out:O. Thomas (Nantes), Hantz (entr., Sochaux), Fischer (Niort), K. Touré (f.c), Fanchone (Strasbourg), Tokplé (f.c), Lucau (Sedan), Bonnart (Marseille), I. Bangoura (Dynamo Kiev, UKR)

Lens:

In:Akalé (Auxerre), J. Kébé (r.p, Châteauroux), Runje (Besiktas, TUR), Sablé (Saint-Etienne), Laurenti (Ajaccio), Vignal (r.p, Kaiserslautern, ALL), S. Feindouno (r.p, Istres), Jabi (r.p, Grenoble), Khiter (r.p, Ajaccio), Martins Pereira (r.p, Amiens), Le Crom (Troyes), Aubey (Toulouse), G. Roux (entr.), Kalou (PSG)

Out: Gillet (Le Havre), Jussié (t.d, Bordeaux), J. Kébé (Boulogne-sur-Mer), Chabbert (Amiens), Tixier (Le Havre), Jemaa (p. Caen), S. Keita (FC Séville, ESP)

Lille:

In:Touré (r.p, FC Gueugnon), Béria (FC Metz), Hazard (pro contract), Benzerga (pro contract), Lebbihi (pro contract), Rami (pro contract), Ewane (pro contract), Chedjou (pro contract), Makiese (pro contract), Taravel (pro contract), Yanes (Independiente Santa Fe, COL), Lacroix (r.p, ESSG), Maric (Egaleo FC Athens, GRE), Tahirovic (Halmstads, SUE)

Out: M. Robail (Dijon), Owona (t.d, FC Brussels, BEL), Tavlaridis (Saint-Etienne), Audel (Valenciennes), Keita (Lyon), Bodmer (Lyon), Zywiecki (t.d, Dijon), Chalmé (Bordeaux), Vitakic (Grenoble)

Lorient:

In:Marin (Sedan), Salin (r.p, Libourne), Cantareil (Marseille), Ciani (t.d, Auxerre), Vahirua (Nice), B. Robert (Guingamp), Hautcoeur (p., Saint-Etienne), Bénatia (p. Marseille)

Out:Pédron (retraite), Moullec (Nantes), Barry (r.p, Marseille), Fiorèse (r.p, Marseille), Yesso (f.c), Gignac (Toulouse), Ayari (free), Taïder (r.p, Toulouse), Marlet (f.c), Dansoko (f.c), Recorbet (f.c), Barrientos (f.c), Medjani (p., Ajaccio)

Lyon:

In:Belhadj (r.p Sedan), Perrin (entr., Sochaux), Keita (Lille), Bodmer (Lille), Grosso (Inter, ITA)

Out: Caçapa (free), Houllier (entr.), Tiago (Juventus), Abidal (Barcelone, ESP), Idangar (f.c), Berthod (Monaco), Malouda (Chelsea, ANG), Benhamida (Montpellier), Bettiol (Troyes), Ré. Riou (Auxerre), A.Diarra (Bordeaux)

Marseille:

In:Faty (Rennes), Gragnic (Libourne Saint-Seurin), Begeorgi (r.p, Libourne Saint-Seurin, pro contract), L. N'Diaye (r.p, Strasbourg), Barry (r.p, Lorient), Benatia (r.p, Tours), Fiorèse (r.p, Lorient), Deruda (r.p, Libourne), Bamogo (r.p, Celta Vigo, ESP), Be. Cheyrou (Auxerre), Bonnart (Le Mans), Givet (Monaco), Ziani (Sochaux), Zenden (Liverpool, ANG), D. Cissé (t.d, Liverpool, ANG), Mandanda (p. Le Havre)

Out:Gimenez (t.d, Hertha Berlin, ALL), Begeorgi (p. Amiens), Sergio (f.c), K. Ba (Libourne), Cantareil (Lorient), Ribery (Bayern Munich, ALL), Deruda (p. Amiens), Bocaly (p. Libourne Saint-Seurin), Maoulida (Auxerre), Barry (Sedan), Pagis (Rennes), Bamogo (p. Nice), Bénatia (p. Lorient)

Metz:

In:Bessat (Louhans-Cuiseaux), Mendy (Paris FC), Vivian (Grenoble Foot), Delle (pro contract), Bourgeois (pro contract), Trivino (Créteil), Baldé (p. Amiens), Barbosa (Troyes), Fejsa (Hajduk Kula, SER)

Out:Béria (Lille), Gomez (free), Contout (Amiens), Bocandé (f.c), Walter (f.c)

Monaco:

In:Licata (r.p, Gueugnon), Vallaurio (pro contract), Joneleit (pro contract), Muratori (pro contract), Ricardo (Bordeaux), Mangani (r.p, Brest), Berthod (Lyon)

Out: Warmuz (retraite), Mangani (p. AC Ajaccio), Givet (Marseille), Y. Touré (Barcelone, ESP), Gigliotti (Saint-Etienne), Dos Santos (Strasbourg), Lanteri (free)

Nancy:

In:Macaluso (t.d, River Plate), Gaudu (pro contract), Mozika (pro contract), Malonga (pro contract), Y. Camara (pro contract)

Out: A. Keita (f.c), Lécluse (Angers), Sapina (Mouscron, BEL), Dosunmu (p. Germinal Beerschot Anvers, BEL), Kroupi (free), Rudolf (free), Diakhaté (Dynamo Kiev, UKR), Faye (p. Reims)

Nice:

Inolci (r.p, Bastia), Moussilou (r.p, Saint-Etienne), Padovani (r.p, Sannois-Saint-Gratien), Scaramozzino (r.p, Cannes), Modeste (pro contract), Hellebuyck (Paris SG), Hognon (Saint-Etienne), Bamogo (p. Marseille), Yahaya (Tema Youth, GHA)

Out:Yahia (Bochum, ALL), Veigneau (r.p, Monaco), Fauconnier (free), I. Touré (r.p, Metalurg Donetsk, UKR), S. Camara (p., Montpellier), Scotto (f.c), Vahirua (Lorient), Varrault (Saint-Etienne), Bellion (Bordeaux), Fanni (Rennes)

Paris SG:

In:Haddad (r.p, Valenciennes), Bueno (r.p, Sporting, POR), M.Sakho (pro contract), Arnaud (pro contract), Digard (Le Havre), Bourillon (Rennes), Z.Camara (Saint-Etienne)

Out:Cousin (Angers), Rozehnal (Newcastle, ANG), Baning (p. Sedan), Dja Djedje (t.d, Grenoble), Cissé (Besiktas, TUR), Hellebuyck (Nice), Piètre (f.c), Kalou (Lens)

Rennes:

In:Hansson (Heerenveen, P-B), Badiane (pro contract), Lemoine (pro contract), Oniangue (pro contract), Luzi (Charleroi, BEL), Borne (pro contract), Pagis (Marseille), Catherine (Tours), J. Leroy (Sochaux), Fanni (Nice)

Out: Faty (Marseille), Melchiot (Wigan, ANG), Revault (Le Havre), Rochat (t.d, FC Zurich, SUI), Coulibaly (f.c), Mvuemba (f.c), C. N'Diaye (p., Créteil), Utaka (Portsmouth, ANG), Bourillon (PSG), A. Coulibaly (Grenoble)

St. Etienne:

In:Tavlaridis (Lille), Payet (Nantes), F. Diawara (r.p, Sochaux), Tiéné (r.p, Reims), Gigliotti (Monaco), Varrault (Nice), Matuidi (Troyes), Nivaldo (Belenenses, POR), Douala (Sporting, POR)

Out:Sablé (Lens), Diatta (free), Hasek (entr.), O. Sarr (Troyes), Moussilou (r.p, Nice), Hognon (Nice), Ilunga (Toulouse), Vincent (p. Gueugnon), Hautcoeur (p., Lorient), Z.Camara (PSG), Mermillod (Toulouse)

Sochaux:

In: Hantz (entr., Le Mans), Jokic (ND Gorica, SLO), Previtali (pro contract), Mathis (Auxerre), Genghini (r.p, Raon-l'Etape), Josse (r.p, Brest), S. Dalmat (Bordeaux)

Out:Perrin (entr., Lyon), Le Tallec (r.p, Liverpool, ANG), F. Diawara (r.p, Saint-Etienne), Potillon (f.c), Zerara (GB Anvers, BEL), Lonfat (f.c), Deichelbohrer (f.c), Ziani (Marseille), Brunel (Angers), Bühler (FC Sion, SUI), J. Leroy (free)

Strasbourg:

In:Weber (pro contract), Othon (pro contract), Bah (pro contract), Zenke (pro contract), Carlier (r.p, Clermont), Furlan (entr., Troyes), Fanchone (Le Mans), Paisley (Troyes), Dos Santos (Monaco), Rodrigo (p., Ajaccio)

Out: Rangelov (p. Cottbus, ALL), Deroff (Guingamp), L. N'Diaye (r.p, Marseille), Joao Paulo (r.p, Young Boys, SUI), Krebs (Hanovre, ALL), Carlier (p., Clermont), Papin (entr.), Devaux (Reims), Assami (Istres), Yachir (p., Reims), Tum (p., Bursaspor, TUR)

Toulouse:

In:Riou (Istres), Cherfa (pro contract), Constant (pro contract), Taïder (r.p, Lorient), Ilunga (Saint-Etienne), Jönsson (IF Elfsborg, SUE), Gignac (Lorient), Akpa Akpro (r.p, Brest), Mermillod (StEtienne)

Out:Pentecôte (p., Bastia), Ayasse (Reims), Cherfa (p. Tours), Benvegnu (Amiens), Robic (Tours), Bonnet (p. Sedan), Aubey (Lens), A. Camara (Rodez)

Valenciennes:

In:Pujol (Sedan), Ducourtioux (Sedan), D. Traoré (pro contract), Sanchez (Montevideo, URU), Audel (Lille), Sommeil (Sheffield United, ANG)

Out:Flachez (Grenoble Foot), Haddad (r.p, PSG), Dufresne (Châteauroux), Bourgeois (Dijon), Hassli (FC Zurich, SUI), Bratu (r.p, Nantes), Liron (Reims), Paauwe (Möenchengladbach, ALL)

For Victor_Renner, managerial changes:

Bordeaux: Laurent Blanc replaces Ricardo

Le Mans: Rudi Garcia replaces Frederic Hantz

Lens: Guy Roux replaces Francis Gillot

Lyon: Alain Perrin replaces Gerard Houllier

Monaco: Ricardo replaces Laurent Banide

Sochaux: Frederic Hantz replaces Alain Perrin

Strasbourg: Jean-Marc Furlan replaces Jean-Pierre Papin

Fixtures for the 1st round:

Saturday 4/8 17.00 CET

Strasbourg-Marseille

Saturday 4/8 20.00 CET

Caen-Nice

Bordeaux-Lens

Valenciennes-Toulouse

Monaco-St. Etienne

Rennes-Nancy

Paris SG-Sochaux

Lille-Lorient

Sunday 5/8 18.00 CET

Le Mans-Metz

Sunday 5/8 21.00 CET

Lyon-Auxerre

fact - france is my new second favourite country.

Come on Rennes!

Disappointed to have lost Faty, he's a Premiership player in the future, and Utaka was my favourite player.

Jimmy Briand still being there is good news, and Sylvain Wiltord signing is class.

Ex-Arsenal players ftw.

Just because they aren't in the division don't think I won't be posting the occasional "Nantes " in here.

Lyon to ease to a win, again, even without Malouda.

Lille:

In: Hazard (pro contract)

What does that mean?

It means they've given him a professional contract. He's 16 or something isnt he?

Was awesome in the Euro Under 19's

Originally posted by goon:

It means they've given him a professional contract. He's 16 or something isnt he?

Was awesome in the Euro Under 19's

Was class in the Euro under 17's as well. Belgium were so unlucky against Spain in the semi's - really looking forward to the under 17 World Championships next month.

Oops, it was the U17's I was thinking of.

Sochaux takes the lead in the Super-cup game. Poor defending by Lyon. Jokic with the goal after 16 minutes

1-1 \0/

Govou with the equaliser

Btw, I will be supporting Valenciennes this season in France because they have Savidan and he has a sort of rags to riches story.

St. Etienne, Lens and Rennes to push this season.

Have to see how Gignac teams up with Elamander upfront for Toulouse.

Orzelek, could you possibly find a list of manager changes for this season please?

I agree about St.Etienne, Lens is hard to tell- it really can go either way. I don't think Rennes will be good this year, in fact I think they may even go down if they're unlucky.

I'll see with the manager list after the Super-cup game

Cris åuts Lyon in front. 2-1

Didn't realise how many good players Lyon have lost this season.

Halftime: Lyon-Sochaux 2-1

Great game

Chances in both ends and a deserved lead to Lyon, as they're the better team tonight so far

What the hell are the rules with foreign players in France? It certainly isn't non EU because, on FM, I managed to purchase plenty of players from ex-African colonies (as well as non-Franco-colonised places like Nigeria).

That's all really...oh yeah, mon Le PSG and Besan(c with squiggle)on, although this is the Ligue Une thread...**** it. Allez Les Bisontins.

Its four (I think?) non EU players in a squad. The ex-African colonies players do not count as non EU players.

Im not really too sure what the official rulings are, perhaps Juni might know.

I guess it helps with all the immigrants.

Mon Paris

Do they show many PSG games on Setanta?

Badly need signings, last years squad not good enough

mon Cyril Rool.

Originally posted by Orzelek:

I agree about St.Etienne, Lens is hard to tell- it really can go either way. I don't think Rennes will be good this year, in fact I think they may even go down if they're unlucky.

I'll see with the manager list after the Super-cup game

Not a chance, Rennes will secure UEFA Cup again, though like I said earlier, the loss of Utaka will be a bitch.

I really should try and get to a PSG game actually - been meaning to for a few years now.

sad that Nantes no longer in it

FT: Lyon-Sochaux 2-1

2nd half, not as good as 1st but still a ok game seen over 90 minutes. Btw: Grosso came i n with 10 minutes to go and made his debut

I'm looking forward to seeing how Payet does at a club challenging for a Champions League place.

Don't know how much he'll play though.

So Medjani's left Lorient? :*(

And Juve, I was on the Savidan/Valenciennes bandwagon before anyone He was awesome for my St Albans league 1/2 side on FM

C'mon Marseille!

Originally posted by DeafParrot:

So Medjani's left Lorient? :*(

And Juve, I was on the Savidan/Valenciennes bandwagon before anyone He was awesome for my St Albans league 1/2 side on FM

Ill join that wagon if there is a spare seat, thank you.

Wiltord to stick with Lyon

Sylvain Wiltord is to remain with French champions Olympique Lyonnais after a transfer to Stade Rennais FC broke down over personal terms.

No agreement

The 33-year-old striker, who has scored 26 goals in 92 international appearances for France, will remain under contract at Lyon until next summer after vetoing the move to Rennes, his first professional club. "He could have gone," said Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas. "Everything was OK between us and Rennes and they just had to find an agreement with the player, but they did not."

Troubled season

The striker joined Lyon in the summer of 2004 after a three-and-a-half year spell at Arsenal FC, and proved to be a valuable acquisition as they won the 2004/05 and 2005/06 French titles. However, he was less effective during last season's Ligue 1 triumph due to a combination of injuries and wrangles with coach Gérard Houllier over club discipline.

Positive start

Lyon, who enter the UEFA Champions League at the group stage, will kick off the defence of their Ligue 1 title against AJ Auxerre on Sunday with confidence high after defeating FC Sochaux-Montbéliard 2-1 in the Trophée des champions on Saturday. Goals from Sidney Govou and new captain Cris made sure of the win in a game that saw Fabio Grosso, Kader Keita and Mathieu Bodmer all make their debuts for Lyon.

Barul leaves Lens for Nice

UEFA Intertoto Cup winners RC Lens have allowed right-back Patrick Barul to join OGC Nice, with the 29-year-old signing a two-year contract.

Riviera experience

No fee has been released for Barul, who played in 12 Ligue 1 games for Lens last season. Barul is no stranger to the French Riviera as he started his career as a trainee at AS Cannes and was loaned to Nice in 2002/03, two years before he joined Lens. Guy Roux's Lens earned a place in Friday's UEFA Cup second qualifying round draw after winning 3-1 on aggregate against FC Chornomorets Odesa in the third and final round of the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Going to watch Lyon in their season-opener at home to Auxerre this Sunday; ordered my ticket yesterday. Should be a good match.

Metz return thrills Strasser

Luxembourg defender Jeff Strasser was delighted to sign a two-year deal with FC Metz, the French club where he began his career more than a decade ago.

Spell in Germany

The 32-year-old had been released after one season by RC Strasbourg, who finished second in Ligue 2 behind his new club last term, but was quickly snapped up by Metz coach Francis De Taddeo. "I feel like I did 12 years ago," said Strasser, who started his career with Metz in 1993/94. "I'm happy to be back." Strasser, who has won 79 international caps, left the Lorraine club in summer 1999 and subsequently spent three years at 1. FC Kaiserslautern and four at VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he captained the side.

Fernando renews ties with Bordeaux

FC Girondins de Bordeaux have agreed to extend Fernando Menegazzo's contract by a year, keeping the midfielder at the club until June 2011 as they prepare for UEFA Cup action.

Popular player

Signed from Italian side Calcio Catania in 2005 by the club's former coach and fellow Brazilian Ricardo Gomes, now at AS Monaco FC, Fernando has scored seven goals in 63 league games for Bordeaux. The 26-year-old former EC Juventude and Grêmio FBPA player recently won the Copa América with Brazil but his performances in last season's UEFA Champions League were overshadowed by his dismissal for head-butting Liverpool FC's John Arne Riise. Now coached by Laurent Blanc, French League Cup winners Bordeaux will enter the UEFA Cup in the first round. They start their Ligue 1 campaign on Saturday against RC Lens.

Its nice when countries like France start their league campaign early, doesnt get over shadowed by the premiership.

Cant wait, trying to find if there's any coverage at all in the the UK.

First round of fixtures nearly complete, Valenciennes top the table.

Strasbourg 0-0 Marseille

Bordeaux 1-0 Lens

Caen 1-0 Nice

Lille 0-0 Lorient

Monaco 1-1 Saint Etienne

Paris SG 0-0 Sochaux

Rennes 0-2 Nancy

Valenciennes 3-1 Toulouse

Le Mans 1-0 Metz

Lyon - Auxerre kicks off shortly.

Not the best start for PSG, plenty chances but no breakthrough. And also for those in the UK and with Sky, last season the highlights program they show on Canal+ was being shown on TV5 Europe. I forget the name of it, but i'll try see if it's available this year. Channel Five also supposedly showing highlights but cant find any listings.

Lyon vs. Auxerre is live on Setanta Sports 1 (channel 429 on Sky).

Setanta Almost tempted now to part with the £10 a month or whatever it is. TV5 Europe don't have 'Jour de Foot' on any of their listings over the next few weeks. And I still can't find any evidence of Channel 5 showing highlights, although frenchleague.com says otherwise.

HT: Lyon 1-0 Auxerre

(Baros)

Lyon completely in control of the game. How much did they pay for Kader Keita btw?

18 million euros.

cracker from benzema

Nice goal by Benzema.

2-0

Ball all over the place there from Juninho's free kick

I would be watching this game if it wasn't played at the same time as the Brazilian League.

Any Brazilian goal today so far?

Originally posted by PMLF:

I would be watching this game if it wasn't played at the same time as the Brazilian League.

Any Brazilian goal today so far?

Nope, Baros and Benzema with the goals.

Fred ia injured and Juninho didn't start the full game. And let's face it Marcos Antonio probably won't score.

Lyon so good to watch at times.

Keita looks useful, not convinced he has full control of the ball half the time mind.

watched the second half, impressed by lyon, hope they do well in the cl this year

it was 18 million for Keita and Bodmer no?

18m for keita, 5m for bodmer

Bordeaux book Diawara signature

FC Girondins de Bordeaux have agreed to sign Senegal defender Souleymane Diawara from Charlton Athletic FC on a four-year contract.

Undisclosed fee

The 28-year-old joins the French League Cup holders for an undisclosed fee, having switched to Charlton last summer from FC Sochaux-Montbéliard only for the English club to then suffer relegation from the Premier League. Bordeaux said: "Subject to a medical and some administrative details, Souleymane Diawara will join our squad at the first opportunity." The Ligue 1 outfit, who added defender Mathieu Chalmé, midfielder Alou Diarra and strikers David Bellion and Jussiê Ferreira in the close season and started their domestic campaign under new coach Laurent Blanc at the weekend with a 1-0 win against RC Lens, begin in the UEFA Cup next month.

-Sochaux has sold Dusko Tosic to Werder Bremen

aim this season is to go and watch a few metz matches now they are back in the top flight. have driven past the stadium so many times that it is high times that i graced it with my prescence. tickets are dirt cheap apparently as well.

always had a soft spot for sochaux and rennes for unknown reasons so i will be supporting them again.

can't see past lyon as despite them not really replacing all the sold players they should still be far better than anyone else and there is total lack of serious looking challengers.

as usual i will be urging psg and marseille to get relegated and grenoble and chateauroux to get promoted.