France is the country of the reigning world champion. So it goes without saying that football is on everyone’s lips there every day. And this is not only the case in connection with Ligue 1, the European Cup competitions and the national team. The French are also concerned with Ligue 2, the third-tier Championnat Nationale, the cup competitions and Division 1 Féminine. The top flight in women’s football is one of the strongest in Europe.
Two Ligue 1 clubs – former Women’s Champions League winners Olympique Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain – have dominated the competition for several years. In the 2020/2022 season, PSG replaced the Gones after 14 seasons. And they did so in the very season in which OSC Lille broke the monopoly in the men’s game. In addition to Paris Saint-Germain, which returned to success after the signings of Lionel Messi & Co, Olympique Marseille reached a European Cup final in recent years. But Olympique Lyon, for example, also regularly plays internationally.
Furthermore, in a football-crazy country, relevant media cannot be missing. In particular, the Ballon d’Or is awarded annually by a French sports daily. In addition, there are dozens of other portals that are also dedicated to the transfer market (Mercato).
You might also be interested in the following betting predictions:
As already mentioned, French men’s football has been dominated by the national team in recent years. Club-wise, it lags behind women’s football and this has caused disappointment among PSG supporters. Nevertheless, the French Ligue 1 is one of the top leagues and it has a high status far beyond its borders.
The three highest French divisions have in common that they are played at national level. Furthermore, all teams play a first and second leg, both at home and away. In Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, the field comprises 20 teams, and in the Championnat Nationale, 18 teams compete.
In the latter two leagues, the champion and the runner-up are promoted. Behind them, three and two participants respectively complete the play-offs. The winners of the play-offs will meet the third-last-place teams in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, while four teams in the third-highest division will be relegated immediately.
In the French top flight, teams like Paris Saint-Germain, Olympique Lyon, Olympique Marseille and OSC Lille are the talk of the town. However, these teams also experience point losses against glaring outsiders in Ligue 1. This fact alone shows us that you shouldn’t make a general assumption. And you should always look at the balance sheets and the individual match histories first.
Moreover, especially at Corona times there are a lot of retirements. But streaks of bad luck are also normal. Therefore, it is always important to find out about injured and sick players as well as players who are suspended. Moreover, every participant has his or her strengths and weaknesses. In addition, team spirit plays a key role. And when a team like PSG drops points in Lorient, the mentality is also lacking.
As in all other professions, every coach in Ligue 1 has a first season in the top flight. These can be foreign coaches with experience in other leagues as well as French newcomers. And it always proves during the season whether a breakthrough is achieved or whether a coach is not suited to the league/club after all. Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino, for example, were successful at PSG and Jorge Sampaoli at Olympique Marseille. Things went completely differently for the former Swiss team boss and Lazio Roma coach Vladimir Petković in Bordeaux. And then there are coaches like Rudi Garcia, who usually leave big footprints.
Furthermore, a lot depends on tactics. It is also always interesting to observe which teams are almost exclusively made up of experienced players/stars and which teams make more use of young players. Moreover, just as with footballers, coaches can fall ill or, in some cases, be suspended.
Furthermore, we think it is always interesting to observe how the teams perform at home and away. Logic would say, of course, that they certainly do easier at home. But that is not always the case. In addition, French Ligue 1 has no city derbies at least once until the 2021/2022 season. That represents a rarity in football.
As of April 2022, however, it is a matter of time before Paris FC is promoted to the top flight. Furthermore, there are some fixtures in particular, such as OSC Lille vs. RC Lens and AS Monaco vs. OGC Nice, where travel times are very limited. And then there are significant incidents away from the game. By this we mean club takeovers or the scandal surrounding the now deceased Bernard Tapie at Olympique Marseille.
As with every top division, there are constant discussions about Ligue 1. Football fans wonder, for example, whether PSG will be dethroned again and which teams will be involved internationally. And which teams will be relegated to Ligue 2 or take part in the relegation.
Then there is the race for the title of top scorer, which of course has a new significance after PSG signed Messi. However, the French Ligue 1 clearly has more to offer. It is no coincidence that tens of betting markets are available per match. If the matches didn’t offer that, the bookies couldn’t simply conjure it up. And we look at the best possible options for you.
