Ligue 1: OM launched, Brest's European dreams, sixth top scorer title for Mbappé... 10 questions before the last day in 2023

For professional footballers too, it’s vacation. The nine matches of the 17th day of Ligue 1 will be played this Wednesday at 9 p.m. The championship will then give way to a truce, marked by the Champions Trophy on January 3 and the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France on January 5, 6 and 7. Resumption of Ligue 1 on Friday January 12, 2024 by a Marseille-Strasbourg.

PSG - MetzNice - LensToulouse - MonacoStrasbourg - LilleBrest - LorientMontpellier - MarseilleReims - Le HavreClermont - RennesLyon - Nantes

For the first time, in 2022, Ligue 1 matches were played between Christmas and the New Year. Two major reasons for this: first the World Cup in Qatar, which had disrupted and tightened the calendar, and the wish of the French football authorities to try the “boxing day”, a great British tradition. But there will be no “boxing day” this year in France.

“I hope that our leaders will be at the matches, that they will not be at the beach on vacation because they are the ones who had this good idea,” quipped Rennes coach Bruno Genesio a year ago, under -hearing that club employees, including players, would have preferred to have a truce. The supporters also protested and the TV audiences were not there. In short, no one validated. The Professional Football League (LFP) therefore abandoned the idea.

Not yet. The capital club, officially autumn champion even before its match in Lille last Sunday (1-1), is 5 points ahead of Nice, 2nd, and 7 over Monaco, 3rd (the ranking here). Between a complicated start to the season and a few hiccups here and there, the gap is not (yet?) prohibitive. Adi Hütter, coach of Monaco, however spoke of the Champions League as a “priority objective” of the ASM. His Nice counterpart, Francesco Farioli, focused on “the pace of the 6, 7 first places”. Proof that no one sees themselves competing with PSG for the title...

SEE ALSO – Barcola’s first goal with Paris, during PSG-Nantes on December 9 (2-1)

No. His four consecutive victories in L1 should not make us forget his shortcomings, which were obvious in the second half against Clermont on Sunday (2-1). “We have an excuse. During the night from Thursday to Friday, upon returning from Brighton, the players went to bed at 5:30 a.m.,” explained Olympian coach Gennaro Gattuso. Beaten at Brighton (1-0) in the Europa League a week ago, OM are still looking for themselves, in the game and in their attitudes. Often struggling on the move, the Phocaeans will pass a new test in Montpellier.

Also read: Gattuso before Montpellier-OM: “We must not think about panettone and champagne, otherwise we will get slapped”

Not everything is rosy at OM, 6th in L1, but its arguments for the podium are real, from its squad adapted for that, to its resources which allow it to be reinforced in the winter transfer window. However, it will not be easy to catch up with Nice, best defense (9 goals conceded in 16 matches), and Monaco, best attack behind Paris (31 goals). Lille, 4th, is also a big contender. Finally, beware of the comeback of RC Lens, 7th and tied on points with Marseille, which experienced the worst start to the season in its history in the elite before going 9 matches without defeat, series in progress.

We doubt it, but it is almost certain that Brest will not play for the second part of the season. 5th at the moment, the Finistériens are 16 points ahead of Lorient, first in relegation, which they host this Wednesday. If the season ended there, Stade Brestois would qualify for the Europa League. “Europe seems very, very far away,” said Breton coach Eric Roy after the victory in Nantes on Sunday (0-2). Reims, Lorient and Strasbourg also believed in it in recent years before becoming disillusioned. Brest, 14th budget in Ligue 1, is not programmed for such ambition.

No, but she has largely calmed down. Under the leadership of Pierre Sage, interim after the departure of Fabio Grosso, OL beat Toulouse (3-0) then Monaco (0-1). The staff “simplified the instructions, which allowed certain players to free themselves and show their quality,” praised midfielder Maxence Caqueret. In the offices, Jean-Michel Aulas and John Textor took a step towards each other. “We hope that the trend will continue to reverse,” commented Aulas. If Textor keeps its promise of a good transfer window in January, Lyon, 16th and virtually a barrier for maintenance, could even aim for the first part of the table.

Lyon confirmed Pierre Sage in his functions until the truce, not beyond. Not yet. Former director of the Rhone training center, it would be surprising not to see him continue. Just below OL, Régis Le Bris is less and less unanimous in Lorient, 17th. But the president, Loïc Féry, gave him a lot of power after retaining him last summer, and he is not the type to sack his coaches during the season.

Things are also struggling in Toulouse, disappointing 15th in the standings, to the point of calling into question Carles Martinez Novell. “Of course he will be on the bench” against Benfica in the Europa League in February, “why are you asking this question?”, reacted TFC president Damien Comolli. Pascal Gastien, for his part, should honor his last year in Clermont, although he was a red lantern. Finally, Reims does not want to lose Will Still, despite English temptations.

Yes, except injury. The Parisian striker has 16 goals, nine more than his runner-up, Akor Adams (Montpellier). Barring a phenomenal second half of the season from the Nigerian, or from Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon), Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco) or Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes), all with six goals, Mbappé will finish top scorer in Ligue 1 for the sixth consecutive year.

Yes. Four prefectural decrees targeting Ligue 1 have been issued in view of this Wednesday's matches. Two of them were canceled by the Council of State: supporters of Lens will be able to go to Nice, like those of Nantes to Lyon. On the other hand, no Marseille supporters in Montpellier, nor Lorientais in Brest for the Breton derby.