Month: February 2023

A few hours after the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Aminata Diallo was released from jail under judicial supervision, one of her lawyers, namely Mourad Battikh, expressed his firm belief in Diallo being innocent in the case concerning her and her former teammate Kheira Hamraoui. 

Speaking to the program “Touche pas à mon poste” on C8, Battikh chastised the media’s relentless endeavour to portray his client as a perpetrator. Ahead of Diallo’s release from jail, Battikh (as quoted by RMC Sport) said:

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“She [Diallo] has nothing to do with this case. I would like to say it is my honour to defend Aminata Diallo. She is a professional player, of a high level, who sacrificed her life for football and who has been smeared, lynched, blacklisted, and singled out for 96 hours. It’s a surge. She is the subject of media harassment against her.”

In the aftermath of the attack on Hamraoui on September 14, 2021, by four men allegedly hired by Diallo to handicap the player, the accused were taken into police custody. In a set of latest revelations, it has emerged that the planned assault on the player was a result of “sporting rivalry” and “jealousy” between Hamraoui and Diallo.

According to Foot Mercato, Lucien Favre reacted to rumours that he was imminently leaving OGC Nice – which included talks with former PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino. Speaking to journalists ahead of Les Aiglons trip to PSG on Saturday, Favre said the following: 

“I have lived very well these last few days. The rumours are the rumours, I know that, there is no problem. We had a meeting with the directors, where the sporting director spoke, it was good.”

RMC Sport reported last week that Lucien Favre is set to stay on as Nice manager, with the decision being made by Les Aiglons’ upper management after a long meeting with the Swiss coach.

At the start of the week, INEOS sporting director Dave Brailsford had been looking to bring in a replacement after the team’s poor start to the season, with Mauricio Pochettino notably being linked. However, an agreement was not found with the former Paris Saint-Germain manager, who is currently without a club.

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As a result, Favre’s second stint in charge of Nice is set to continue for now, as the team currently find themselves lying in 13th place with just two wins in their eight matches so far. They face PSG next after the international break, before a trip to face Czech outfit FC Slovácko in the Conference League, in which they remain winless after two draws.

L’Équipe report this afternoon that Nice are set to hire Lens’ sporting coordinator Florent Ghisolfi as their new Sporting Director.

The former Bastia and Reims midfielder, who retired from his playing career in 2014, had gone on to hold assistant manager roles with the Paris Saint-Germain women’s team as well as Lorient.

He then joined Lens and led a project that has seen the Artois club promoted and then establish themselves as a Europe-chasing side. The Sang et Or are currently fourth in Ligue 1, after an impressive win over Lyon on Sunday night.

In the wake of Julien Fournier’s departure in July, Les Aiglons’ search for a new SD had been a major topic of discussion among the likes of INEOS director Dave Brailsford and club president Jean-Pierre Rivère, not least after a chaotic transfer window and a poor start to the season.

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Ghisolfi emerged as the leading candidate – the 37-year-old took his time to reflect on the offer but has decided to take up the new project. He will also be working again with Fabrice Boquet – Nice’s Director General – the two having both been at Lorient.

Brailsford was notably impressed by Ghisolfi’s ability to unearth talents such as Jonathan Clauss and build a team with other high-level players like Séko Fofana or Cheick Doucouré, as well as giving the team a clear identity on the pitch.

One of Ghisolfi’s major tasks to start with, even before the transfer window opens, will be to restructure the club’s scouting and performance departments, among other internal teams.

Following RC Lens’ derby day defeat (their first this season) to Lille on Sunday evening, manager Franck Haise spoke of his disappointment in the following press match press conference, in which he regretted not having enough chances to score in the second half after going behind practically at half time, as transcribed by L’Équipe. 

What is your feeling after the derby loss at Lille ?

Disappointment when you lose a match when it hasn’t happened for a while is bound to happen. A derby even more so. In the first half, we can have some regrets, we did some good things, we must open the score. But in the second half, we lacked a lot of things to have real regrets about the game. We should have had more balance. The only real chance we had was a shot from very far away (70th). We didn’t have enough clear-cut chances to have any real regrets about the game.

Florian Sotoca was struggling in this match…

Our positional play was not perfect, especially on the right side. We caused problems on the left, but rarely on the right. It’s not just Flo’, it’s the overall positioning that wasn’t good enough. When we lose we do it together. He missed the penalty and he blames himself, but he shouldn’t blame himself too much, because football is made of mistakes. It happens to everyone, even Flo.

What do you attribute the difficulties in the game to?They came to press us a lot, we had difficulties to get the ball out cleanly, that added to the frustration. We didn’t have much control and Lille were very intense. We needed to be much more accurate, something we almost never managed in the second half.

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L’Équipe indicate this morning that Real Madrid have little hopes of signing Kylian Mbappé in the January transfer window, despite reports indicating the Frenchman wants to force through a move away from Paris Saint-Germain as soon as possible.

The Merengue upper management doubt that the World Cup winner will really leave the French capital this winter, and that even if he does negotiations would be difficult given the rivalry which has developed between the two clubs over Mbappé’s situation and the Super League. The French international’s behaviour, notably the impression that he sees himself as above the team, has also raised concern for the Spaniards.

For the Champions League holders, yesterday’s reports are simply a way for the forward to put pressure on his club. Los Blancos are nevertheless keeping a close eye on the situation, even if they are satisfied with their current squad and see Mbappé’s potential salary as a stumbling block. Florentino Pérez has not closed the door to the Frenchman, even if he was frustrated by the latter’s decision to stay at PSG last spring. 

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Speaking during the last international break, Lionel Messi (35) said that he was feeling “more comfortable” at PSG this season, and the numbers back that up. 

Despite registering 15 assists, which put him top of the Ligue 1 assists charts, in the 2021/22 season, it was widely accepted that Messi didn’t reach his usual lofty heights. This season, he has already registered 7 Ligue 1 assists in just 10 league matches. 

It is in other metrics of performance that Messi’s revival is most pronounced. Last season, he only managed six Ligue 1 goals, and this term he has already reached five with just a fraction of the season played. In many areas, he is registering Europe-best figures. 

In Europe’s top five divisions, he is top in passes into the area (55), through balls (8), progressive passes (119), shot-creating actions (66), shots on target (25), and total shots (49). 

“Last year, as I’ve already said, I was going through a difficult period. I never found myself. Now it’s different. I feel good; I feel different from last year. I knew it was going to be like this. I’m more comfortable with the club, the dressing room, my teammates and the game. I feel very good, so I’m starting to enjoy myself again,” said Messi after Argentina’s 3-0 win against Honduras in September.

Whilst acclimatisation is a factor in Messi’s return, so is the system change instilled by new Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier. Deploying his side in a 3-4-3, Messi is naturally playing closer to Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, facilitating the types of tight interchanges off which Messi thrives. Should he continue on his current trajectory, he looks set to obliterate his figures for last season in what could potentially be his last season with the Parisian club. Talks over a renewal are on hold until after the World Cup, which begins in late November. 

Luke Entwistle

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L’Équipe report that Barcelona’s Jules Koundé, Arsenal’s William Saliba, Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté, and Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano are in line to make the French sqauad for the 2022 World Cup as a replacement for Manchester United defender Raphaël Varane.

In United’s Premier League game against Chelsea, Varane came off injured in the second half. Recent reports suggest that the defender hurt the hamstring muscles in his right thigh and is now a serious candidate to miss the upcoming World Cup for France.

As per L’Équipe, the defensive trio for Les Bleus in the World Cup could include Benoît Badiashile, Lucas Hernandez, and Presnel Kimpembe should vice-captain Varane miss the plane for Qatar. But even then, France will have to bring in a substitute. Barcelona’s Jules Koundé is considered one of the favourites to make the squad in the place of the Man United centre-back.

Koundé’s multidimensional capacity of defending is widely sought after in the French national team.

Saliba has impressed with his recent performances with Arsenal, but his inexperience at the international level could jeopardise his 2022 World Cup ambitions.

Konaté has had a fair share of injuries since the start of the season, making his credibility a bit fragile. Upamecano has never fulfilled his potential for Les Bleus, but he remains an option in the absence of Varane for Didier Deschamps, who will announce France’s World Cup squad on November 9.

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Sunday 30th October 2022, Ligue 1 Gameweek 13

LYON – (1 – Lacazette)

Lopes, 6

Da Silva, 6

Boateng, 5

Lukeba, 5

Gusto, 5

Tagliafico, 5 

Caqueret, 5

Mendes, 5

Aouar, 5

Dembélé, 6

Lacazette, 7 – Whilst he was passive in the first half, Alex Lacazette sparked to life in the second – pushing on OL’s frontline and showing agression in pressing and attacking runs. Most importantly, he showed his deadly touch in front of goal to take Lyon in front on the 74th minute. The Frenchman is certainly the player who is thriving the most under Laurent Blanc lately after scoring his fourth goal in three games.

Others: Lepenant 6, Toko Ekambi 5, Gouri 5, Reine-Adélaïde 5

LILLE – (0)

Chevalier, 6

Ismaily, 6

Fonte, 5

Djalo, 5

Diakité, 5

Cabella, 6

André, 5

André Gomes, 5 – Played in a deep lying role and did well to hold possession in the first half for Lille – it set his side’s tempo on the ball whilst he created multiple chances on both sides of half time. Unassuming but vital work in midfield. 

Weah, 6

Angel Gomes, 5

David, 5 – He was active once again for Lille, being involved in his sides’ chance creation but he couldn’t quite show his deadly streak and add that vital finish in the first half. As the second half drew on, he couldn’t quite get involved to the same extent.

Others: Ounas 5, Bamba 5, Zedadka 5, Bayo 4

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Speaking at his press conference ahead of Marseille’s reception of Lyon on Sunday night, manager Igor Tudor conceded that he had made mistakes in the Champions League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, namely in not bringing on Dimitri Payet.

The midfielder has been largely relegated to a bit-part role under the Croatian this season, having been one of the centrepieces of Jorge Sampaoli’s team last season.

Marseille crashed out of Europe entirely in midweek as Spurs grabbed a late winner, amid confusion on the part of the hosts over their position in the group at the time. The players were unaware that had they decided to hold out for the draw, they would have gone through to the Europa League, and instead pushed for the winner.

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“I think I made a mistake. Payet should have played at least fifteen minutes. That’s the job of a coach, we all make mistakes. I have to self-criticise. I could have made a different change than bringing on [Luis] Suárez.”

Santi Aouna is reporting that Nice manager Lucien Favre is interested in Manchester City target Noah Okafor (22), who could cost as much as €40m. 

Florian Plettenberg has disclosed Manchester City’s interest in the Swiss winger. Currently at Red Bull Salzburg, Okafor, who has 10 goals in 22 appearances in all competitions this season is drawing interest from abroad. Whilst his immediate focus is on having a strong World Cup in Switzerland, he could soon find himself on the move. 

The Austrian club reportedly value Okafor between €35-40m. Aouna has now revealed that Favre is an admirer of the player. The journalist has said that the Swiss manager, “really appreciates his profile.” Aouna also added that due to the wealth of the club’s INEOS owners, OGC Nice are financially capable of financing a deal. 

It is unclear whether Okafor is a target of the club or a personal target for Favre. According to Nice-Matin, the Swiss manager’s job at the Allianz Riviera is insecure, and a decision on his future is expected soon. 

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