A Football Report

By Ulysse Pasquier, writing from Montreal

It’s been a week and still even Rémi Gaillard can’t quite believe it. Who would have thought at the start of the season that Montpellier, the 13th budget in Ligue 1, would end up lifting the trophy for the first time in its history. The southern city is a cultural and university center in France and has celebrated sporting triumphs in handball and rugby, but never football. Promoted to Ligue 1 just two seasons ago, René Girard’s side defied the odds by finishing above big-spending Paris Saint Germain. With Manchester City leading an analogous enterprise as PSG and winning the Premier League, no one outside the French capital could complain about the success of a club focused on the development of young players and a sustainable budget.

Turn the clock back to 2007; Montpellier was in an abysmal state and fighting against relegation to the National league – the third division in France. That’s how far they have come, out of nowhere, very much in the image of their emblematic striker Olivier Giroud who was playing for Tours in Ligue 2 just a year ago and is now looking to book his place for the Euro with France. Montpellier’s victory was nothing short of miraculous and set the stage for a thrilling season. If you enjoy such underdog stories however, you may have to wait a while before it happens again in France.

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By Ulysse Pasquier, writing from Montreal

Anyone who follows football knows the amount of emotion that the sport can bring in a split second. From total despair to intense euphoria, every fan is ought to have experienced his fair share of hair-raising moments. What happened at the Emirates yesterday however transcended all these feelings. Seeing Thierry Henry warm up wearing the Arsenal colors was already a nostalgic treat every Gooner could savor. His match-winning goal however was out of this world and truly of fairytales. Much like a taste or smell that can resurrect forgotten memories, witnessing his so familiar trademark finish brought me back to a time I thought was lost, a time when I first became interested in football because I heard this Frenchman was ruling the pitches of England.

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A miracle. That’s exactly what Lyon needed to go through to the knockout stages of the Champions League after disappointing in the five first games and scoring only on two occasions. To qualify, Les Gones not only needed Ajax to lose, but also had seven goals to catch up on the Dutch side. As if that wasn’t hard enough, Lyon’s goalscoring form had been worryingly poor, especially away, and when Dinamo Zagreb managed to hold them at 1-1 at half time, Marseille looked to be the only French club going to the last 16. We thought we had seen it all when Didier Deschamps’ men came back from 2-0 to win at Dortmund yesterday. Clearly not. Seven goals in 30 minutes, including four from Bafétimbi Gomis, allowed Lyon to unbelievably secure second place in Group D.

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By Ulysse Pasquier

       Les Bleus wrapped up 2011 with a 0-0 draw at home against Belgium, an unconvincing performance that unsettled many critics in France. Just over a year since taking the top seat, the grace period and overall optimism linked to Laurent Blanc’s appointment have clearly evaporated. There is no talk of getting rid of the former Bordeaux coach of course but the consensus is evident: France is not playing good enough with the player it has. It is true that France seemed to lack pace and presence in the final third against Belgium and even during the win against the USA. Yet, Blanc’s men have just booked their place into the Euro (without going through the playoffs) and are currently defending a 17-game unbeaten streak. So which is it? Is Blanc fulfilling his promises or was 2011 only the illusion of a successful year for Les Bleus? 

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By Ulysse Pasquier, writing from Montreal

Football clubs do enjoy their deadline drama it seems. These last couple of days have been so hectic it has become difficult to keep track of my Twitter feed every single deal, and the transfer window is not even closed yet! We can expect more signings in the next 24 hours that could shape the rest of the season, notably in the Premier League with much of the attention focused on Arsenal. The Gunners have been incredibly busy since their humiliating defeat at Old Trafford, getting their hands on Park Chu Young from Monaco while waiting for Andre Dos Santos and Per Mertesacker to follow the South Korean to North London. Arsene Wenger has had a very worrying start of the season, to say the least, and Arsenal’s top four spot is already severely threatened, only three match-days into the new campaign. Whether this new found taste for spending is a reaction to this weekend’s loss or part of “Le Plan” is irrelevant, however after Manchester City’s performance at White Hart Lane, it could very well be Wenger’s despairing attempt at saving Arsenal’s seat in the Champions League. 

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By Ulysse Pasquier, writing from Paris

An entire country, in which “World Cup” was still synonymous with “controversy”, is rediscovering football through the Women’s World Cup. Reaching the semi finals of the tournament for the first time in their history, Les Bleues have enchanted France after beating England on penalties. Unlike in the US, women’s football has always received very little attention in France with the men’s team monopolizing most of the media coverage. A year after the Knysna training strike incident in South Africa however, the ladies are now very much in the spotlight and have delighted a record number of viewers thanks to their desire to win and easygoing attitude off the pitch. Qualified for the London Olympic Games after Germany’s defeat at the hands of Japan, this World Cup has already been an all-round success. However France now face a tough challenge against the number 1 team in the world and will need to be at their best to even trouble the Americans.

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By Ulysse Pasquier, writing from Paris

Although the sport sections of French newspapers have been dominated this past week by Les Bleues’ exploits in the Women’s World Cup, the fate of the Ligue 1 may dramatically -and discreetly - change in the coming days. Speculation has been running wild in France concerning the future of Leonardo and it now seems inevitable that the former Inter Milan manager will join Paris Saint-Germain before the start of the season. The context in which this signing would be concluded makes it twice as significant. On May 31st 2011, state-run wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority bought a controlling 70% stake in the club, reportedly ready to provide €150million over three years to strengthen the squad. This is a substantial sum of money for a French club and the signing of Leonardo would be a major stepping stone for both PSG and the Ligue 1. 

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