Ligue 1 blows threat to rid itself of ‘farmers league’ jibe

It becomes now not imagined to manifest like this for Ligue 1, now not how things appeared a fortnight ago. PSG’s Champions League exit changed into possibly down extra to controversial occasions and individual mistakes than the eliminations of Lyon and Rennes. However, notwithstanding the latter two facets having been given the little risk of their ties towards Barcelona and Arsenal, each entered the return legs in advantageous positions, mainly given the gulf in assets and popularity between them and their fighters. What was observed for the two sides but became a pair of abject shows to do little to dispel the “farmers’ league” trope that has been a millstone around the neck of Ligue 1 within the recent past?

Despite everything, Lyon had arguably been the wonderful package deal of the Champions League organization stage, being one of the most straightforward sides to complete unbeaten and recording near-unbelievable outcomes against Manchester City. They had ridden their luck (and a negative day trip from Luis Suárez). However, they had their probability of a goalless draw, not only keeping themselves inside the tie but also denying the La Liga leaders an away goal.

However, in the return leg on Wednesday, instead of taking the sport to Barcelona as they had on the Parc OL, Lyon had been extra bad with Lucas Touart displacing the hugely more creative Houssem Aouar in midfield. The type of players who ought to prosper on the counter (Bertrand Traoré, Maxwell Cornet) given short shift. It is tough to mention something new at this factor on Bruno Génésio, Lyon’s alternately maddening and tremendous manager who has coaxed many of the membership’s best “publish-austerity” moments from the team (e.g., However, this season’s group degree, the win over PSG, and 2017’s Europa League semi-final) have also stumbled badly when handed the initiative, unsure whether to stick or twist. One should forgive Génésio to a few degrees given the level of overall performance from Lionel Messi; such was the Argentine’s play it turned unlikely that Lyon would have advanced on any occasion, but a poor technique from the outset without the proper guns to play on the counter meant that Lyon’s hopes of progression, clearly realistic, have always been going to founder.

Les Gones can nevertheless take coronary heart in their progress to the semi-finals of the Coupe de France, wherein a win over Rennes should see them into a very last, which could see Lyon earn a primary trophy in seven years, a run which has accomplished nearly as an awful lot to demoralize the club’s supporters as has the bevy of one-manner visitors inside the switch market. Visitors guarantee that his summer season might be one among the trade because it is so regular in Lyon; in addition to his gamers, Génésio may be on the pass, with chairman Jean-Michel Aulas seemingly disposed to put in an extra ambitious supervisor.

A Coupe de France wins, progress to the knockout degree of the Champions League, and a pinnacle three end a robust season for Lyon. Still, the membership continues to be unable to shake a loss of decisiveness, each on and off the pitch, and something desires to trade for Lyon to make the excellent of their expertise. Rennes, beneath Julien Stéphan, may also be upset to have blown a 3-1 lead against Arsenal. The young manager, who has been key to the Breton aspect’s development in current months, also got his technique wrong at the Emirates on Thursday. Like Lyon, the occasion may have been a bridge to a long way for the incredibly callow Stéphan and his green (in European phrases) institution of players. Still, Rennes took no initiative against Unai Emery’s side, even knowing that an away purpose would have changed Arsenal’s position from tough to desperate.

It is hard to slate Stéphan an excessive amount of time right here, but the problem is that he failed to seize the possibility of a historic nighttime for his club. Barring prevailing the Coupe de France, Rennes is an out-of-doors shot at first-class to get back into Europe the following season despite an in-shape in hand. Injuries have curtailed Rennes’ season to a few degrees. However, the club’s hierarchy had been investing at a close to-ancient stage in current windows, and a slinking goes out. At the same time, progression regarded as a real opportunity is a sadness.

Talking points • The weekend’s major event became “Le Classique,” and Marseille, regardless of failing to win, gave a more than astonishing account of themselves before Steve Mandanda’s sending off, taking the initiative at some point and quickly pulling an intention again after going behind just earlier than the interval. Wherever PSG, Lyon, and Rennes locate themselves next season, the contemporary marketing campaign’s tenor of unhappiness and what-approximately-ism is not likely to be forgotten quickly. It is a fact that in their day, French facets in Europe had the expertise and money to, in reality, go toe-to-toe with Europe’s elite, but it appears it’s miles now a count of having the clubs themselves to trust that they could do so on a steady foundation. Ligue 1 will continue to battle this crisis of identification and belief until it occurs, which unfortunately appears self-inflicted.

Mandanda, the club’s lone source of continuity from their most recent era of fulfillment beneath Didier Deschamps, changed into among those called up through his former club supervisor for Les Bleus remaining Thursday. However, it isn’t easy to justify his inclusion with other, younger alternatives available (Lille’s Mike Maignan). It would be harsh to return down too hard on Mandanda, however with Marseille tantalizingly close to a go-back to the Champions League; it’s far harsh not to think about Mandanda needing to be placed on the shelf as Dimitri Payet, Adil Rami, and Luiz Gustavo had been in recent weeks. • Could Guingamp pull off the impossible? The Breton facet earned a nervy win over Dijon in a relegation six-pointer and moved off the lowest of the table and above Caen and their opponents in the method.

For an aspect regarded as useless and buried a month ago, the Breton facet has made strides recently, recording two wins and attracting their ultimate five fits. Avoiding the relegation play-off continues to be a stretch, with Amiens also seven points in advance; however, for the first time, given the beginning of the campaign, there is now a fraction of positivity on the Stade Roudourou. • Finally, Lyon shook off their abject performance in opposition to Barcelona to pinnacle Montpellier three-2. It becomes unnecessarily nervous because of a late intention from Souleymane Camara and a neglected penalty from Nabil Fékir. However, coupled with Lille’s loss to Monaco, Les Gones’s area is towards the top. Martin Terrier scored an opportunistic opener, his fourth of the season, and there’s a growing experience that the young attacker is beginning to come into his personality.