This archive report was first published on 9 August 2019.
Published on August 9, 2019, by AFP
Monaco and Lyon are among the teams hoping to challenge Paris Saint-Germain's dominance in Ligue 1, but both face significant challenges ahead of the new season.
Monaco, the 2017 champions, are trying to bounce back from a dreadful last campaign that saw them avoid relegation by the skin of their teeth. They are waiting on Radamel Falcao's decision on whether he wants to stay in the principality.
"I want him to stay. Everyone knows that I like the player. He's one of the highest quality players we have, he's a professional at 200 percent," coach Leonardo Jardim said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Lyon will make their debut under new coach Sylvinho, who was hand-picked by club legend and sporting director Juninho. They will be without star player Nabil Fekir, who has joined Real Betis, and other key players Tanguy Ndombele and Ferland Mendy, who have moved to Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid respectively.
However, they are helped by the other clubs in the chasing pack, Lille and Marseille, both going through busy summers. New Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas is confident that his side can also bounce back from a poor 2018/19 season, which saw the southern giants finish outside the European places amid fierce fan protests and the resignation of Rudi Garcia.
"Flo is happy to stay, and that's important for us, with a decisive player like him. We have very big ambitions this year, we have to keep our best players and Flo is part of that group," Villas-Boas revealed on Thursday.
