So, another season passes in Ligue 1 and, without being disrespectful to the extent that my grandson recently called it a ‘farmers league’, the French top flight is probably the least exciting of all the top European leagues right now.
Yet there were still surprises this term and Paris St Germain’s road to another title was not the stroll it should have been.
Because for all of the SBOTOP Ligue 1 betting odds which make them favourites virtually every game, the top team in the land are really failing to live up to expectations, given their resources dwarf each and every one of their domestic opponents.
The challengers and lesser lights deserve credit for some special victories and for creating plenty of Ligue 1 highlights and headlines so a number of players outside of the Parisiens make my team of the season.
GK – Yehvann Diouf – Reims
At the age of 23, Diouf has been superb for Reims.
They may be midtable but there’s nothing middle of the road about the French youngster who has the highest save percentage of any goalkeeper in the league and the second most clean sheets with 14, despite missing the first seven matches of the campaign.
In addition, his save percentage of 79.67% is the highest in the league.
One to watch.
RB – Jonathan Clauss – Marseille
I think a lot of Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi but Clauss has to get my nod after helping his team to third place.
What has swung it for me is his nine league assists, the joint-most by any defender in Ligue 1 as they qualified again for the Champions League.
Although they have slipped a place compared to last season, their points tally speaks of progress.
CB – Facundo Medina – Lens
With Medina at the heart, Lens have conceded 25 goals and kept 12 clean sheets.
Also aged 23, he has been integral to their surprise second-place finish.
That they have won 10 of their last 11 games, boast the best defence in Ligue 1 and have only lost once at home all season shows how important Medina has been.
CB – Marquinhos – Paris Saint-Germain
Is there a better centre back in the French league?
I am not so sure.
Certainly, he has been the pillar for the champions who have kept 11 clean sheets.
It’s a decade since the Brazilian joined the club from Roma aged 19. He has since become an indispensable part of the PSG set-up and has remained more consistent than some of his other team-mates.
LB – Caio Henrique – AS Monaco
Monaco may have struggled and they remain outside the European places on goal difference heading into the final weekend of the season.
However, that cannot be put on Caio Henrique who has been one of the most creative defenders in Ligue 1 with nine assists.
MID – Seko Fofana – Lens
Another of the Lens’ contingent.
A captain who leads by example as a box-to-box central midfielder and so influential in their return to Europe.
After two seasons of agonisingly near misses – consecutive seventh-placed finishes – the 1998 title winners have come a long way.
MID – Branco van den Boomen – Toulouse
So have French Cup winners Toulouse, guided by Dutch midfielder Branco van den Boomen.
His five goals and eight assists for a team in 13th place makes fine reading and, of course, he is a part of history after Toulouse became the first team to score four times in the first half of a French Cup Final (since Lille achieved the feat against Bordeaux in 1955) as they beat Nantes in the showpiece a month ago.
MID – Remy Cabella – Lille
At the age of 33, this player is having something of an ‘Indian summer’.
Ten goals and seven assists in 31 league matches has prompted Lile to the verge of Europa League qualification.
The slight attacking midfielder is thriving in a league which appears to suit his abilities.
ATT – Lionel Messi – PSG
The World Cup-winning captain is a must.
He may have had a few hiccups by his normal high standards but 16 assists (top of the chart) and the same number of goals in Ligue 1, shows he is as consistent as ever even as he approaches his twilight years. He can depart Paris this summer with his head held high.
ATT – Kylian Mbappe – PSG
The new French international captain, the ever-dependable Mbappe is one of the few who should be free of criticism in the French capital.
He has netted a league-high 28 goals in 32 matches in the league.
Add in a further five assists and it is easy to see why he continues to be linked with a move to Real Madrid.
After winning the Player of the Season award for the fourth year running, he passed the record he previously shared with former PSG star Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Quite a talent.
My final choice was tricky.
Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon) may consider himself unfortunate after scoring 27 times and assisting five in 34 league matches; likewise Lois Openda is another major factor in Lens’ season to remember – the Belgian striker has just equalled Roger Boli’s record goal tally over a single campaign for the club.
Yet I have plumped for:
ATT – Jonathan David – Lille
He is a goal machine, currently on a career-best 24 goals (four assists), all this during what has been a turbulent time for the club.
The club has changed ownership and has had to deal with issues concerning long-standing debt, the ripple effect of Covid-19 and the failed Mediapro TV deal.
Yet the Canadian has let his feet do the talking and only Mbappe and Lacazette have scored more.
He will certainly be a player to watch if Lille can hold onto him.
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