As reported by RMC, heard by the French senate’s culture, education and communication committee on the future of French football this week, Ligue 1 governing body (LFP) president Vincent Labrune explained that, due to recent financial issues linked to Covid and the TV right debacle, “in one and a half to two years, there’s an urgent need to create an ultra-efficient, attractive, spectacular national competition to maximize our domestic call for new rights TV bids in 2023.” Click Here: Labrune highlighted the “need to be performing on the European stage over that same period before reforms to UEFA competition are implemented in 2024. We are fifth in the European coefficient…

As reported across the French media, LFP president Vincent Labrune, in speaking with a government committee this week, laid out his plans for how French football should evolve. “We’re working with the DNCG and UEFA on the establishment of a salary cap which will take the form of a maximum ratio of payroll to turnover,” Labrune said. Another “idea would be to cap squad numbers at 24 players per club, excluding youth contracts, which would have a period of five years and would not be capped.” The LFP president explained that this would aim to “avoid aberrations that we have seen at certain clubs who reached 72 professional contracts. The only…

As reported by L’Équipe, the future of Lille midfielder Renato Sanches remains uncertain with the club hoping to keep the player until the summer despite likely January interest. The 24-year-old’s contract runs out in 2023 but, the sports daily say, a gentleman’s agreement between club and player exists, as suggested by president Olivier Létang in October, saying: “If an offer from a big club arrives, he can leave.” However, the club are quietly optimistic Sanches will end the season at Lille with the Champions League knock out stages to come not to mention a tough fight for European places in the league. Earlier this month, the player suggested interest in…

RMC Sport report this afternoon that the investigation carried out by the Paris public prosecutor on Friday night’s crowd trouble at the Paris FC-Lyon fixture also involved a group of PSG ultras. More specifically, video footage has shown that the “La Porte 411” group were at the Stade Charléty, as the cup tie was abandoned at half-time amid flare-throwing and pitch invasions. Around 20 of these “supporters” have been identified in the chaos that ensued, along with those in the Lyon away end. Identifying many the hooligans has nevertheless posed a problem, given that many of them were wearing balaclavas. Investigators have nevertheless noted that there was an intention to spark…

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE 47 PAGE DIGITAL MAGAZINE It’s been a thrilling year of French football. Les Bleus stuttered and spluttered to a dramatic EURO 2020 last 16 penalty exit to Switzerland, but were superb in winning the Nations League. Domestically, meanwhile, Ligue 1 made huge strides on the pitch, despite growing off-field issues surrounding crowd violence and finances, as Lille won the title and Lionel Messi signed for PSG. Starting with a 30 man shortlist, including French players from all over Europe’s ‘Big 5’ leagues, votes were submitted from across the Get Football team to decide the winner of GFFN’s inaugural French Player Of The Year Award. Who…

This article is taken from the new GFFN 100 2021. The GFFN 100 ranks the top 100 players in French football over the past 12 months, see the full list and read all 100 profiles right here on GFFN. Normality is relative. For Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player of all time and used to scoring 91 goals in a calendar year, as he did in 2012, expectations are inflated as obscene output has become the norm. But, at 34-years-old, and after leaving the relative comfort of the Nou Camp, Messi’s glorious normality is under threat from a harsh reality. Despite the feverish excitement that followed his move from La Liga…

Julien Maynard of Téléfoot reports this evening that Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman has had a change of heart and is now leaning towards extending his contract at the club. The French international, whose contract expires at the end of the 2022-23 season, had been in discussions with the Bavarians, who have been looking to renew his deal over the long-term. Although the former Juventus man was open to leaving a few weeks ago, he is now said to have changed his mind. Nevertheless, other clubs are still following him, such as Manchester City, even if there have been no discussions, while PSG are also looking at Coman. In the player’s…

This article is taken from the new GFFN 100 2021. The GFFN 100 ranks the top 100 players in French football over the past 12 months, see the full list and read all 100 profiles right here on GFFN. The summer of 2020 was a period of great upheaval in Stade Rennais’ midfield. With the departures of Eduardo Camavinga, Steven Nzonzi, and Clement Grenier, Les Rouges et Noir lost three important pieces in the spine of the team. Then without the three Frenchmen, there was significant pressure on Technical Director Florian Maurice to replace a midfield trio that had appeared in a combined 92 league matches the season prior. Leaning on…

As reported by L’Équipe, new Monaco coach Philippe Clement was unveiled at the club today at a press conference, although Clement’s French is still developing, he explained that he wants to “create a family” at Monaco. How do you analyse your new team?“I haven’t had a lot of time to analyse Monaco’s matches because the last few days have been very hectic, but we’ve started to talk and I already have a first impression. Although he’s currently injured, I have here a former player from Brugge here (Krépin Diatta). It’s normal to need some adaptation time and to get to know the players. You watch the games, but you don’t…

This article is taken from the new GFFN 100 2021. The GFFN 100 ranks the top 100 players in French football over the past 12 months, see the full list and read all 100 profiles right here on GFFN. As they breathed a huge sigh of relief following the team’s 4-1 win over Lorient, giving them their first home win in 11 months as well as a fighting chance of staying up, one player in particular continued to split Metz fans’ opinion – as he has done since his arrival in north-eastern France. Farid Boulaya was comfortably the man of the match, scoring a sublime free kick and playing a part…