French Soccer League Predictions and Discussion Thread (Ligue 1)

[Fiatless]

Comparing Zinedine Zidane to Luis Enrique is not feasible because they are on very different paths. Luis Enrique has managed other clubs and set records, and he is currently the head coach at PSG; we await the stellar performance he will bring to his new club, while Zinedine Zidane has only explored Real Madrid, setting an incredible record in history by winning the UEFA Champions League three consecutive times in a row. However, he's yet to accept a new contract; clubs continue to approach him with offers, which he rejects; after stepping down as head coach at the Santiago Bernabeu, I believe he does not want to tarnish his previous reputation.

Luis Enrique is one of the most successful coaches in Europe. He has won La Liga, UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the UEFA champions league. He is more experienced because he has coached for longer periods and moved to different clubs. Zinedine Zidane on the order hand is also a quality coach that has won many trophies within a short coaching career. He has won 3 Champions Leagues titles, 2 Club World Cups, 2 European Super Cups, 2 Spanish Leagues, and 2 Spanish Super Cups in 209 matches.
https://www.realmadrid.com/en/news/2020/07/17/zidane-has-won-11-titles-as-real-madrid-coach

Zidane is not always in a haste to take up a new coaching job. It seems he is more concerned about landing the French national team coaching job. This is because he has been linked to different quality clubs in Europe, yet he keeps turning them down. It was reported that Didier Deschamps will resigned after the World Cup in Qatar but it was surprising that he extended his contract to 2026. Maybe Zidane has decided to wait till Deschamps' contract expires.

[shogun47]

If you bring the technical director to the team and there is no sporting director at the head of that team, you should make transfers in line with the wishes of the technical director if you want to achieve success.The sporting director and the technical director should take a joint decision so that the team is in harmony and watch a beautiful football throughout the season.When you bring players who cannot get along, the name does not matter much. In the end, this is a team game and it should be said that it is no longer based on a name as it used to be.It is the most correct thing for both directors to take a joint decision when making transfers.I think it will be something like impossible to have success in the team when both of them are at odds with each other.If everyone makes a transfer in line with their own wishes, there will be no harmony in the team.

We fully agree on that and I am not sure whether you mean sporting director as the coach or a separate position in the club? I think it depends because some clubs have a coach, a technical director and a sporting director (or director of sports, whatever). It is often said that many coaches do not have much influence on which players are bought or sold and allegedly the directors have a philosophy and the coach should follow that, but I don't like that approach. Coaches like Guardiola or Klopp would not accept if decisions are made without them and I think that is right because those coaches have an idea and the knowledge to decide what is missing in their team.

[Leviathan.007]

PSG have made quite many signings for multiple areas in the squad. However I won't be expecting them to stop right there this summer. Luis Enrique is the new coach so he would like to build a team just as he would like. There is still uncertainty about Mbappe to stay or leave on one hand. But for now Enrique would build the team around him anyway I think. I don't feel like this was it for strengthening the attacking line. I especially mean the attacking trio. Asensio is the only transfer to the area for now.

But I don't expect Asensio to fill Messi's place truthfully. PSG are still aiming to sign a striker so Luis Enrique must be thinking of using Mbappe on one of the wings. It doesn't matter though because Mbappe is taking much bigger responsibilities than a simple striker already.

After losing all these players in PSG I'm wondering how Luis Enrique is going to hire players to fill these empty sports for example they need to hire a player to fill Messi's place and on the other hand there is the chance for Mbappe to leave PSG, if this happens Enrique will have problems because they have to find forward and finding a forward at this level to help PSG is not easy at all.
 

[zuzie]

PSG have made quite many signings for multiple areas in the squad. However I won't be expecting them to stop right there this summer. Luis Enrique is the new coach so he would like to build a team just as he would like. There is still uncertainty about Mbappe to stay or leave on one hand. But for now Enrique would build the team around him anyway I think. I don't feel like this was it for strengthening the attacking line. I especially mean the attacking trio. Asensio is the only transfer to the area for now.

But I don't expect Asensio to fill Messi's place truthfully. PSG are still aiming to sign a striker so Luis Enrique must be thinking of using Mbappe on one of the wings. It doesn't matter though because Mbappe is taking much bigger responsibilities than a simple striker already.

After losing all these players in PSG I'm wondering how Luis Enrique is going to hire players to fill these empty sports for example they need to hire a player to fill Messi's place and on the other hand there is the chance for Mbappe to leave PSG, if this happens Enrique will have problems because they have to find forward and finding a forward at this level to help PSG is not easy at all.
 

Luis Enrique is experience in overcome such a situation, and there is the name Marco Asensio, and Hugo Ekitike who recently join Paris Saint Germain, one of the two names will certainly fill the position left by Lionel Messi. And for Kylian Mbappe, there is still one more season left to find new talent while Mbappe's news has not been confirm by each party, so I assume he will stay one more season.

[asriloni]

After losing all these players in PSG I'm wondering how Luis Enrique is going to hire players to fill these empty sports for example they need to hire a player to fill Messi's place and on the other hand there is the chance for Mbappe to leave PSG, if this happens Enrique will have problems because they have to find forward and finding a forward at this level to help PSG is not easy at all.
 

Don't worry. The transfer season has not yet ended. There is still a lot of time remaining at this moment for enrique to sign the new player. I remind you that if PSG has signed lee kang in as a replacement for messi. He is also the youngest player in the club too.
PSG just need to prepare back up to replace mbappe once he will be moving out to another club. Mbappe's problem is really compliacted at this moment and it needs a lot of effort to complete it.

Eniruque is still having a chance to sign some players before the transfer season gonna end. Unfortunately, the influx of Saudi Pro League clubs in PSG's transfers means an increase in competition to get new players.
PSG can't resist from it caused by saudi club has been offering very big offer. Bernado silva has been getting huge offer from saudi club and it's far higher compared with what already made by PSG.
Enrique needs to find alternative for him as soon as possible before it's too late.

[rendravolt]

PSG have made quite many signings for multiple areas in the squad. However I won't be expecting them to stop right there this summer. Luis Enrique is the new coach so he would like to build a team just as he would like. There is still uncertainty about Mbappe to stay or leave on one hand. But for now Enrique would build the team around him anyway I think. I don't feel like this was it for strengthening the attacking line. I especially mean the attacking trio. Asensio is the only transfer to the area for now.

But I don't expect Asensio to fill Messi's place truthfully. PSG are still aiming to sign a striker so Luis Enrique must be thinking of using Mbappe on one of the wings. It doesn't matter though because Mbappe is taking much bigger responsibilities than a simple striker already.

After losing all these players in PSG I'm wondering how Luis Enrique is going to hire players to fill these empty sports for example they need to hire a player to fill Messi's place and on the other hand there is the chance for Mbappe to leave PSG, if this happens Enrique will have problems because they have to find forward and finding a forward at this level to help PSG is not easy at all.
 

I think for Messi's replacement now PSG has got him, namely Marco Asensio, who was brought in from Real Madrid because he can play the role of AMF or RWF. However, there is currently no talk of a replacement for Mbappe and it is possible that Mbappe will leave PSG this summer if his internal problems with the club owner have not been resolved. Actually, there is already a replacement for Mbappe, namely Mauro Icardi, who has just returned from a Galatasaray loan period, but after rumors that he would reach a permanent agreement with Galatasaray, Mauro Icardi did not return to PSG and he will become a permanent Galatasaray player starting next season.

Indeed, there is nothing wrong with PSG releasing Mauro Icardi, especially since he is already 30 years old, so PSG is not too worried about this and prefers to look for young players to rebuild the PSG squad. Despite all that, I'm hearing rumors that PSG are interested in signing Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus and that he could be a worthy replacement for Mbappe in the future.

[superman184]

After losing all these players in PSG I'm wondering how Luis Enrique is going to hire players to fill these empty sports for example they need to hire a player to fill Messi's place and on the other hand there is the chance for Mbappe to leave PSG, if this happens Enrique will have problems because they have to find forward and finding a forward at this level to help PSG is not easy at all.

Everyone will both see how Luis Enrique recruits new players in order to be able to fill in the empty spots or those left by old players who have moved to other leagues like Messi did. What is clear is that PSG will get a replacement player for the vacant place and PSG also still has old strikers like Neymar and Mbappe himself who also has the possibility of staying at PSG if he doesn't move to another team. But it's true that finding replacements who are as smart as Messi and Mbappe is very difficult for PSG, because each player has a very different character and way of playing.

[tygeade]

I myself still don't agree with such a statement, but if we look at it logically and based on what happened, then all of that has a point.
Whether the mistakes at the PSG club were caused by the executives we cannot say for sure, but in recent years PSG has indeed suffered a setback and is far behind other clubs from Europe.
Regarding financial problems PSG has very good finances plus the owner is a very successful billionaire so that all the club's needs can be easily met but in reality there is no significant development that can be shown by PSG.

That's the upsetting part for the fans. I get that they are champions and all, and there is a possibility they could be champions again this season as well but when you are this rich, you do not see yourself in competition with poor clubs, you see it with other rich clubs instead. PSG is richer than almost any team, only a handful of teams could be considered richer than them, or maybe not even richer but at least close enough.

But PSG has never been able to get a good result, they keep getting bad results at UCL and that is why I believe that they should not be considering a loss as acceptable anymore. Fans wanted UCL title and they did not come even close to that, no finals, no semi finals recently and that's a terrible result.

[rahmad2nd]

PSG have made quite many signings for multiple areas in the squad. However I won't be expecting them to stop right there this summer. Luis Enrique is the new coach so he would like to build a team just as he would like. There is still uncertainty about Mbappe to stay or leave on one hand. But for now Enrique would build the team around him anyway I think. I don't feel like this was it for strengthening the attacking line. I especially mean the attacking trio. Asensio is the only transfer to the area for now.

But I don't expect Asensio to fill Messi's place truthfully. PSG are still aiming to sign a striker so Luis Enrique must be thinking of using Mbappe on one of the wings. It doesn't matter though because Mbappe is taking much bigger responsibilities than a simple striker already.

IMO, I don't think that's enough, instead they still need some newcomers in various positions. I'm pretty sure, if the management of PSG and Luis Enrique are still targeting some of the players they are after and will be brought to the Parc des Princes. it's just that the problem of Mbappe's status is still uncertain, and this will certainly take up a lot of time and attention for the club and the coach. but at least, the closing of the transfer market is still long enough. Luis Enrique can focus on recruiting the players he wants. I'm pretty sure Enrique has prepared a number of names that will be his priority in this summer's transfer window. Also, I don't know which players PSG will release in this summer's transfer window. ideally, PSG should sell some of its players. or, loan him out to some other club.

besides that, if PSG wants to compete strictly in the Champions League. that means Enrique needs a striker who can be counted on in terms of scoring goals. especially if Mbappe eventually leaves. So, Luis Enrique has a job that is not easy. but with the experience he has, I think he really understands what he has to do and work on with his team and staff. well, let's just see each development for the sake of its development. in particular, the Mbappe transfer saga.

[emrecemsan]

I wonder what Marseille are planning to do in this transfer window. Because they are quite silent about making the most needed transfer to the lineup now. I mean a centre-forward signing because they have parted ways with Alexis Sanchez and I don't see any intention by Marseille to bring him back. The only rumour has been Zaha recently but even if he isn't likely to come here according to the most recent sources. Because Crystal Palace offered 10 million pounds per year and a four-year contract to him. 

I assume he wouldn't refuse these conditions as long as Marseille offer better ones. Zaha isn't even a centre-forward naturally maybe but he would be very useful for Marseille on both wings and at the centre of the line.

[temple]

Bernardo Silva to PSG was a thing according to news sources in late June. But currently I'm not hearing about any update on this possible transfer. PSG will need to be prepared to sacrifice quite a high sum of transfer fee to sign him as it seems. Because his market value is already 80 million euros. As he still has 2 more years on his contract Manchester City would be comfortable about asking for a quite high price for him. He is one of the important players of the attacking line for the Manchester club now.

However Bernardo Silva would be like one of the best options to fill Messi's place in a wonderful way.  

I think Bernardo Silva would be a good transfer for PSG as he has the quality to do some of the work that Messi did. He is brilliant with the ball and he is also quite good without the ball. I don't have the stats here but I guess Silva is also more active on the field, which is not that difficult compared to Messi who isn't known for being the most active runner on the field.
But is price will be high as he is in his late 20s and that is often the time when those midfielders are peaking in their performance and Silva has been playing well for a while now. I like him because he is not only about outstanding technique, but loads of hard-work trying to support the team wherever he can. However, he would also be a waste when he goes to PSG as he would suit a top team from the Premier League or Spain even better.

Well, something like to cover Messi's step or huge hole, I doubt it too much, it's something that I don't see as viable, Messi's hole I think it still can't be filled, unless it's by 2 or 3 players Very good, because Messi plays for two or three players when he has the ball, because he takes up to 5 players at a time, so things cannot be seen like that, I say it from the point of view of a player's quality, it's not Something bad, but wow, you can't replace one Messi with another, maybe because of the position, but because of the quality I think they have to hire more than two players so that they can cover what Messi does on the pitch. I only wanted to say that if PSG is trying to replace him somehow, Bernardo Silva is a good choice although still insufficient.

That is why I said some of the work that Messi did because we are of the same opinion, Messi can't be replaced by a single player. But I assume that many people can't even see what Messi really did. Messi was many players at the same time because he is good at literally anything and even when he is not one of those offenders who also work backwards, it also means that his opponents were bound to keep players in their defense in order to be ready to defend him as soon as he gets the ball. Replacing Messi with a single player without suffering from a loss in quality is not possible.

[kro55]

You are right. Maybe PSG has a lot of money. Yet they won't let an in-form talent like Mbappe leave for free. If Mbappe does not want to stay with PSG, is not interested in renewing the contract, then PSG management will sell Mbappe this season. However, Real Madrid are likely to want Mbappe on a free transfer next season. But the Madrid management is not stupid. They will not allow that. If Real Madrid aren't willing to spend big on Mbappe this season, we'll probably see Mbappe move to a Premier League team.

in the near future it seems that Mbappe will part ways with PSG due to several conflicts that are being discussed in recent days. I don't think this conflict is too serious, but I only have the view that PSG and Mbappe don't seem to be able to contribute together anymore because on the one hand, the heated conflict makes Mbappe feel uncomfortable there.
from this situation maybe other teams like Real Madrid will take advantage of this problem to be able to get Mbappe at a lower price or even for free for next year.

I think if Luis Enrique is the coach of PSG he will not want Mbappe in the team this season unless Mbappe renews his contract with PSG. Luis Enrique is an experienced coach. He will want to stabilize the PSG squad. He will definitely have a long-term plan with the PSG team. If Mbappe is only part of his plan for one season, PSG's performance will be unstable again next season after Mbappe leaves. Luis Enrique will have to completely re-organize his match plan and squad. Luis Enrique will not want to take such a risk. And this is why Mbappe is more likely to leave the team before the start of this season.

Wether Luis Enrique would want to work with Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint Germaine or not the fact is that Paris Saint Germaine has openly made it clear that they will sell Mbappe this summer to the highest bidder and that decision is because of the alleged secret agreement the player has with real Madrid.
Luis Enrique has a strong squad to make his selections from so the earlier he comes to terms that Mbappe isn't one of the options the better for him

Perhaps you are right. Nasser Al-Khelaifi will not want to lose Mbappe by letting him go for free. Any team willing to pay a higher fee can sign Mbappe. While Real Madrid are interested in signing Mbappe, we don't know if they will spend big. But I think teams like Newcastle or Liverpool might be interested in spending money to add Mbappe to the team.
With Mbappe and Messi out of the team, we don't know which players PSG management will add to the squad to strengthen PSG's attack. Without suitable replacements for these two players, we will see more erratic performances from PSG next season.

[Rengga Jati]

-snip-

A backup plan is really needed by Luis Enrique just in case Mbappe decides to do something unexpected, such as leaving PSG this summer. This of course will have quite an impact on PSG's performance because Mbappe is a key player, especially as the attacking position he holds is very important. Maybe Luis Enrique after being appointed as coach, he will immediately start giving the names of the players he really needs and hope that PSG can negotiate with the club where the player is. I think if this is according to the predictions of each PSG internal party then everything will be resolved properly.

Of course, because Mbappe is one of PSG's key players. Even though they still have Neymar there, they still have to anticipate the possibility of them losing Mbappe and look for a replacement who is also quite talented. They also of course have thought about this possibility. Sooner or later, Mbappe is likely to move, because his contract ends in 2024. It's just a matter of how PSG will make it faster by buying Real Madrid, or even if they haven't met an agreement, it could be in the transfer market later which will end in a free agent. And this is definitely not PSG's choice, they also need to take advantage of Mbappe leaving PSG.

[Jody.Drummer]

Zidane is not always in a haste to take up a new coaching job. It seems he is more concerned about landing the French national team coaching job. This is because he has been linked to different quality clubs in Europe, yet he keeps turning them down. It was reported that Didier Deschamps will resigned after the World Cup in Qatar but it was surprising that he extended his contract to 2026. Maybe Zidane has decided to wait till Deschamps' contract expires.

Some time ago he turned down a big club in the hope of being in the French national team because of Deschamps' expiring contract but now it seems he also realises that being in the national team is not possible because Deschamps has extended his contract in the national team until 2026 and that means Zidane's chance is closed in this case.
But it also does not mean that he will immediately return to the club because indeed seeing from his current condition only 3 clubs are always associated with him namely Juventus, PSG and Madrid.
Currently Juventus are still hoping for Allegri with his condition which is actually still quite good, it's just that the club is having bad luck. PSG has also got a new club just to see the actions of Madrid and Zidane whether they will reunite or not.

[Leviathan.007]

I wonder what Marseille are planning to do in this transfer window. Because they are quite silent about making the most needed transfer to the lineup now. I mean a centre-forward signing because they have parted ways with Alexis Sanchez and I don't see any intention by Marseille to bring him back. The only rumour has been Zaha recently but even if he isn't likely to come here according to the most recent sources. Because Crystal Palace offered 10 million pounds per year and a four-year contract to him.  

I assume he wouldn't refuse these conditions as long as Marseille offer better ones. Zaha isn't even a centre-forward naturally maybe but he would be very useful for Marseille on both wings and at the centre of the line.

I don't expect to see Marseille spending too much money for the next season to hire players because compared to the teams like PSG they don't have enough investment and that's normal to see they are trying to hire cheaper players.
I just checked the players linked to this team from transfermarkt and I saw only Wilfried Zaha linked to the thinking team.
He is a 30y old player who can't be a top player for Marseille.

[X-ray]

I just see that how PSG fans were mocking lucas hernandez caused by he was born in marseille. The PSG fans are so stupid as fuck. These fans have no brain. They were always booing and mocking the players like they do know everything about football.

The problem in PSG was not the club but the fans itself who are not able to supporting the club. It's very bad for hernandez to be mocked by the stupid PSG fans as Marseillais.

I don't like PSG fans on French. They were always sneering at the player that they don't like him.

[AndySt]

Some time ago he turned down a big club in the hope of being in the French national team because of Deschamps' expiring contract but now it seems he also realises that being in the national team is not possible because Deschamps has extended his contract in the national team until 2026 and that means Zidane's chance is closed in this case.
But it also does not mean that he will immediately return to the club because indeed seeing from his current condition only 3 clubs are always associated with him namely Juventus, PSG and Madrid.
Currently Juventus are still hoping for Allegri with his condition which is actually still quite good, it's just that the club is having bad luck. PSG has also got a new club just to see the actions of Madrid and Zidane whether they will reunite or not.

No. In addition to the reasons you have indicated, I also do not believe in the option of Real Madrid now with Carlo Ancelotti alive and well at the head of the team. I don't think Zidane will expect to be out of work until 2026 to lead the French national team. Therefore, most likely Zidane will come to any team during the coming season, because there will certainly be resignations in top clubs, and Zidane is a very tasty candidate for any top club. At least, it seems that he recently expressed interest in an interview to return to coaching.

[snipie]

I just see that how PSG fans were mocking lucas hernandez caused by he was born in marseille. The PSG fans are so stupid as fuck. These fans have no brain. They were always booing and mocking the players like they do know everything about football.

The problem in PSG was not the club but the fans itself who are not able to supporting the club. It's very bad for hernandez to be mocked by the stupid PSG fans as Marseillais.

I don't like PSG fans on French. They were always sneering at the player that they don't like him.

It is quite disturbing to read such attitude that separates between regions and others racial ones and so on.. It is like the player is forced to prove himself in order to get some respect. Quite pathetic these fans are.. A part from them only for sure.
Otherwise it is hard to limit the number of participants or impose sanctions since it will backfire on the team.

[ginsan]

Comparing Zinedine Zidane to Luis Enrique is not feasible because they are on very different paths. Luis Enrique has managed other clubs and set records, and he is currently the head coach at PSG; we await the stellar performance he will bring to his new club, while Zinedine Zidane has only explored Real Madrid, setting an incredible record in history by winning the UEFA Champions League three consecutive times in a row. However, he's yet to accept a new contract; clubs continue to approach him with offers, which he rejects; after stepping down as head coach at the Santiago Bernabeu, I believe he does not want to tarnish his previous reputation.

I don't think Zidane will coach a club again in the coming season because he wants to coach the French national team or maybe he wants to coach a national team from another country because we have seen many offers coming to him to coach clubs starting from PSG or other teams but all offers  Zidane refused. Well, it's likely that he will maintain his reputation quite well, maybe even he will return to Real Madrid again if ancelotti leaves later.

For Luis Enrique, he really has a lot of experience in coaching clubs, so his appointment as PSG coach was a pretty good decision made by PSG management. Therefore, the arrival of Luis Enrique is expected to make PSG stronger in the next season, especially in the UCL because PSG's big dream is the UCL trophy and if Luis Enrique succeeds in helping PSG win the Champions League. Then Enrique will be included in the history of the psg ledger.

[OcTradism]

I don't think Zidane will coach a club again in the coming season because he wants to coach the French national team or maybe he wants to coach a national team from another country because we have seen many offers coming to him to coach clubs starting from PSG or other teams but all offers  Zidane refused. Well, it's likely that he will maintain his reputation quite well, maybe even he will return to Real Madrid again if ancelotti leaves later.

He won three Champions League with Real Madrid, La Liga with them too and if we consider Champions League is a highest achievement for a club coach, he got it already and made it three times, not only one time. If Zidane does not aim at winning titles at other domestic leagues beyond La Liga, he will not have reason to become a club coach again.

He can change his mind but recent years, he is very solid with his willingness to become a coach of France national team.

For Luis Enrique, he really has a lot of experience in coaching clubs, so his appointment as PSG coach was a pretty good decision made by PSG management. Therefore, the arrival of Luis Enrique is expected to make PSG stronger in the next season, especially in the UCL because PSG's big dream is the UCL trophy and if Luis Enrique succeeds in helping PSG win the Champions League. Then Enrique will be included in the history of the psg ledger.

Luis Enrique won Champions League with Barcelona but he got it only one time, less than Zidane. He only had more seasons and worked with more clubs than Zidane but about achievements, he got less than Zidane. Luis Enrique already got experience with Spain national team which is what he did more than Zidane so far in their coach careers.

Taking a job at PSG is a big challenge for Enrique and I am curiously to see how he does his job with PSG.