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A Gulf in class - Ligue 1 2020-21
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This looks to be the incident he's referring to :
https://twitter.com/psgalu/status/1305251649099829248?s=21
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At one point it looked as though StE might win a fourth consecutive game by 2 to 0, but they botched it and only drew. They're still top of the table, i don't remember that happening during the last 38 seasons.
i haven't got round to noting for posterity the farce of StE's women's team being denied promotion last season on points per game, so i'll put it here. Cast your minds back to mid-March: all the teams in D2 had played 15 games, Sainte were undefeated and top of the table on goal difference from Le Havre, whom they had beaten 4-1 away from home in their first and, as it would turn out, only meeting.
Week 16's games were to be played on a Sunday, and the government had already announced the Covid lockdown would begin from Monday, ie the day afterwards. Five of the games went ahead with various degrees of engagement. Le Havre won theirs easily against a lowly opponent. However, StE's game away at Yzeure was postponed by a decree from the mairie of Moulins-Yzeure, which declared that the pitch was unplayable following a rainstorm. Naturally, 'postponement' meant the game would not be played at all because of the lockdown. And so Le Havre finished three points ahead of Saint Etienne, having played one extra game, and were thus promoted using the points per game rule.
If points per game had been applied through the first 15 games, StE would have been promoted. And the cancellation of the Yzeure fixture was super dodgy. A men's match took place the same day on a neighbouring pitch. Essentially, it was implied that the Yzeure women's team did not want to play because of the risk of catching the virus. Which is fair enough. But all of week 16's results ought to have been annulled.
i'll get over it eventually.
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Bruno Martini has died aged 58 - he was keeper in the fine Auxerre team of the late 80s / early 90s although left for Montpellier the summer before they won the double. Also was in goal for France at Euro 92. L'Equipe has produced a series of images from his career, including a particularly unusual shot of him playing ski-football with Cantona and the Boli brothers.
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An eventful debut by the sounds of it: Green conceded a penalty and then saved the kick.
i hope the Crocos stay up, it's a well-run club and their home ground is said to be one of the most atmospheric when supporters are allowed in. Ste haven't lost to them since 1975, apparently, and it's a nice little rivalry, marked for all time by Eric Cantona chucking the ball at the referee and then flouncing off to England.
i'd also be pleased for longtime Sainte manager (and former Southsea resident) Christophe Galtier if his Dogues could hold on at the top. But their remaining games look harder than PSG's. Perhaps there's a chance if Neymar keeps getting himself sent off.
According to l'Equipe, eleven defeats in a row is a Ligue 1 record, so Dijon will have a reason to remember this season after all.
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i bailed out after Lyon took a two-goal lead against Lille yesterday evening. Mistake! LOSC scored three in reply, their manager did a roly-poly on the sidelines, and they still lead the league by one point over PSG.
Most of the remaining opponents on the contenders' schedules are mediocre, but both Lille and PSG must play in-form Lens, and the results of those games could determine the title. Next weekend's ch'ti derby might be the most meaningful in the long rivalry. Hoping Galtier gets to do a handstand.
At the opposite end of the table Bordeaux are still not safe from the drop, and have gone into administration. Taking its PR strategy from Phil Collins, the club's owner, an American investment fund, issued a press release to say it had withdrawn, and off it went. Supporters have been protesting against the owner for a year, but no viable buyer emerged during the pandemic. The club claims it can fulfil its remaining fixtures, but with its high wage bill, next season will surely be difficult.
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