A few days out from the beginning of the Ligue 1 Conforama season, the LFP has launched new signature 'The League of Talents'

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1 NEWSLETTER Week 1 LIGUE 1 CONFORAMA The League of Talents - Ligue 1 Conforama's new signature A few days out from the beginning of the Ligue 1 Conforama season, the LFP has launched new signature 'The League of Talents' to encompass its biggest strength, new status and ambition. This signature is also an acknowledgement of and homage to the profusion and diversity of talented people on, off and around the pitch in the French game. La Ligue 1 Conforama is at a turning point in its history. - In sporting terms, Ligue 1 Conforama is at a crucial crossroads. The overall level continues to improve season after season. A renowned generator and developer of young talent, Ligue 1 Conforama can also attract talent from elsewhere. The proof: 91 internationals and 50 players in the recent World Cup who came up through a French youth academy; and 21 of the 23 World Cup-winning Bleus who cut their teeth at Ligue 1 Conforama clubs - eight of whom will be playing in France in the coming season. - Ligue 1 Conforama is also at a crucial juncture in terms of international appeal and competitiveness. Thanks to dynamic clubs and a stable, healthy economical environment, Ligue 1 Conforama is attracting new investors that allow clubs to bring in - and retain - talented players and renowned coaches. - Ligue 1 Conforama is also at an economic turning point, bridging the gap with its competitors in terms of broadcast rights with record responses to the tender of 29 May. France's top flight is now on par with the biggest leagues. Nathalie Boy de la Tour, LFP President "Ligue 1 Conforama is currently going through a crucial stage in its development. Its uniqueness is expressed through the capacity to develop and attract young talents. Above and beyond those who take the field, however, this 'The League of Talents' signature also looks to underline the talent of the coaches, trainers, educators, supporters, club employees and volunteers who make Ligue 1 Conforama France's number one live entertainment attraction." Didier Quillot, LFP Chief Executive "This new signature is an echo of the excellence of French football and speaks to the quality of our product, Ligue 1 Conforama. 'La Ligue des Talents' will be branded as 'The League of Talents' in international markets with the aim of increasing Ligue 1 Conforama's appeal even further in growing international markets." This signature will be present on all Ligue 1 Conforama-related content (television, web, social media and press advertising). The LFP hopes that this signature will be much more than just a signature. 'The League of Talents' will be a guiding principle that will steer the LFP's various actions in terms of promotion and corporate social responsibility and which will manifest in a series of initiatives to be launched over the course of the season. 08/10/2018 Ligue de Football Professionnel / Ligue1.com 1

2 LE SPIRO: Welcome to 'The League of Talents' On Tuesday the LFP announced a new slogan: 'Ligue 1 - The League of Talents'. And on the evidence of what we saw at the recent World Cup in Russia, it's hard to argue with that, writes Matthew Spiro. Of Didier Deschamps' 23-man squad that conquered all this summer to clinch France's second world crown, nine were on the books of Ligue 1 clubs, including the star of the team and arguably the entire World Cup, PSG sensation Kylian Mbappé. On top of the three Parisians, the trio from Marseille, two Monégasques and one Lyon man, Les Bleus possessed players from most of Europe's elite: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Tottenham, Sevilla and Stuttgart all had representatives. Again, though, the majority of those foreign-based players owe much to Ligue 1. Raphael Varane learned his trade at Lens and got the opportunity to show off his ability in the top tier aged 17. Ditto Ousmane Dembélé at Rennes. Samuel Umtiti and Corentin Tolisso were part of a brilliant generation to come through at Lyon. N'Golo Kanté first shone at Caen, Olivier Giroud with Montpellier, and so it continues. French clubs continue to nurture exceptional talent - of that there is no question. The challenge facing them now is to keep hold of these players for longer periods in order to ensure the league continues to grow stronger. The trend certainly looks positive. France's squad that finished runners-up at Euro 2016 had only five Ligue 1 representatives - virtually half the number present in Russia. PSG's financial muscle is allowing them to hold on to - and not just develop - fine footballers. Alphonse Areola, Presnel Kimpembe and Adrien Rabiot all came through the ranks and now play regularly for the Ligue 1 champions. Marseille's resurgence, boosted by their thrilling run to the Europa League final, is making them a more attractive proposition again, too. For example, where Roma's approaches for Florian Thauvin might have borne fruit a couple of years ago, these days the France winger will not even entertain the idea of leaving the Vélodrome. No team has produced more fine players than AS Monaco in recent years. Sadly for their fans, the principality club continues to play a development role, and after the sales of Mbappé, Benjamin Mendy, Tiemoué Bakayoko and Bernardo Silva in 2017, Fabinho, Thomas Lemar and Moutinho have all left so far this summer. It is hard to find fault in Monaco's transfer policy, such has been their success both financially and on the pitch, yet in the longer term, Ligue 1 would surely benefit from Monaco's also keeping their talents for longer. Lyon are starting to manage it, and against all odds it looks like their skipper and talisman Nabil Fekir could be staying another year at least. Let's not kid ourselves, though. Money remains key and so long as there is a gulf in earnings between Premier League players and Ligue 1 players the frequent departures will continue. Fekir, after all, is only a Lyon player today because his proposed 60 million Euro transfer to Liverpool collapsed at the last moment. But again the trend here is encouraging for France too. The new domestic television rights deal, which starts in 2020, will be worth a mammoth 1.2 billion Euros per year, a figure that makes the French league the third most lucrative in Europe. It brings Ligue 1 more or less in line with the Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A, and ensures the top French clubs at least will be able to compete with the Premier League in transfer dealings. In 2022, when France travel to Qatar to defend their world title, there's every chance the majority of the squad will be based in Ligue 1. So, at a time when football in France is most definitely on the up, let's dare to dream a little. Let's imagine that Zinédine Zidane's globally feared juggernaut will line up in Qatar with a PSG spine of Benjamin Pavard, Paul Pogba, Kanté and, of course, the three-time Ballon d'or winner Mbappé. Veteran skipper Hugo Lloris is now back with his hometown club Nice, where has been awarded the freedom of the city. Champions League winners Lyon contribute no fewer than seven players with Umtiti, Tolisso, Fekir, Alexandre Lacazette, Tanguy Ndombele, Houssem Aouar and Europe's hottest young striker Amine Gouiri all making the cut. And, of course, the darling of Marseille, Antoine Griezmann, is hoping to replicate his title-winning club form after netting 63 goals in the previous season. OK, I'm getting a bit carried away now. Again. But you get the gist. 08/10/2018 Ligue de Football Professionnel / Ligue1.com 2

3 Ligue 1 Conforama: Get ready for season ! Ahead of this weekend's Week 1 fixtures, check out all the crucial information for season with our quick-start guide! The Ligue 1 Conforama season is about to kick off! As Marseille and Toulouse prepare to get the season ball rolling at the Orange Vélodrome on Friday, take a look at some key info on the stakes, dates and format of the competition. Save the date The season kicks off with a round of Week 1 fixtures scheduled for Friday 10 August, Saturday 11 August and Sunday 12 August. The first half of the season will close with a multiplex (all ten matches played simultaneously) on Saturday 22 December. Week 38 - the final round of the season - will also play out in multiplex format, on 25 may The Ligue 1 Conforama championship trophy Conceived by Franco-Argentine artist Pablo Reinoso, who also created the Coupe de la Ligue, the trophy accorded to the champions of France represents the alliance of two powerful symbols: the hexagon and the game. The trophy's name - Hexagoal - was chosen by the fans in vote open to everyone. The trophy was awarded for the first time on 26 May 2007 at the Stade Gerland as Olympique Lyonnais won their sixth consecutive Ligue 1 Conforama title. Promoted teams There will be two promoted clubs in season : Stade de Reims and Nîmes Olympique. After winning the Domino's Ligue 2 title last season, Champagne-region club Reims will contest their 34th top-flight campaign. As will Nîmes, who finished second to secure a return to the top flight after a 25-year absence. The race for Europe As is the case for the French champions, Ligue 1 Conforama's second-placed side qualify directly for the UEFA Champions League group stage. The third-placed side earn a spot in the third qualifying round, in which victory can lead to the group stage via a play-off (unless a French club already qualified for the UEFA Champions League wins the UEFA Europa League). Fourth on the Ligue 1 Conforama table earns direct entry to the UEFA Europa League group stage while fifth yields a second qualifying round berth, with a third qualifying round plus a play-off between them and the group stage. Relegation play-offs in Ligue 1 Conforama Once again this season, the two bottom sides on the Ligue 1 Conforama table will be relegated to Domino's Ligue 2. The team in 18th place will enter into a two-legged play-off with the winner of the Domino's Ligue 2 Play-offs, which pit fifth against fourth and winner of that tie against third. The relegation play-off dates have been set for Thursday 30 May and Sunday 2 June, Top Scorers Edinson Cavani was at it again in season , the Paris Saint-Germain hit-man doubling down after top-scoring in with another division-best haul. The Uruguay international ended the season 28 Ligue 1 Conforama goals from 32 appearances. Once again this season, goalscorers will be ratified at the end of each round of matches (Monday). Goals are accorded to the last member of the attacking team to touch the ball before it crosses the line, even if this touch is unintentional. In cases where the last player to touch the ball plays for the defending team, the goal is accorded to the player who took the shot - but only if that initial effort was on target. In case two or more players end the season atop the Ligue 1 Conforama scorers chart with the same number of goals, they will be separated as a 08/10/2018 Ligue de Football Professionnel / Ligue1.com 3

4 function of the number of penalties scored, the number of assists provided, the number of matches in which their goals were scored, the playing time taken to score the goals, the number of points scored by their teams and, finally, the number of cards, red or yellow, that they received. In the last six Ligue 1 Conforama seasons, the league's top scorer has always been from Paris Saint-Germain (Cavani or Zlatan Ibrahimovic) except for 2015, when Olympique Lyonnais' Alexandre Lacazette reigned supreme with 27 goals. Assists Table Officially inaugurated in season , the Ligue 1 Conforama assists chart was last season dominated by Neymar Jr, Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian superstar setting his teammates up to score on 13 occasions in just 20 matches. No player has ever managed to top this chart on more than one occasion, but on four occasions, the winning player has been from Olympique de Marseille - a record. First of all it was Lucho Gonzalez, in , then Mathieu Valbuena in , Dimitri Payet in and Morgan Sanson in The Ligue 1 Conforama assists table will be updated on the Monday following the end of each round. In case of a tie, players will be separated in terms of the number of assists in open play, the number of matches in which assists were provided, and the number of minutes played to provide those assists. Roll of Honour: the most successful Ligue 1 Conforama sides Crowned Ligue 1 Conforama champions on ten occasions, AS Saint-Etienne remain the competition's most successful club. Then, on nine titles, it's Olympique de Marseille, ahead of FC Nantes and AS Monaco, each of whom have eight. This duo could become a trio by the end of the season should Paris Saint-Germain or Olympique Lyonnais, each of whom currently boast seven titles, come out on top this season. Total Seasons: Ligue 1 Conforama's most experienced sides Olympique de Marseille are getting ready to contest their 69th season in France's top flight. That's the highest total among the top flight's 20 teams this season. Behind OM sit Girondins de Bordeaux and AS Saint-Etienne, both of whom are in their 66th season. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain - founded relatively recently in 1970, will be contesting their 46th season in the country's top division. Ligue 1 Conforama: Who will challenge PSG? Paris Saint-Germain will start as favourites to claim the Ligue 1 Conforama title but the reigning champions cannot expect to canter to the domestic crown with their rivals poised to push them all the way. AS Monaco's stunning triumph showed PSG and the rest of the football world that the French top flight is not a one-horse race, and the capital club's freshly appointed new coach, Thomas Tuchel, will be fully aware nothing can be taken for granted on home soil. Still, the former Mainz and Borussia Dortmund boss will not be expected to endure the same destiny as predecessor Unai Emery in the first of his two seasons in charge at the Parc des Princes with the PSG squad still - on paper - the strongest in the division. The key elements of last season's title winners, who finished 13 points clear of the field, remain. Kylian Mbappé will return from the FIFA World Cup with his reputation as a future world great reinforced. The teenage France international will once more form a devastating front three with Edinson Cavani and Neymar Jr, who - it should be highlighted - missed most of the second half of last season having plundered a spectacular 19 goals and 13 assists in just 20 league matches. While the loss of Thiago Motta to retirement is a blow, the emergence of Giovani Lo Celso last season suggests the young Argentine will play a more significant role this time round, while Motta's insatiable will to win will be matched by that of Gianluigi Buffon, a heavyweight summer arrival whose aura and reputation speak for themselves. 08/10/2018 Ligue de Football Professionnel / Ligue1.com 4

5 With Tuchel's squad a season older and emboldened by last term's clean sweep of domestic silverware, PSG remain the team to beat, but their rivals will firmly believe that is possible. AS Monaco emerged as the closest challengers to PSG last season. As was the case in the aftermath of the title win, coach Leonardo Jardim has seen some major components of his squad depart in Thomas Lemar and Fabinho, heading for Atletico Madrid and Liverpool respectively. But the principality club have retained the predatory services of Radamel Falcao, who struck 18 goals in 26 top-flight outings last season, their back four remains intact, and they will look to the likes of Youri Tielemans, Rony Lopes and highly rated summer signing Willem Geubbels to help them - as they did last season - be just as effective with new faces. But for his move to the principality, Geubbels, just 16 yet billed as one France's hottest properties, might have been helping Olympique Lyonnais close the gap on the team that pipped them to runners-up spot last season. Bruno Genesio's side played some of the most exciting football of any club in Ligue 1 Conforama last term with their quartet of ultra-talented players, Nabil Fekir, Memphis Depay, Mariano Diaz and Bertrand Traoré all firing in thrilling fashion. More fireworks are to be expected in the new campaign when the seven-time champions will again surely be one of the most dangerous teams to face on their day. Olympique de Marseille, under the sure-handed stewardship of Rudi Garcia, have become a force to be reckoned with once again. The run to last season's UEFA Europa League final underlined what a good side the ex-losc Lille boss has at his disposal. Playmaker Dimitri Payet and 22-goal forward Florian Thauvin were the chief architects of that exploit, and the pair will be required to play another stand-out role if OM are to force their way onto the top-flight podium, which they missed out on by a single point last term. Will someone come out of the pack? OGC Nice perhaps with Patrick Vieira in charge, Girondins de Bordeaux resurgent under Gustavo Poyet and Stade Rennais, one of the most impressive performers in the second half of last season, could all upset the established order. Come next May, we'll find out whether they have. New projects: Success in the works Ligue 1 Conforama's growing quality, popularity and success are attracting more talent, new investors and fresh impetus to the French game. Take a look at which clubs are looking to rejuvenate their challenge to the country's biggest sides. Rennes, Bordeaux, Saint-Etienne and Nice finished the season between fifth and eighth in that order. Rennes and Bordeaux prevailed in an intense battle for the two Europa League spots on offer and how the quartet fare in will be fascinating to monitor. Rennes revolution Nineteen points separated Marseille in fourth and Rennes in fifth but the Brittany club will fancy their chances of getting closer to the top four in the upcoming season. Appointed as Christian Gourcuff's successor in November 2017, Sabri Lamouchi did a marvellous job. President Olivier Létang, the former Paris Saint-Germain sporting director, was the man who appointed Lamouchi and in early July 2018 the former Côte d'ivoire boss was rewarded with a contract extension through to 2020, with the option of an additional year. After penning the deal, Lamouchi said: "I'm very happy to carry on the adventure and to give stability to a project that was launched last November. We had a beautiful end to the season; one that was very rewarding and exceptional in sporting terms. I'm delighted to carry on collaborating with President Olivier Létang." Gus hoping to build at Bordeaux Bordeaux appointed Gus Poyet on 20 January, 2018 and under the Uruguayan Les Girondins scored 29 points from 16 games to finish sixth. With French TV channel M6 looking to sell the club in the close season, Poyet went public with his frustrations. The former Real Betis boss said: "For the 08/10/2018 Ligue de Football Professionnel / Ligue1.com 5

6 current owners it's difficult because they might leave but I don't know when. The potential new owners can't do anything yet. The most important time at any football club is the summer. If you do things right in the summer then everything's easier. We have done nothing." Gasset turns Sainté around Saint-Etienne's fortunes were revived by veteran coach Jean-Louis Gasset, promoted to the number one role on 20 December, 2017 after a short spell as assistant to the club's former coach Julien Sablé. When Gasset - formerly assistant to Laurent Blanc with Bordeaux, France and Paris Saint-Germain - took over, Les Verts were short on confidence and in danger of being relegated. Gasset presided over 20 games, collecting 35 points as Saint-Etienne went on an unlikely push for European qualification. Shrewd recruitment, as Gasset worked his contacts, certainly helped and in late May the 64-year-old confirmed he would be staying on for the season. Gasset commented: "I'm delighted and proud to be carrying on as Saint-Etienne coach. The project and the ambition of the directors convinced me. For six months I took extraordinary pleasure coaching the team. Saint-Etienne is a city that breathes football." Vieira brings pedigree to the Côte d'azur OGC Nice finished eighth last term, a fall of five spots from Following Lucien Favre's departure, Les Aiglons were audacious in finding a replacement for the Swiss, convincing 1998 World Cup winner Patrick Vieira to come on board. Vieira left MLS side New York City to move to the Côte d'azur and revealed the lengths Nice had gone to in order to secure his signature. Vieira said: "I met the president (Jean-Pierre Rivère), and Julien Fournier (the director general), with whom I got on very well. We talked about the club several times and we spoke about the project. He presented Nice to me so I knew what I'd be letting myself in for. The difference between Nice and the other clubs that were interested in me was that Julien came to New York. He said to me: 'I'm coming to see you.' The other clubs' attitude was: 'If you're in Paris between such and such dates then we'll call each other and meet.' What Nice did was important to me." Week 1: Homage to our World Cup winners! Ligue 1 Conforama will celebrate its world champions during the opening round of the season, with the support of the Fédération Française de Football (FFF). The eight Ligue 1 Conforama-based France internationals who lifted the World Cup in Russia last month will be honoured in a never-before seen event beginning on 10 August. The famous World Cup trophy will be presented for the first time in the stadia of the Ligue 1 Conforama clubs for which our world champions ply their trade. On Friday 10 August, the trophy will be in Marseille to celebrate Steve Mandanda, Adil Rami and Florian Thauvin, who will kick off the season with Olympique de Marseille against Toulouse. On Sunday 12 August, the trophy will be in Lyon, to honour Nabil Fekir as he turns out for Olympique Lyonnais against Amiens SC before making the trip north to Paris and the Parc de Princes, where the round's closing match pits the Paris Saint-Germain of world champions Alphonse Areola, Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappé against SM Caen. Djibril Sidibé will receive his tribute in the match between AS Monaco and Olympique de Marseille in Week 4 (Sunday 2 September). The LFP and the clubs would like to thank the FFF and its president Noël Le Graët for making this landmark event - a powerful symbol of the teamwork effected by all the actors in French football - possible. 08/10/2018 Ligue de Football Professionnel / Ligue1.com 6

7 El Matador set to strike again Edinson Cavani has terrorised Ligue 1 Conforama opponents over the last five seasons, and there is no reason to suspect the Paris Saint-Germain striker will not be a defender's worst nightmare once again in The Uruguay international has been at the capital club since 2013, and after the summer 2016 departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paris Saint-Germain have seen his goal return increase to prodigious proportions. With the imposing Ibrahimovic playing through the middle of the front three, Cavani's ability get in front of goal was more limited; the Swedish superstar's departure has allowed El Matador to spend more time in the one area of the pitch where he really flourishes: the penalty area. The former Palermo and Napoli striker finished top of the division's goalscoring chart for a second successive season last term, and though he fell short of the stunning 35 league strikes he plundered in , his haul of 28 was still six more than any other player managed. It put him inside the top ten in the race for the European Golden Shoe - seventh place to be exact, sandwiched between Inter Milan's Mauro Icardi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo - and was the fruit of the sort of shooting accuracy Jason Bourne would be proud of. No less than 50% of Cavani's 56 on-target shots found the back of the net as he provided a deadly spearhead to a free-scoring PSG side that plundered a massive 108 goals in total. The title-winners almost always dominated possession in their domestic encounters, and Cavani ensured that it was anything but sterile, giving Unai Emery's men a surgical cutting edge with 23 of his 28 goals coming from open play. But the industrious forward, who is known as one of the hardest working strikers in the game, remains happy to simply be the focal point of his team's attack, rather than be singled out as a star. "I focus a lot more than on the collective than the individual. I always aim to give the maximum," said Cavani, whose 'MCN' partnership with Kylian Mbappé and Neymar Jr produced a whopping 60 league goals for PSG. "The most important thing is that we win and hopefully win the trophy in the end." PSG did, making a clean sweep of all four pieces of domestic silverware, and in scoring the goals to help them do that, Cavani collected some more individual accolades en route. His brace in the 5-0 win over Angers SCO in Week 12 saw him join Ibrahimovic and Gonzalo Higuain as the only players to have scored 100+ goals in two of Europe's five major leagues while he passed his former PSG teammate with his strike against Montpellier Hérault SC in January, taking his PSG tally to 157 goals, more than any other player to have worn the Rouge-et-Bleu shirt. He had had the honour of scoring his club's 2500th Ligue 1 Conforama goal earlier in the season, and ended the campaign by also moving ahead of Ibrahimovic as PSG's all-time leading league scorer with his double strike against EA Guingamp late in the season. "I didn't know that I had set a new record, but I'm happy to have written a little more history with this shirt," Cavani, who now has 116 goals in 165 league starts for PSG, told French TV channel Canal+. As one of only four men to have registered a century of league goals for the club from the French capital, he has certainly earned his place in its record books. And promises to give him the chance to cement his place among the pantheon of PSG greats. 08/10/2018 Ligue de Football Professionnel / Ligue1.com 7

8 Reims, Nîmes back in the elite Two famous old names return to the elite in , with Nîmes Olympique and former champions Stade de Reims both bringing their famous red-and-white jerseys back to Ligue 1 Conforama. Stade de Reims come back up as record-breaking Domino's Ligue 2 champions, and can look forward to top-flight football again, after last gracing the highest level in Six-time champions in the early post-war era, and twice European Cup runners-up to Real Madrid in the late 1950s, Reims had been away for more than 30 years before resurfacing in They dropped back down after four years in the top tier, but promotion last season was their reward for maintaining their ambition. David Guion took over last year from Michel Der Zakarian at the Stade Auguste-Delaune and oversaw a stunning run to the title, with Reims going top in mid-september and never relinquishing first place. They ended up with a record 88 points, and a record 28 wins. It was very much a collective success, with four Reims players ending up in the Ligue 2 team of the season. That quartet was comprised of defenders Yunis Abdelhamid and Julian Jeanvier, Brazilian creator Diego Rigonato - Domino's Ligue 2 Player of the Season - and Argentine forward Pablo Chavarria. Another forward, Jordan Siebatcheu, was their top scorer with 17 goals. However, Siebatcheu has since been sold to Stade Rennais FC. After six seasons at the club, Diego has departed as well, moving to the United Arab Emirates, while Jeanvier crossed the Channel to join Brentford. In addition, captain Danilson Da Cruz left for AS Nancy Lorraine. That means Guion - voted Domino's Ligue 2 Coach of the Season - needs to build a new-look team capable of keeping the club safe from the threat of relegation. "The club's development has not been slowed down by these two years in Ligue 2, which is quite remarkable when you look at what has happened at several other clubs who have been relegated," said president Jean-Pierre Caillot in the spring. "With the arrival of all these foreign investors, I think there will be six or seven clubs who are untouchable. But I think it is much harder to try to win promotion than it is to avoid relegation." Nîmes are back! Meanwhile, there is enormous excitement in the southern city of Nîmes, with Les Crocodiles returning to the top flight for the first time in quarter of a century. Nîmes were Coupe de France finalists in 1996, but you have to go back much further to find the last time they were a genuine force. They were top-flight runners-up in 1972, having also finished second to Reims in 1958 and They have a proud footballing history, but that did not weigh too heavily on Bernard Blaquart's team as they went second in late November and held that position until the end. Fans at the Stade des Costières were treated to some thrilling attacking play, with Umut Bozok ending up as the top scorer in Domino's Ligue 2 with 24 goals after making the step up from the third tier. Rachid Alioui, the Moroccan international, ably supported him with 17 goals, while midfielder Téji Savanier also made the division's team of the season. Laurent Blanc and Éric Cantona played their football for Nîmes in the early 1990s, but it is difficult for the club to attract players of that level now. They must battle to keep hold of Bozok, having already lost Alioui for several months to a serious knee injury that ruled him out of the World Cup. Interesting signings have been made, with Paul Bernardoni in on loan from Girondins de Bordeaux after being named the best goalkeeper in Ligue 2 last season with Clermont Foot. Midfielder Moustapha Diallo joins from EA Guingamp and brings a wealth of experience with him. The step up will be a huge challenge, but Blaquart - who has extended his contract to will stay true to his principles. "We are preparing for a very difficult season. We won't have the same results as last year, we know that. We will be among the favourites to go down so we need to be ready to fight," he said. "It will be a journey of discovery, a new world. It will be really difficult to attack high up the pitch against Paris or Marseille, but attacking football is our hallmark." 08/10/2018 Ligue de Football Professionnel / Ligue1.com 8

9 TROPHÉE DES CHAMPIONS TDC: PSG make it six in a row! Angel Di Maria starred for Paris Saint-Germain with a brace in a 4-0 victory over AS Monaco that secured the capital club a record-equalling sixth consecutive Trophée des Champions in Shenzhen, China, on Saturday. 4 August, 2018 Trophée des Champions Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 AS Monaco THE MATCH Thomas Tuchel's Paris Saint-Germain side successfully defended their first title of the season in sweltering heat on Saturday, going level with record-holders Olympique Lyonnais by claiming a sixth consecutive Trophée des Champions title. After much pre-match talk of either coach's opting for a three-man defence, both chose formations with a host of young players on the teamsheet in the absence of World Cup stars such as Radamel Falcao, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappé. Nonetheless, it was Argentina's World Cup star Angel Di Maria who got things rolling with a superb free-kick just after the half-hour mark (33'), allowing Paris to put debutant 'keeper Gianluigi Buffon's early scare at the hands of a point-blank Kamil Glik header (14') behind them. Youngster Christopher Nkunku followed up soon after with a tap-in after left-back Stanley Nsoki had crossed low and hard behind the Monaco rear-guard (39') and the capital club went into the break well on top. Monaco, in a rebuilding stage after losing a number of talented players - Fabinho and Thomas Lemar to name just two - in the transfer window, struggled to impose themselves in a midfield dominated by the complementary talents of Adrien Rabiot and Marco Verratti. PSG converted their domination into a third goal as the excellent Nsoki skinned Andrea Raggi on the edge of the area before cutting back for Timothy Weah - son of Liberian president and former PSG superstar 'Mister' George Weah - who calmly slotted a first-time finish home between the legs of Diego Benaglio (67'). A few minutes later, the Chinese fans got what they had been waiting for when Neymar Jr took the field in place of Verratti (76'), and the Brazilian duly obliged with a few sharp moves. However, it was the rambunctious Rabiot who made an almost unopposed 50-metre charge through the middle of the park before playing Di Maria in to coolly bag his second and complete Paris' 4-0 win (90'+3). THE PLAYER: Angel Di Maria Argentina may have disappointed some fan at the recent World Cup, but Angel Di Maria showed in Shenzehn that he has lost nothing of his quality nor his quietly tenacious competitive spirit. Seemingly indefatigable in the stifling heat, Di Maria worked hard for his team from beginning to end, scoring his side's first and last goals while also going close with three clear-cut chances (15', 43', 54') and providing another for the excellent Nsoki. Tuchel will doubtless have more than a few selection headaches in the coming season after Cavani, Mbappé and Neymar are back in the swing, but he will be hard-pressed to leave a player of Di Maria's evident class on the bench for too long. 08/10/2018 Ligue de Football Professionnel / Ligue1.com 9

10 THE STAT: 7 Paris Saint-Germain now have an impressive seven consecutive wins over Monaco in all competitions, stretching a run that dates back to when the two sides drew 1-1 in Ligue 1 Conforama in January Paris haven't lost to Monaco - their biggest rival in French football in recent years, and the side who broke their dominance in the league in since 28 August 2016 (3-1 in Ligue 1 Conforama). Seven also happens to be the number of consecutive Trophée des Champions titles Paris will have should they manage to repeat the feat next season. Di Maria: 'Really happy!' Paris Saint-Germain's two-goal star Angel Di Maria was over the moon after the 4-0 win over AS Monaco in Shenzhen that garnered the capital club a first trophy of the season - in coach Thomas Tuchel's first official match in charge. 4 August, 2018 Trophée des Champions Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 AS Monaco Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain forward): "I'm really very happy with the win. We're also happy with the way we did it, even if the most important thing is to get the win. We really wanted to win this first trophy of the season, we did that, we're really happy. It's a good way to finish the tour; the stadium was almost full and I'm happy to have been able to contribute to this win in front of a great Chinese crowd." Thomas Tuchel (Paris Saint-Germain coach): "We're really happy with the win. The conditions were difficult, it was very hot and we had put out a very young team, but my players played as a team and they showed real unity. I really liked what I saw this evening. It's a deserved result. When a team wins 4-0, the coach can only be happy. The fans? They were fantastic. You see that the people here really love our team, our players. There's a lot of talent at Paris Saint-Germain. There are big stars. They like the way we play and this has been a really successful tour." Leonardo Jardim (AS Monaco coach): "There were two periods in this match: up to the 35th minute, during which we were organised and courageous, and then the rest of the game. Our opponents, thanks to their talent, scored the first goal. We had two important players out: Aleksandr Golovin and Radamel Falcao. Djibril Sidibé and Danijel Subasic were also missing. With those four players in the team, we will be a lot better balanced. But the most important thing is to come back tomorrow morning to work hard. Work is the only thing that will help us to be ready." Youri Tielemans (AS Monaco midfielder): "At the beginning of the match, we had the chances. But you have to put them away. After the first goal, we left too much space. It's up to us to work hard and get things right at the back. We're disappointed with the result, but tomorrow we have to get back on track and move on." 08/10/2018 Ligue de Football Professionnel / Ligue1.com 10