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Log inLyon remains favorite for 8th straight title
Lyon remains favorite for 8th straight title
maladfutbol on Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:28 am
PARIS (AP)—Lyon has won seven straight French league titles and appears likely to extend the streak again this season.
“Lyon is still above the rest of the pack,” Olympique Marseille forward Mamadou Niang said ahead of this weekend’s openers.
Lyon begins Sunday at home against Toulouse, a day after Marseille visits Rennes and Bordeaux faces Caen.
In one change, two Americans have joined a league not noted for having them on team rosters. Forward Freddy Adu joined Monaco on loan from Portugal’s Benfica and U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra joined Rennes following five seasons with Fulham in the English Premier League.
Regardless, Lyon remains a firm favorite to continue its domination of French football even though it lost Hatem Ben Arfa to Marseille in one of several offseason departures.
“My dream is to be champion,” Marseille manager Eric Gerets told French daily L’Equipe. “But I think that if we finish second, the management will certainly not kill me.”
Marseille may be the club best positioned to challenge Lyon.
The team had the league’s best striking duo last season, with Niang and Djibril Cisse combining for 34 goals. Ben Arfa should add even more offense along with newly signed Bakari Kone, who had 14 goals for Nice last season.
However, Samir Nasri’s departure to Arsenal has left a vacuum in midfield— the playmaker led the league with 10 assists.
Marseille, wanting to strengthen a porous defense, added Brazilian defender Vitorino Hilton from Lens and Moroccan Elamin Erbate from Raja Casablanca.
Bordeaux, which finished second last season, signed Yoan Gouffran from Caen and obtained Yoann Gourcuff on loan from AC Milan. Its defensive line remains thin. Diego Placente is the only addition, having been signed from San Lorenzo.
Lyon lost Sebastien Squillaci to Sevilla and Gregory Coupet to Atletico Madrid, but center back John Mensah joined from Rennes, while goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and Brazilian midfielder Honorato Ederson both signed from Nice.
As the wealthiest club in France, Lyon did not hesitate to add more quality players, buying midfielder Jean Makoun from Lille, forward Frederic Piquionne from Monaco, and promising playmaker Miralem Pjanic.
The returning players will have to adjust to a new manager in Claude Puel, who replaced Alain Perrin. Perrin was fired in June, despite leading the club to its first double of the league and French Cup.
Lyon’s attack should remain strong, however, with Milan Baros, Karim Benzema, Fred, Sidney Govou, Abdulkader Keita, Frederic Piquionne and Cesar Delgado fighting for the three spots available.
“It will be a tighter championship than in the previous seasons because everybody has improved and Lyon’s margin is constantly shrinking,” Puel said.
By TRUNG LATIEILE, Associated Press Writer
“Lyon is still above the rest of the pack,” Olympique Marseille forward Mamadou Niang said ahead of this weekend’s openers.
Lyon begins Sunday at home against Toulouse, a day after Marseille visits Rennes and Bordeaux faces Caen.
In one change, two Americans have joined a league not noted for having them on team rosters. Forward Freddy Adu joined Monaco on loan from Portugal’s Benfica and U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra joined Rennes following five seasons with Fulham in the English Premier League.
Regardless, Lyon remains a firm favorite to continue its domination of French football even though it lost Hatem Ben Arfa to Marseille in one of several offseason departures.
“My dream is to be champion,” Marseille manager Eric Gerets told French daily L’Equipe. “But I think that if we finish second, the management will certainly not kill me.”
Marseille may be the club best positioned to challenge Lyon.
The team had the league’s best striking duo last season, with Niang and Djibril Cisse combining for 34 goals. Ben Arfa should add even more offense along with newly signed Bakari Kone, who had 14 goals for Nice last season.
However, Samir Nasri’s departure to Arsenal has left a vacuum in midfield— the playmaker led the league with 10 assists.
Marseille, wanting to strengthen a porous defense, added Brazilian defender Vitorino Hilton from Lens and Moroccan Elamin Erbate from Raja Casablanca.
Bordeaux, which finished second last season, signed Yoan Gouffran from Caen and obtained Yoann Gourcuff on loan from AC Milan. Its defensive line remains thin. Diego Placente is the only addition, having been signed from San Lorenzo.
Lyon lost Sebastien Squillaci to Sevilla and Gregory Coupet to Atletico Madrid, but center back John Mensah joined from Rennes, while goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and Brazilian midfielder Honorato Ederson both signed from Nice.
As the wealthiest club in France, Lyon did not hesitate to add more quality players, buying midfielder Jean Makoun from Lille, forward Frederic Piquionne from Monaco, and promising playmaker Miralem Pjanic.
The returning players will have to adjust to a new manager in Claude Puel, who replaced Alain Perrin. Perrin was fired in June, despite leading the club to its first double of the league and French Cup.
Lyon’s attack should remain strong, however, with Milan Baros, Karim Benzema, Fred, Sidney Govou, Abdulkader Keita, Frederic Piquionne and Cesar Delgado fighting for the three spots available.
“It will be a tighter championship than in the previous seasons because everybody has improved and Lyon’s margin is constantly shrinking,” Puel said.
By TRUNG LATIEILE, Associated Press Writer
maladfutbol- Posts: 21
Join date: 2008-07-25 
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