Ligue 1 101 (Franjo: A Journeyman Story – Mini-sode 146.5)

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We all know the rules in Ligue 1. There’s no splitting the league up into halves and having 6 different play offs to determine who goes into another league to go into another playoff to be relegated, those days are behind us. There are 3 Champions League spots, 3 Europa League spots and 3 relegation spots including a play off. The only thing we need to learn about in this league are the clubs, because there are some very good ones.

Athlétic Club Ajaccio

Nickname: L’ACA

Manager: Olivier Pantaloni

From: Ajaccio

Ground: Stade François Coty

Last Season: 3rd in Ligue 2 (Promoted after beating Racing Club de Lens in the Playoff)

Predicted: 18th

Rivals in Ligue 1: OGC Nice (Local)

Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise

Nickname: L’AJA

Manager: WT Franjo

From: Auxerre

Ground: Stade Abbé Deschamps

Last Season: Champions of Ligue 2 (Promoted)

Predicted: 19th

Rivals in Ligue 1: Dijon FCO (Local), Bourg-en-Bresse 01 (Competitive)

Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club

Nickname: Les Monégasques

Manager: José Barros

From: Monaco

Ground: Ettori Park (Built 2019)

Last Season: Champions

Predicted: 2nd

Rivals in Ligue 1: OGC Nice (Fierce, Local), Olympique de Marseille (Local), Olympique Lyonnais (Competitive), Paris Saint-Germain (Competitive)

Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine

Nickname: L’ASNL

Manager: Eric Chelle

From: Tomblaine

Ground: Stade Marcel Picot

Last Season: 10th

Predicted: 13th

Rivals in Ligue 1: FC Sochaux-Montbé (Local)

Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire

Nickname: Les Verts

Manager: Denis Renaud

From: Saint-Étienne

Ground: Stade Geoffrey-Guichard

Last Season: 17th

Predicted: 8th

Rivals in Ligue 1: Olympique Lyonnais (Fierce, Local), Olympique de Marseille (Historic), FC Nantes (Historic), Paris Saint-Germain (Competitive)

Bourg-en-Bresse Péronnas 01

Nickname: N/A

Manager: Laurent Roussey

From: Bourg-en-Bresse

Ground: Stade Marcel Verchère

Last Season: 2nd in Ligue 2 (Promoted)

Predicted: 20th

Rivals in Ligue 1: Olympique Lyonnais (Local)

Dijon Football Côte d’Or

Nickname: Le DFCO

Manager: Olivier Dall’Oglio

From: Dijon

Ground: Parc Des Sports Gaston Gérard

Last Season: 14th

Predicted: 15th

Rivals in Ligue 1: AJ Auxerre (Local)

En Avant de Guingamp Côtes-d’Armor

Nickname: Les Costarmoricains

Manager: Yves Bertucci

From: Guingamp

Ground: En Avant de Guingamp Stadium (Built 2019)

Last Season: 6th

Predicted: 11th

Rivals in Ligue 1: Stade Rennais FC (Local), FC Lorient (Local), FC Nantes (Local)

Football Club Lorient-Bretagne Sud

Nickname: Les Merlus

Manager: Djamel Merdjett

From: Lorient

Ground: Gourcuff Stadium (Built 2021)

Last Season: 12th

Predicted: 12th

Rivals in Ligue 1: Stade Rennais FC (Local), Stade Brestois 29 (Local), FC Nantes (Local), En Avant de Guingamp (Local)

Football Club de Nantes

Nickname: Les Canaris

Manager: Frédéric Hantz

From: Nantes

Ground: Stade Louis Fonteneau (La Beaujoire)

Last Season: 13th

Predicted: 10th

Rivals in Ligue 1: Stade Rennais FC (Fierce, Local), Girondins de Bordeaux (Local), AS Saint-Étienne (Historic), FC Lorient (Local), En Avant de Guingamp (Local)\

Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard

Nickname: Les Lionceaux

Manager: Albert Cartier

From: Montbéliard

Ground: Stade Auguste Bonal

Last Season: 15th

Predicted: 16th

Rivals in Ligue 1: AS Nancy Lorraine (Local)

Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux

Nickname: Les Girondins

Manager: Michel Der Zakarian

From: Bordeaux

Ground: Matmut Atlantique (Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux)

Last Season: 5th

Predicted: 5th

Rivals in Ligue 1: Toulouse FC (Fierce, Local), FC Nantes (Local), Olympique de Marseille (Competitive), Olympique Lyonnais (Competitive), Paris Saint-Germain (Competitive)

Lille Olympique Sporting Club

Nickname: Les Dogues

Manager: Alaixys Romao

From: Villeneuve-d’Ascq

Ground: Stade Pierre Mauroy

Last Season: 16th

Predicted: 14th

Rivals in Ligue 1: N/A

Olympique Gymnaste Club Nice Côte d’Azur

Nickname: Le Gym

Manager: Antoine Kombouaré

From: Nice

Ground: Allianz Riviera

Last Season: 7th

Predicted: 9th

Rivals in Ligue 1: AS Monaco (Fierce, Local), Olympique de Marseille (Local), AC Ajaccio (Local)

Olympique Lyonnais

Nickname: L’OL

Manager: Jocelyn Gourvennec

From: Décines-Charpieu

Ground: Parc Olympique Lyonnais

Last Season: 4th

Predicted: 4th

Rivals in Ligue 1: AS Saint-Étienne (Fierce, Local), Olympique de Marseille (Fierce, Competitive), AS Monaco (Competitive), Paris Saint-Germain (Competitive), Bourg-en-Bresse 01 (Local), Girondins de Bordeaux (Competitive)

Olympique de Marseille

Nickname: L’OM

Manager: Roberto Mancini

From: Marseille

Ground: Stade Orange Vélodrome

Last Season: 3rd

Predicted: 3rd

Rivals in Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain (Fierce, Competitive), Olympique Lyonnais (Fierce, Competitive), AS Monaco (Local), OGC Nice (Local), AS Saint-Étienne (Competitive), Girondins de Bordeaux (Competitive)

Paris Saint-Germain Football Club

Nickname: Le PSG

Manager: Pep Guardiola

From: Paris

Ground: Parc Des Princes

Last Season: 2nd

Predicted: 1st

Rivals in Ligue 1: Olympique de Marseille (Fierce, Competitive), AS Monaco (Competitive), Olympique Lyonnais (Competitive), Girondins de Bordeaux (Competitive)

Stade Brestois 29

Nickname: Les Brestois

Manager: Míchel

From: Rennes

Ground: Roazhon Park

Last Season: 8th

Predicted: 17th

Rivals in Ligue 1: En Avant de Guingamp (Fierce, Local), Stade Rennais FC (Local), FC Lorient (Local)

Stade Rennais Football Club

Nickname: Les Rouges et Noirs

Manager: Patrice Carteron

From: Rennes

Ground: Roazhon Park

Last Season: 11th

Predicted: 7th

Rivals in Ligue 1: FC Nantes (Fierce, Local), En Avant de Guingamp (Local), FC Lorient (Local), Stade Brestois 29 (Local)

Toulouse Football Club

Nickname: Le TFC

Manager: Jean-Marie Stéphanopoli

From: Toulouse

Ground: Stadium Municipal

Last Season: 9th

Predicted: 6th

Rivals in Ligue 1: Girondins de Bordeaux (Fierce, Local)

This is why I’m a manager. This is what it’s all about. The buzz of a new season. The nerves of seeing world famous athletes training their minds, bodies and souls, preparing to try and get you the sack. The sheer pants-wetting fear of another inevitable relegation dogfight. I’m ready for the challenge. I’ll get us clear. I won’t let this be another close call like Katowice and I certainly won’t let it be another Höllviken… Shit, it won’t be another Katowice, will it?

Mini-sode 146.5.5 >