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Sacre bleu! It's the Ligue Une 07/08 thread! Will Lyon make it 7 in a row? *sponsored by Guy Roux*
The French season starts tommorow with the Super Cup game between champions Lyon and cup winners Sochaux. The game starts at 18.00 CET.
Lyon are again major favourites to win the title and IMO they'll do it again easely. The interesting thing will be how Marseille will do without Ribery? Will PSG finally have at least a decent season? Was Toulouse a one-season-wonder or is there more in the club? And how will Guy Roux manage at another club then Auxerre (he's Lens's new manager)?
News:
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Toulouse net Cetto from Nantes
Toulouse FC have signed Argentinian defender Mauro Cetto on loan from relegated FC Nantes Atlantique for the season.
Reversal of fortune
The 25-year-old captained Nantes during their relegation campaign but will now have the chance of UEFA Champions League football with Toulouse playing in the third qualifying round next month. His arrival will help coach Elie Baup cover for the absence of injured centre-backs Daniel Congré and Dominique Arribagé who will miss the start of the campaign.
High quality
"We needed someone ready to step in at the top, and he is", said Baup. "He is a high-quality defender." Cetto had a taste of the UEFA Champions League during his first season with Nantes, 2001/02, playing four games. The former Rosario Central player made 109 Ligue 1 appearances for the Canaris. Toulouse have also signed striker André-Pierre Gignac, defenders Herita Ilunga and Jon Jönsson and goalkeepers Alan Mermillod and Rudy Riou.
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Maurice-Belay on way to Sochaux
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard have signed AS Monaco FC winger Nicolas Maurice-Belay for an undisclosed fee.
Four-year deal
Maurice-Belay, who has agreed a four-year contract with the French Cup winners, spent last season on loan at relegated CS Sedan-Ardennes, appearing in 30 Ligue 1 games. The previous campaign he got his first taste of UEFA Cup football with Monaco. The 22-year-old will not be eligible to play in Saturday's French Super Cup match against champions Olympique Lyonnais.
New faces
Maurice-Belay becomes Sochaux's fourth summer signing following the arrivals of midfielders Stéphane Dalmat, Lionel Mathis and Bojan Jokic. Sochaux kick off their Ligue 1 campaign away to Paris Saint-Germain FC on 4 August before entering the UEFA Cup in the first round on 19 September.
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St-Etienne cling on to 'new Drogba'
The world's top clubs will have a while longer to wait before they can get their hands on Bafétimbi Gomis after the striker agreed new terms at AS Saint-Etienne.
'New Drogba'
The 21-year-old striker was one of the unheralded stars of French football last season, ending the campaign as St-Etienne's top scorer with ten goals in 30 Ligue 1 games. Both UEFA Cup holders Sevilla FC and German champions VfB Stuttgart were looking to prise the man Marca called "the new Drogba" away from Les Verts, and for a while it seemed they might be successful.
Friendly appearance
Gomis' signed a new contract with Les Verts earlier this week, extending his existing deal by a year to June 2011. New St-Etienne coach Laurent Roussey was then relieved to field him during Wednesday night's 3-3 friendly draw against local minnows FC Andrézieux-Bouthéon. Prior to that, the unsettled academy graduate had been refusing to play in any friendly fixtures.
Unsettling interest
St-Etienne had finished eleventh in the Ligue 1 table last season under Roussey's predecessor Ivan Hašek, once more missing out on European football. Since competing in the UEFA Cup in 1982/83 the one-time giants of French football have had only one European campaign - a UEFA Intertoto Cup sally in 2005 - so it was inevitable big offers would unsettle the young Gomis.
'The right place'
However, it seems that Roussey - who helped St-Etienne win their last French title in 1981 - helped persuade Gomis to stick with the club. "I spoke with Laurent and realised that, at 21, you need the right place to develop and not money," said Gomis. "Laurent has huge plans. He is starting his coaching career while I am starting my playing career. We both have lots to prove."
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Rothen to remain with PSG
France midfielder Jérôme Rothen has pledged his future to Paris Saint-Germain FC by penning a three-year extension to his current contract, tying him to the club until June 2011.
Final appearance
The 29-year-old, who has eleven caps, joined the capital club for €10m in summer 2004 shortly after playing in the UEFA Champions League final for AS Monaco FC against FC Porto. Injuries have restricted the former SM Caen and ES Troyes Aube Champagne star to 73 league appearances and four goals since then, although he did win the French Cup in 2006.
Relegation scrap
Rothen said: "I always wanted to be more involved in the team. I hope now I can celebrate wins with the fans who showed me their suppor." PSG played in the UEFA Cup last season but will not this term after being involved in a relegation battle for much of last season. Rothen's deal comes hot on the heels of Paul Le Guen snapping up defender Grégory Bourillon, midfielder Didier Digard and centre-back Zoumana Camara.
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Tahirovic signing thrills Lille
LOSC Lille Métropole have signed one of the most talented young players in Sweden, Halmstads BK forward Emra Tahirovic, as they look to regain their place among the French élite.
'Huge potential'
Despite qualifying for the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League for the first time last season, Claude Puel's side finished tenth in Ligue 1 to miss out on a return to Europe. Swedish Under-21 international Tahirovic has been in impressive form in the Allsvenskan this term, scoring four goals and creating five in his 13 appearances. "He is athletic, able to play deep and comfortable with both feet," said Puel of the 19-year-old. "He is a player with huge potential."
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Camara comes to terms with PSG
French side Paris Saint-Germain FC have agreed a four-year contract with AS Saint-Etienne centre-back Zoumana Camara, who was capped once by France in 2001.
'Among the best'
"He is among the best players in France at his position," said PSG president Alain Cayzac after agreeing an undisclosed fee with St-Etienne. The 28-year-old, who was born and raised in the Paris suburbs, previously played for FC Internationale Milano, Olympique de Marseille, Leeds United AFC and RC Lens, among others. PSG, who failed to clinch a European spot last season, have previously signed Didier Digard from Le Havre AC and Grégory Bourillon from Stade Rennais FC this summer.
Out: Warmuz (retraite), Mangani (p. AC Ajaccio), Givet (Marseille), Y. Touré (Barcelone, ESP), Gigliotti (Saint-Etienne), Dos Santos (Strasbourg), Lanteri (free)
Nancy:
In:Macaluso (t.d, River Plate), Gaudu (pro contract), Mozika (pro contract), Malonga (pro contract), Y. Camara (pro contract)
Originally posted by goon:
It means they've given him a professional contract. He's 16 or something isnt he?
Was awesome in the Euro Under 19's
Was class in the Euro under 17's as well. Belgium were so unlucky against Spain in the semi's - really looking forward to the under 17 World Championships next month.
07-28-2007, 02:00 AM
Sacre bleu! It's the Ligue Une 07/08 thread! Will Lyon make it 7 in a row? *sponsored by Guy Roux* Post #9
Sacre bleu! It's the Ligue Une 07/08 thread! Will Lyon make it 7 in a row? *sponsored by Guy Roux* 
archeville (Glasgow Rangers, ANG), Cid (Bolton Wanderers, ANG), Enakarhire (r.p, Dynamo Moscou, RUS), Ricardo (entr., Monaco), S. Dalmat (Sochaux), Sekour (p., Nantes), Faubert (West Ham, ANG), Beto (t.d, Huelva, ESP), Mavuba (Villareal, ESP), Smicer (f.c), Ayité (Brest) 
édron (retraite), Moullec (Nantes), Barry (r.p, Marseille), Fiorèse (r.p, Marseille), Yesso (f.c), Gignac (Toulouse), Ayari (free), Taïder (r.p, Toulouse), Marlet (f.c), Dansoko (f.c), Recorbet (f.c), Barrientos (f.c), Medjani (p., Ajaccio)
" in here.
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