For Patrick Pentz, the new Ligue 1 adventure starts on Sunday. Austria’s soccer team goalkeeper wants to develop the standing at Stade Reims as quickly as possible that he had at Wiener Austria before his transfer this summer. The first test in the dress of the six-time champion (last in 1962) is a very interesting one, as at the end of the first round the game is played away against the nine-time champion and runner-up Olympique Marseille.
Stade Reims are tackling their fifth consecutive season in the top flight. It remains to be seen whether it will be possible to play a role in the front area like in 2018/19 (8th) and 2019/20 (5th). Last season it was 12th, before that it was 14th. The club is coached by Oscar Garcia, who worked successfully for Austria’s series champion Salzburg from the end of 2015 to June 2017. Of course, there were also duels with Austria during this time, but Pentz was mostly only in the reserve role at the time. Now the two are pulling together.
Four more Austria in Ligue 1
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Of the ÖFB legionnaires, Flavius Daniliuc should have the best chance of a top placement with the pre-season fifth OGC Nice, where Lucien Favre is a trainer. The 21-year-old ÖFB-U21 team defender made 24 appearances in the French upper house in 2021/22. Kevin Danso (33 games/28 full distance) played an even bigger role at RC Lens, and his standing as the undisputed regular player shouldn’t have changed. Lens was seventh and wants to fight for the European Cup ranks again.
For Muhammed Cham, who has returned from Clermont-Foot, who can look back on a very successful season at Austria Lustenau, and for striker Adrian Grbic, who has returned to Lorient from a loan spell at Vitesse Arnhem, it will remain a dream. Relegation is a priority for these clubs. What role the duo will play at their new old club remains to be seen.
PSG clears title favorite
As has almost always been the case recently, the big hunted is Paris St. Germain. The star club, now coached by Christophe Galtier, not only wants to win the eleventh championship title, the ninth in the last eleven years, but also the Champions League title in the first season after Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure. The offensive dream trio Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi could be kept. “When you’re at PSG, you have an obligation to get results,” Galtier said. “I came here to win everything.”
Galtier was the last coach to thwart PSG after surprisingly leading Lille to the league title in 2021. In 2022, there were a reassuring 15 points between champions PSG and pursuers Marseille. The first hurdle on the way to defending their title, which would make PSG sole record champions, is Clermont Foot away on Saturday.
Hot fight for CL places expected
An exciting race is expected behind them for the Champions League places. Marseille has a new coach in the form of Croatian Igor Tudor. Monaco, champions of 2017, are hoping that ex-Salzburger Takumi Minamino and Breel Embolo will fit in well up front. It is also important to close the gap after midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni left Real Madrid for 80 million euros. Olympique Lyon are also starting the season with high expectations and want to forget eighth place in 2021/22. In addition, Stade Rennes also wants to play an important role up front again.
Lorient is waiting at home on Sunday, Nice is at Toulouse, Lens against Stade Brest. Already on Saturday Monaco take on Strasbourg, a day after Lyon and Ajaccio open the season on Friday.
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