Paris (AFP)

Bottling at all levels of Ligue 1: after 12 days, only nine points separate the second, Angers, last, Nimes, which has a game late. And thanks to their victories on Sunday, Bordeaux (6th), Saint-Etienne (8th) and Nice (13th) are all three points off the podium!

Only Paris Saint-Germain, despite losing Friday in Dijon (2-1), has the lead in the lead with seven points ahead. Behind, the pack is tightening, like Marseille, which, in a single win ahead of Lille Saturday (2-1), is already up to Nantes, third despite three defeats in a row ...

. Puel reacted well

The season of Ligue 1, behind Paris, is improbable, and few teams manage to maintain regularity. The fact is also valid within a match, is not it Saint-Etienne?

Undefeated since early October, Claude Puel's men disappointed in the first half against Monaco Sunday, before realizing that "as soon as (they) made two-three passes, (they) could arrive to the goal, "as the coach at the half-time plagued. "A lack of confidence" well corrected by Denis Bouanga, scorer (59th).

Ten points in four games, the account is bright for the Greens, who still come out happy after seeing a red card addressed to their defender Wesley Fofana be finally canceled for a half-hair offside in the second half.

Monaco, he had not played a game without scoring since September 21 ... But as nothing surprises in this championship currently, they stumbled on a wall. Which does not stop them, even in 15th place, from being only four points off the podium.

. Nice and Vieira blow

"The win or the castagne". The banner deployed by some supporters Nice was clear enough, early in the game Sunday afternoon, while Nice remained on four defeats rank.

A few hours earlier, President Jean-Pierre Rivère had pinned the players by launching on Telefoot that "our strength last year, the state of mind, has disappeared" and pointing out the lack of "involvement".

The involvement was not always on Sunday, but the result is there. For the greatest relief of Patrick Vieira, even if it was reinforced by its president in the morning.

The Niçois took advantage of the early exclusion of Moussa Doumbia for contestation (26th), to quickly register two goals ... before turning.

"It's a win that's doing a lot of good and will give us confidence," said Vieira.

. Nantes stagnates, Bordeaux is getting closer

The ultra-Gironde fans started the meeting with a massive cracking of smoke and a flurry of songs against their direction.

They finished it by songs to the glory of their team, very solid on his lawn to return to a point of the podium.

The evening hero is Korean, his name is Hwang Ui-jo: the striker was first author of a magnificent pass from the outside of the foot for the purpose of François Kamano, before registering his own goal from a distant shot incoming pole.

Despite his mid-week success (8-0) in the Coupe de la Ligue against Paris FC, Nantes is losing ground with this third straight defeat in the league: his third place is a lure after three defeats of after. Indeed, with 19 points, the men of Christian Gourcuff are only four points in front of 15th place, and seven in front of the red zone.

The slogan was therefore logically opposed in a press conference: "immaturity" underlined by Gourcuff, "maturity" advanced by Paulo Sousa, the Gironde coach. But given the current dynamics of the championship, all this could be reversed very, very quickly.

© 2019 AFP