Paris (AFP)
AS Monaco travels to Lorient on Friday (9 p.m.) for the opening of the second day of Ligue 1, marked by the return on Saturday of Nice coach Christophe Galtier to Lille, with whom he was crowned French champion last May. .
The Merlus, who lost their striker Yoane Wissa, transferred Wednesday to Brentford, promoted to the Premier League, will have a hard time facing Monegasques perked up by their brilliant qualification for the Champions League play-offs at the expense of Sparta Prague (2- 0 on the outward journey, 3-1 on the return).
The joy of the Portuguese midfielder of Monaco Gelson Martins after his goal scored against Sparta Prague, during the second leg of the third preliminary round of the Champions League, on August 10, 2021 at the Louis II stadium Valery HACHE AFP / Archives
Niko Kovac's men, held in check at the start of the season by Nantes (1-1), therefore need to take points in Brittany so as not to be left behind by the winners of the inaugural day.
But the task does not look easy at Moustoir because the Lorientais have not forgotten the slap received during the last confrontation between the two teams (5-2) in January.
For his debut in the current financial year, Lorient brought back a beautiful draw from Saint-Etienne (1-1) and intends to ride on this confidence by offering himself the scalp of Monaco, which may have left feathers in his clash with the Czechs on Tuesday.
The Gabonese midfielder of Saint-Etienne, Denis Bouanga, tries to outflank the defender from Lorient Vincent Le Goff, during their L1 match, on August 8, 2021 at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP / Archives
But "we worked a lot to play every three days," Kovac assured Thursday.
"Last season, we were able to work well on the principles of the game. This year, there is less time for that but the new players have picked up the pace," he said.
- Galtier in his Lille footsteps -
The trip from Nice to Lille on Saturday (5:00 p.m.) will be the main attraction of this second day with the return, for the first time, of the new Nice trainer Christophe Galtier to the city of his exploits.
The joy of Lille coach Christophe Galtier and his players after beating Angers and winning the French L1 title on May 23, 2021 at Stade Raymond Kopa LOIC VENANCE AFP / Archives
Sacred champion of France on the Mastiff bench last May, the technician now officiates on the Côte d'Azur at the head of a team eager to play the leading roles in Ligue 1.
Witness his ambitious recruitment with the arrivals of young Dutch Calvin Stengs (22), Justin Kluivert (22) and Pablo Rosario (24), young Frenchman Melvin Bard (20) and experienced Gabonese Mario Lemina ( 27 years old).
For his Nice debut, Galtier could not do better than a draw at home against Reims (0-0).
Faced with the uneasy defense of the champions of France, clinging to Metz (3-3), his team will have the opportunity to launch its championship for good.
PSG, winner of the promoted Trojan (2-1) at the Aube stadium, finds the Parc des Princes for the reception of Strasbourg on Saturday (9:00 p.m.), but its supporters will only have eyes for its flagship recruit Leo Messi , who has just signed for two years plus an optional year and must be presented to the public on the sidelines of the meeting.
Sunday, Lyon, surprised at home by Brest (1-1) on Saturday, will try to bounce back in Angers, co-leader after the first day.
Rebound also expected for Bordeaux, sharply beaten by the promoted Clermont (2-0), but his trip to the end of the day at the Vélodrome promises to be full-bodied, against an OM team which remains on a spectacular result in Montpellier ( 3-2).
Program for the second day of Ligue 1 which will be played on Friday 13, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 August
Friday August 13
(9:00 p.m.) Lorient - Monaco
Saturday August 14
(5:00 p.m.) Lille - Nice
(9 p.m.) Paris SG - Strasbourg
Sunday August 15th
(1:00 p.m.) Angers - Lyon
(3:00 p.m.) Reims - Montpellier
Brest - Rennes
Nantes - Metz
Clermont - Troyes
(5:00 p.m.) Lens - Saint-Etienne
(8:45 p.m.) Marseille - Bordeaux
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