Cyrille de la Morinerie, edited by Romain Rouillard 2:43 p.m., July 30, 2022

If Ligue 1 players still have to wait a week before returning to the field, those of Ligue 2 will return to competition this Saturday with a first match between Dijon and Saint-Étienne from 3 p.m.

A new season which inaugurates a whole new format and which promises to be particularly high.

Business is picking up for Ligue 2. This Saturday begins the 2022/2023 season of the second division French championship.

From 3 p.m., Saint-Étienne, relegated at the end of last season, moves to Dijon and at 7 p.m., Bordeaux, saved in extremis from administrative relegation, will receive Valenciennes.

This new season promises a lot on paper. 

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Between them, Saint-Étienne, Bordeaux and Le Havre have 18 Ligue 1 champion titles. Not to mention Metz, Caen, Bastia, Sochaux, Guingamp and Amiens.

So many historic clubs that make this Ligue 2 particularly attractive this season.

Bernard Jouanin, the president of Amiens, is delighted.

"Ligue 2 is going to be a championship of a quality that it has never had since its creation. Almost at the level of Ligue 1", he assures. 

The PFC and Saint-Étienne, favorites for the climb, four descents at the end of the season

Among the favorites for the climb, Paris FC which remains on two eliminations during the play-offs but also Saint-Étienne, just relegated.

A renewed workforce, the departures of Hamouma, Nordin and Khazri and the arrival of new players like the experienced Anthony Briançon and a new coach Laurent Battles, aware that the task is going to be difficult: "There is a lot of consistency and that is difficult because everyone can beat everyone", analyzes the former midfielder of the club. 

As for Bordeaux, maintained in extremis in Ligue 2, after a long fight before the sports authorities, the club could not recruit.

The legend Alain Giresse therefore remains very cautious.

"It's never easy to get out of Ligue 2 when you're not prepared for that. It's a different league and you'll have to face it and adapt to it". 

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With only two tickets for Ligue 1, due to the elimination of the play-offs this season, the fight will be very intense.

To save themselves too, the battle will rage since four clubs will be relegated at the end of the season.

Tom Thumb Annecy aims to maintain just like Rodez, Pau and Quevilly-Rouen.