France

Phillip Buckley

The Ligue 1 title race is shaping up to be one of the most interesting in years. For seven successive seasons the stamp of Lyon has been imprinted on the famous trophy, but now, there is a real chance that may change. And should Lyon even manage to retain the title, the pattern has been set for a far more competitive Ligue 1 that will surely yield a different champion sooner rather than later.

Perhaps the real shame about this season’s French title race is that not many people around Europe, let alone the world, are paying that much attention to it. In past seasons French fans could find an easy reason for the declining profile of their domestic league – Lyon were winning everything in sight, and winning it easily. Who wants to follow a league with such monotony, apart from those with a vested interest in it?

This season that excuse doesn’t seem to wash. Bordeaux, Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain, even perhaps Toulouse and Lille all have a realistic chance of taking the title. Lyon are being pushed all the way, challenged in a way they are quite unused to. It’s taken everyone by surprise, but still Europe can do little more than cast France a quick sideways glance. There is more chance of a break in the established winning order here than in England, Italy or Spain, but that still fails to pique the world’s interest.

France isn’t of course benefiting from having to compete with neighbours Germany in the attention stakes. What Ligue 1 really needed was for the Bundesliga to descend into the annual Bayern Munich procession, yet what is being served up is closer to France’s tight unpredictable title charge. Hoffenheim, the unfashionable village club bankrolled by millionaire Dietmar Hopp, led the Bundesliga for a time, even being crowed Winter Champions, and now, despite Bayern’s revival, Hertha Berlin hold top spot. Ligue 1 didn’t need that.

Unfortunately France’s top flight doesn’t have the type of football on offer that attracts a wide audience. Too many games are low scoring affairs and the quality of player has also declined. Lyon have scored a mere 36 goals in their 29 games, and top the table. Across in England Manchester United have managed 49 in their 29 matches. while in Italy (a traditionally more defensive championship) Inter’s 29 have yielded 54, and Spain’s top dogs Barcelona have a mighty 84 to show for their 28 games. Ligue 1 produces too many snoozefests, and it simply cannot afford to if it is to gain a following amongst neutral fans.

The model that France needs to emulate is the Bundesliga. Financially it can never compete with England, Italy and Spain, but in Germany it has a target to aim at. The Bundesliga attracts a decent sized world following, even if it does lag behind the major leagues. While German stadia are packed week in week out owing to a mix of the excitement on offer and low ticket prices. Followers of football will often take the opportunity to watch a game from Germany’s top flight even if it isn’t a force of habit. The reason for this? Goals. Germany’s Bundesliga throws up treat after treat, one sided mauling and closely fought thriller alike, and for this it is appreciated.

Even the most ardent Ligue 1 follower is likely to concede that the real root cause of a proper title race this time around is the decline of Lyon and not the improvement of their rivals. Lyon’s leading total of 56 bares no real comparison to Manchester United’s 65, or Inter and Barcelona’s 69. With the resources Lyon have built up through the astute sale of players for large fees combined with regular Champions League football, they should be out of sight in a poor European domestic league. The champions have had the finances and time to build a squad with players a level above those of their opponents. Indeed in Karim Benzema they have a prolific and deadly marksman, but once he departs they may be in real trouble.

Perhaps then it is with a certain sense of irony that French football can at last boast some European success. With both Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup, France has a realistic chance of lifting the trophy, it’s first on the continental stage since Marseille won and then were stripped of the European Cup in 1993. In recent years Lyon were heralded as the "dark horses" of Europe, but they have continually failed to make their mark.

Competition is of course good for raising standards, and importantly interest, so in this sense will be good for Ligue 1. Lyon’s decline should only serve to make president Jean-Michel Aulas work that bit harder to keep OL on top, whilst their rivals, Bordeaux, Marseille and PSG will be motivated by the scent of a league title they have not smelt for nearly a decade. Whether Ligue 1 will get better to watch, and become more exciting, only time will tell. But when they cannot hope to match the bigger leagues for star names and lengthy European runs. the only way to success and growth is to entertain.