Lille swept to the Ligue 1 title in style last season, claiming the French Cup for good measure too, but Paris Saint-Germain have made the headlines this summer after being taken over by Qatari investors. Javier Pastore’s arrival from Palermo marks a watershed for the French game, with the Argentine schemer the first big name player to swap Italy for France in years. Along with a number of other notable signings including Jeremy Menez, Blaise Matuidi and Kevin Gameiro, PSG will be hoping that they can push on and challenge for the league this term.

Champions Lille have faced a challenging summer, fighting to keep together a successful squad. Forward Gervinho has left and has been replaced by Saint-Etienne’s Dimitri Payet. Yohan Cabaye has moved to Newcastle United and Adil Rami will make La Liga his home with Valencia.

Last year’s runners-up Marseille have lost Taye Taiwo to AC Milan, but have brought in Alou Diarra from Bordeaux, whilst Lyon have been quiet in the transfer market, not making a major addition to their squad after firing Claude Puel and replacing the ex-Lille coach with Remi Garde, who will face a major test: Keep Lyon in the Champions League places with PSG hot on their trail.

Four teams will start 2011/12 dreaming of winning Ligue 1, but one will miss out on Europe’s biggest competition at the season’s conclusion. It promises to be an even closer title race than last year, though perhaps not quite as unpredictable.

Lower down the league, new arrivals Dijon, Ajaccio and Evian have been busy strengthening their squads in a bid to survive in Ligue 1. Last year seven teams went into the last day battling against the drop and it would not be a surprise to see a similar number in contention for demotion this season. Teams such as Nancy, Nice and Valenciennes have failed to strengthen significantly and in some cases have become weaker; the same can be said of Auxerre, Brest and Montpellier. With a thrilling prospect ahead, Inside Futbol preview the 2011/12 Ligue 1 season:

AC Ajaccio

The Corsican outfit have been busy strengthening their squad for the season ahead. Ajaccio were promoted on the last day of last season and without a prolific forward could struggle for goals after losing joint top scorer Jean-François Rivière to Clermont this summer.

A host of useful additions have been made, with the signing of Guillermo Ochoa particularly helpful, but the new boys could be overreliant on Richard Socrier up front and the creativity in midfield of Christian Kinkela and Johan Cavalli. The jump to Ligue 1 is big though, as Arles-Avignon found last year. Ajaccio may not be quite as poor as Arles were in relegation during the last campaign, but a long season beckons and the Corsicans could well find themselves falling straight back to Ligue 2.

Key arrivals: Damien Tiberi (Sedan), Leyti N’Diaye (Marseille – loan), Guillermo Ochoa (Club America), Samuel Bouhours (Le Mans), Paul Lasne (Bordeaux), Mehdi Mostefa (Nimes)
Key departures: None
Prediction: 20th

Auxerre

A tough year lies ahead for Auxerre, who only survived in Ligue 1 in the final weeks of last season and have lost a host of key personnel this summer. Manager Jean Fernandez, the Ligue 1 Manager of the Year two seasons ago, left for Nancy, and the club have replaced him with Laurent Fournier from Strasbourg, who themselves have just entered liquidation.

Out goes Benoit Pedretti (Lille) and Valtir Birsa (Genoa), Auxerre’s key midfielders, and Polish forward Ireneusz Jelen has departed too, leaving AJA short of a goalscorer. The signing of Ben Sahar may fill the gap, but the former Chelsea forward has yet to show his true potential, whilst Issam Jemaa could not provide the goals to keep Lens up last season. He, and Auxerre, may find themselves following his former club into Ligue 2 at the season’s end.

Key arrivals: Omar Kossoko (Amiens), Rudy Haddad (Chateauroux), Issam Jemaa (Lens), Ben Sahar (Espanyol – loan)
Key departures: Loic Puyo (Amiens), Benoit Pedretti (Lille), Julien Quercia (Lorient), Rémy Riou (Toulouse), Valtir Birsa (Genoa), Ireneusz Jelen (free transfer)
Prediction: 19th



Bordeaux

Francois Gillot will be looking to get Bordeaux back into Europe after taking over at the 2009 champions this summer. After guiding Sochaux to a superb fifth place last year, the new coach will bring his attacking mentality to the south west.

Shorn of Alou Diarra, who has left for Marseille, signings have been few and far between. Nicolas Maurice-Belay has joined Gillot from Sochaux, while Landry N’Guemo could be a good replacement for Diarra, but can Bordeaux find a way of scoring more goals without bringing in a proven goalscorer? Anthony Modeste will lead the line, and even if the club’s chances of regaining European qualification are good, a Champions League return is still some way off.

Key arrivals: Nicolas Maurice-Belay (Sochaux), Landry N’Guemo (Nancy)
Key departures: Mathieu Saunier (Troyes), Ulrich Rame (Sedan), Alou Diarra (Marseille), Salif Sané (Nancy), Paul Lasne (Ajaccio)
Prediction: 6th

Brest

Brest had a superb start to life back in Ligue 1 last year, even leading the way at one point, but fell off dramatically in the second half of the season. They will find it tough in the second year at this level.

Some useful additions have been made though, including promising French left back Tripy Makonda and the powerful Jhon Culma in midfield. Still the worry is that Ligue 1 sides may have found Brest out after the first half of last season; if the 2010/11 campaign had started in January the Bretons would have been relegated. They have done well to hold on to their best players, but Alex Dupont will hope that one of his strikers finds some consistent goalscoring form, or a battle against the drop will face his team.

Key arrivals: Eden Ben-Basat (Hapoel Haifa), Lionel Cappone (Lorient), Jhon Culma (Maccabi Haifa), Tripy Makonda (PSG)
Key departures: Ibrahim Sacko (Valenciennes)
Prediction: 14th

Caen

Like Brest, Caen had a great season back in the top flight last year, but rather than making a superb start, finished with a flourish. Deep in the relegation zone at Christmas, Caen pulled themselves out of trouble with some particularly impressive away form, which was better than their record at home throughout the campaign.

The addition of Pierre-Alain Frau is a great coup for the club, with the Lille forward wanted by several Ligue 1 rivals, but the Normans will need to improve defensively. They showed signs of improvement at the back as the season went on last year, and Franck Dumas will be confident that with the addition of Jerry Vandam in defence his club can compete in Ligue 1 once again.

Key arrivals: Frederic Bulot (Monaco), Jerry Vandam, Pierre-Alain Frau (Lille), Faycal Fajr (Frejus Saint-Raphael)
Key departures: Julien Toudic (Lens)
Prediction: 11th

Dijon

A host of new players have arrived at Dijon as they prepare for life in Ligue 1. After winning promotion on the last day of the season they have added Gregory Thil from Boulogne to bolster their forward line but having lost Sebastien Ribas – last year’s top scorer in Ligue 2 – to Genoa, will hope he fits in quickly.

Abdoulaye Meite from West Brom adds solidity at the back and the eastern French club will hope Freddy Drogba lives up to the family name. Though Dijon have brought in a number of players, too few have Ligue 1 experience and it will be a tall order for them to survive at this level.

Key arrivals: Thomas Guebert (Luzenac), Christopher Jouffreau (Change), Baptiste Reynet (Martigues), Gregory Thil (Boulogne), Samuel Souprayen (Rennes), Brice Jovial (Le Havre), Zakaria Diallo (Sporting Charleroi), Abdoulaye Meïte (West Brom), Younousse Sankhare (PSG), Daisuke Matsui (Grenoble), Freddy Drogba (Le Mans)
Key departures: Sebastien Ribas (Genoa)
Prediction: 18th

Evian

Evian’s promotion to the French top flight is remarkable, having risen from the fourth tier of the country’s football to Ligue 1 in just four seasons with three promotions. Backed by the Danone Group, who have pumped millions into the club, as well as high profile former players including Bixente Lizarazu, Evian have prepared well for life at the top. They have noted how Arles-Avignon similarly rose rapidly through the leagues before enduring a nightmare campaign last season.

Sidney Govou returns from Greece and Panathinaikos to help Evian in their first campaign at this level, whilst Jerome Leroy is a superb signing from Rennes. The club have also snapped up Mohammed Rabiu and Jonathan Mensah from Champions League outfit Udinese, and adding the experience and talent of these names to the bulk of the squad which won promotion last year could mean Evian continue to surprise observers in France this season.

Key arrivals: Saber Khelifa (Esperance), Fabrice Ehret (FC Koln), Mohammed Rabiu, Jonathan Mensah (both Udinese), Sidney Govou (Panathinaikos), Jerome Leroy (Rennes), Daniel Wass (Benfica – loan)
Key departures: Oumar Pouye (Angers), Pierre Bouby (Metz), Hamady Tamboura (Angers), Antoine Ponroy (Laval)
Prediction: 15th

Lille

Lille have kept hold of their best player, Eden Hazard, in spite of interest from foreign clubs. Gervinho, Yohan Cabaye and Adil Rami however, have all left, but Rudi Garcia has recruited well to replace them. Benoit Pedretti is a good addition to take Cabaye’s place, whilst Dimitri Payet slotted into Gervinho’s position with ease in the Trophée des Champions against Marseille. Laurent Bonnart is a good addition defensively and David Rozenhal and Marko Basa will help to fill the void left by Rami.

Lille have struggled in the past towards the end of seasons when coping with injuries, but their squad held up well last year under pressure as Marseille closed in. Can they repeat that performance this year? Possibly. But if key players are injured, such as Moussa Sow or Eden Hazard, Lille could struggle. With Marseille and PSG strengthening and Lyon changing managers, Lille have three serious threats to their title. It will be a remarkable achievement if Rudi Garcia’s side can retain their crown.

Key arrivals: Benoit Pedretti (Auxerre), Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel-Aviv), Dimitri Payet (Saint-Etienne), Ronny Rodelin (Nantes), Marko Basa (Lokomotiv Moscow), David Rozehnal (Hamburg), Thomas Regnier (Mulhouse), Laurent Bonnart (Monaco)
Key departures: Gervinho (Arsenal), Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle), Adil Rami (Valencia – loan return), Nicolas Fauvergue (Sedan), Pierre-Alain Frau, Jerry Vandam (both Caen)
Prediction: 2nd



Lorient

Key man Kevin Gameiro has left Lorient and replacing his goals will be a challenge. The club will hope that Jeremie Aliadiere, who returns to France after failing to make it in England with Arsenal or Middlesbrough, can use his technical skill and finishing ability to thrive in the slightly less physical Ligue 1.

But having been raided by the biggest clubs for their best players, with last year’s Ligue 1’s second top scorer Gameiro gone and Morgan Amalfitano and Jeremy Morel upping sticks for Marseille, Lorient will have a challenge repeating their performance of last year, where they finished in mid-table. A number of players have arrived to try and ensure the club can continue to push for Europe, but whether they are of the same quality as those they replace is doubtful. Lorient should have too much quality to go down, but the example of Monaco shows what can happen. A tough campaign lies ahead.

Key arrivals: Florent Chaigneau (Le Poire-sur-vie), Pedrinho (Academica de Coimbra), Tristan Do (Strasbourg), Mathieu Coutadeur (Monaco), Julien Quercia (Auxerre), Jeremie Aliadiere (free transfer), Lucas Mareque (Independiente)
Key departures: Morgan Amalfitano (Marseille), Lionel Cappone (Brest), Kevin Gameiro (PSG), Jeremy Morel (Marseille)
Prediction: 10th

Lyon

Having been overtaken by Lille and Marseille and spending the summer watching PSG, a side Les Gones narrowly beat to a Champions League spot last summer, invest heavily, Lyon could face a challenge just to qualify for Europe’s top competition for the 14th year in a row. The aura and memory of Lyon’s league successes still hang heavy though and make expectations of the side falling out of the top three rare.

But Lyon have not strengthened their squad this summer. With the talent of Yoann Gourcuff, Lisandro Lopez and Bafa Gomis, Les Gones should not necessarily have to, but a leaky defence let them down continuously last year and veteran Brazilian defender Cris needs replacing sooner rather than later. Remi Garde has taken over from Claude Puel and will need to use his experience as a defender to prevent Lyon conceding too many, as if the former champions repeat the errors of last season, PSG are unlikely to let them off again.

Key arrivals: None
Key departures: Ousmane N’Diaye (Arles-Avignon)
Prediction: 4th

Marseille

Marseille will be looking to win Ligue 1 again after seeing Lille take their crown last season. The Stade Velodrome side have lost Taye Taiwo to AC Milan, but have brought in Lorient pair Morgan Amalfitano and Jeremy Morel, as well as Alou Diarra from Bordeaux as they look to add depth and quality to an already experienced and talented squad. The goals of Andre Ayew, Andre-Pierre Gignac and Loic Remy up front give Marseille a daunting threat going forward, though Lucho Gonzalez may well leave.

Lille lost key men but strengthened, however with Marseille’s ability to grind out results and added strength in depth, a closer title race should be expected this season, and Didier Deschamps’ men can win it this time.

Key arrivals: Morgan Amalfitano, Jeremy Morel (Lorient), Nicolas N’Koulou (Monaco), Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Gennaro Bracigliano (Nancy)
Key departures: Leyti N’Diaye (Ajaccio – loan), Taye Taiwo (AC Milan)
Prediction: 1st

Montpellier

Montpellier will face a challenging campaign after losing key defender Emir Spahic to Sevilla. The south coast club lost in the Coupe de la Ligue final to Marseille last season, but have been a solid Ligue 1 team since winning promotion in 2009. In an increasingly competitive league in which seven teams went into the last day of last year at risk of relegation though, those who stand still take a huge risk, and Montpellier have only signed left back Henri Bedimo from Lens this summer.

A struggle against relegation could be in store for Montpellier, but they should still be too strong to drop into Ligue 2.

Key arrivals: Henri Bedimo (Lens)
Key departures: Teji Savanier, Hugo Rodriguez (Arles Avignon), Romain Armand (Clermont), Emir Spahic (Sevilla)
Prediction: 12th

Nancy

The experienced Jean Fernandez arrives this summer from Auxerre and will hope to inject some quality into a Nancy side which only survived in Ligue 1 last year on the final day. They have brought in a number of Ligue 2 players in a bid to add strength and depth to the squad, but have lost key performers to some of Ligue 1’s bigger names.

A campaign fighting against relegation should lie ahead.

Key arrivals: Alexandre Cuvillier (Boulogne), Lossemy Karaboue (Sedan), Salif Sane (Bordeaux), Guy N’dy Assembé (Nantes), Distel Zola (Monaco)
Key departures: Julien Feret (Rennes), Landry N’Guemo (Bordeaux), Gennaro Bracigliano (Marseille)
Prediction: 13th

Nice

Another side to survive on the final day of last season (like half of Ligue 1), Nice have set about strengthening their squad this summer to try and avoid leaving it so late to secure their status in the top flight.

Left back Fabian Monzon will be the most intriguing of Nice’s captures and he will hope to show why he was a regular in the Argentina team which won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But goalscoring was Nice’s main problem last season and without someone to consistently put the ball in the back of the net, another campaign of struggle surely awaits.

Key arrivals: Camel Meriem (Arles-Avignon), Kevin Gomis (Naval), Fabian Monzon (Boca Juniors), Didier Digard (Middlesbrough)
Key departures: None
Prediction: 16th



Paris Saint-Germain

PSG have strengthened their squad in style after being taken over by Qatari investors at the start of the summer. Unlike other teams to be bought by big money owners from the Middle East, such as Manchester City or Malaga, PSG are coming off the back of a title challenge and have invested in proven Ligue 1 quality as well as their marquee signing, Palermo’s Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore.

Blaise Matuidi brings steel to the midfield, whilst Kevin Gameiro adds more of a threat up front. Signing Jeremy Menez from Roma is an impressive capture and Milan Bisevac will give the defence solidity, in front of the incoming Nicolas Douchez, a great signing from Rennes.

Having looked like mounting a title challenge last year before falling away in the second half of the season as star man Nene’s goals dried up, PSG could last the distance this time. Whether they have what it takes to make the leap from fourth place to champions is open to question, but a Champions League place looks well within their reach.

Key arrivals: Nicolas Douchez (Rennes), Kevin Gameiro (Lorient), Blaise Matuidi (St Etienne), Jeremy Menez (Roma), Milan Bisevac (Valenciennes), Mohammed Sissoko (Juventus), Javier Pastore (Palermo)
Key departures: Florian Makhedjouf (Sedan), Kevin Rimane (Boulogne), Younousse Sankhare (Dijon), Yacine Qasmi (Rennes),Tripy Makonda (Brest), Jeremy Clement (Saint-Etienne)
Prediction: 3rd

Rennes

Rennes enjoyed a superb campaign last year and have held on to star man Yann M’Vila, though they have also lost some key players. Shot-stopper Nicolas Douchez has left, Sylvain Marveaux signed for Newcastle, but Rennes have not been quiet themselves. The side have brought in some useful players, such as Chris Mavinga and Julien Feret, however Rennes struggled to score goals last year and as a result their premature title challenge faded.

So far this summer only the youngster Yacine Qasmi has arrived to help out up front and questions remain about Rennes’ potency going forward. They will do well to qualify for Europe again, but with Frederic Antonetti’s organisational skill that remains a realistic target.

Key arrivals: Julien Feret (Nancy), Benoit Costil (Sedan), Yacine Qasmi (PSG), Jonathan Pitroipa (Hamburg), Chris Mavinga (Liverpool)
Key departures: Samuel Souprayen (Dijon), Nicolas Douchez (PSG), Sylvain Marveaux (Newcastle), Jerome Leroy (Evian), Johann Carrasso (Monaco)
Prediction: 7th

Saint-Etienne

Saint-Etienne had a great start to the last campaign but fell away, eventually finishing 10th. The record Ligue 1 title winners have been raided for their best players this summer, with Dimitri Payet leaving for Lille and Blaise Matuidi for PSG. This is a huge blow as Payet was the key to the club’s promising start and Matuidi has been the key midfield runner their team was built around. With Emmanuel Riviere also leaving for Toulouse, a summer of rebuilding has been in order on the Rhone.

Florent Sinama-Pongolle continues his European tour with Les Verts, and Jeremy Clement could be a useful addition too. Paulao arrives on loan from Braga to solidify the defence, but much will depend on how Emerick Aubameyang performs up front. He struggled with Monaco last season, however better service could get the best out of him. Cristophe Galtier is a talented coach, even so a Europa League push is likely to be the best Saint-Etienne can hope for.

Key arrivals: Florent Sinama-Pongolle (Sporting Lisbon), Paulao (Braga), Stephane Ruffier (Monaco), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (AC Milan – loan), Jeremy Clement (PSG)
Key departures: Dimitri Payet (Lille), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Emmanuel Riviere (Toulouse)
Prediction: 9th

Sochaux

Losing manager Francois Gillot is a huge blow to a talented, youthful side who qualified for the Europa League last season. Sochaux have though retained a number of key players, such as Ryad Boudebouz, Cedric Bakambou and Marvin Martin.

New coach Mehmed Bazdarevic will have a tough job repeating Gillot’s achievements, but it is always easier coming into a club on a high than a low and with a good squad on his hands, the 50-year-old should be able to compete for European qualification again.

Key arrivals: Sebastien Roudet (Lens), Steven Mouyokolo (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Sebastien Corchia (Le Mans), Papa Demba Camara (Etoile Lusitana)
Key departures: Nicolas Maurice-Belay (Bordeaux)
Prediction: 8th

Toulouse

Toulouse have strengthened well this summer, bringing in Umut Bulut and Emmanuel Riviere as well as Auxerre’s Remy Riou. A good campaign last time around saw them finish eighth but goalscoring was a big problem.

Prolific Turkish forward Bulut should go some way to resolving that issue, whilst the youthful but talented Riviere promises both invention and goals. With last year’s Europa League qualifiers Rennes and Sochaux failing to make significant additions this summer, Toulouse could be in line to threaten the European qualification places at the end of this season.

Key arrivals: Umut Bulut (Trabzonspor), Rémy Riou (Auxerre), Emmanuel Riviere (Saint-Etienne)
Key departures: None
Prediction: 5th

Valenciennes

Having lost manager Philippe Montanier to Real Sociedad, Valenciennes could struggle this season, and the further loss of Milan Bisevac to PSG was not what the doctor would have ordered two weeks before the start of the season; whether they can adequately replace the pair will be key to their fortunes.

A solid defence was the basis on which their impressive home form was built last season. A club which could become ever more reliant on the goals of Gregory Pujol and with a manager in Daniel Sanchez without a great track record is likely to struggle though. Relegation is not an impossibility.

Key arrivals: Diadie Diarra (Mantes), Ibrahim Sacko (Brest), Kenny Lala (Paris FC)
Key departures: Milan Bisevac (PSG)
Prediction: 17th