How to find the right coach

Marcelo Bielsa
“In one week last month, the British newspapers reported on names in the running to be the new Chelsea coach. Pep Guardiola, it was reported in some quarters, will be offered a contract worth £40 million ($63M) after tax, while The Times reported that Laurent Blanc was the front-runner. Jose Mourinho is still a target, claimed the Daily Mail, while The Mirror had Marcelo Bielsa snubbing an approach, via intermediaries, from Roman Abramovich. Four coaches, all at the top of their profession: but each with totally different philosophies and visions about how the game should be played, how their players should be treated, and, presumably, how they would approach their role if they worked at Stamford Bridge.” SI

Bayern take big step towards semi-finals

“Marseille’s decision to field third-choice goalkeeper Elinton Andrade backfired as his mistake gifted Bayern Munich the opening goal in their Champions League quarter-final. The 32-year-old, preferred to number two Gennaro Bracigliano with first choice Steve Mandanda suspended, allowed Mario Gomez’s shot to squirm under his body in the 44th minute of the first leg at the Stade Velodrome.” ESPN

Kalou secures vital away win for Blues
“Chelsea may not be as good as they used to be but even a makeshift line-up was strong enough to put them in touching distance of the Champions League semi-finals. There was as little to fear from Benfica as Didier Drogba allegedly indicated, the side that helped eliminate Manchester United producing arguably one of the most toothless performances ever witnessed in a quarter-final home leg.” ESPN

Benzema brace puts Real on brink of semis
“Substitute Kaka sparkled and Karim Benzema scored twice as Real Madrid finally broke down Cypriot underdogs APOEL in Nicosia. The Brazil international was introduced in the 63rd minute and set up Benzema for a 74th-minute opener before tucking away fellow sub Marcelo’s excellent cutback eight minutes later.” ESPN

APOEL v Lyon a good example of when the away goals rule creates a defensive game

“Despite the ultimately exciting method of victory, and the novelty of having a Cypriot club in the final eight of the European Cup, the APOEL v Lyon game was actually a dull spectacle. This was true in both technical and tactical terms. Technically, the sides finished with fairly low pass completion rates (71% and 74%), and tactically neither changed much throughout the game. Even when it did look as if the coaches might shake things up, when APOEL coach Ivan Jovanovic switched from two strikers to one striker, and Lyon boss Remi Garde did the opposite at the same time, the sides continued to play in much the same manner.” Zonal Marking

Blanc’s France still searching for an identity

“For a team protecting an unbeaten record that now stretches to 543 days, France will approach Wednesday night’s friendly against Germany in Bremen with a surprising degree of uncertainty. Since going down 1-0 at home to Belarus in Laurent Blanc’s first competitive game in charge in September 2010, France have qualified for Euro 2012 – without recourse to the play-offs – and enjoyed friendly wins over England, Brazil and the United States (as well as some forgettable draws against Croatia, Chile and Belgium).” Football Further

Laurent Blanc’s France side are still searching for an identity

“For a team protecting an unbeaten record that now stretches to 543 days, France will approach Wednesday night’s friendly against Germany in Bremen with a surprising degree of uncertainty. Since going down 1-0 at home to Belarus in Laurent Blanc’s first competitive game in charge, in September 2010, France have qualified for Euro 2012 – without recourse to the play-offs – and enjoyed friendly wins over England, Brazil and the US (as well as some forgettable draws against Croatia, Chile and Belgium).” Guardian

Marseille 1-0 Inter: Marseille finally get the breakthrough with their 44th cross of the match

“Andre Ayew pounced in stoppage time, and Marseille will take a one goal lead to Inter. Didier Deschamps was without top scorer Loic Remy, so Brandao was upfront. In midfield, Benoit Cheyrou started rather than Charles Kaboré. Claudio Ranieri made the fitness-related decision to omit Diego Milito, and instead play Diego Forlan and Mauro Zarate – otherwise, the side was as expected. A strange game here – Inter looked in control midway through the second half, but then increasingly invited pressure. 0-0 was probably a better reflection of the balance of play.” Zonal Marking

Marseille 1-0 Inter: Marseille finally get the breakthrough with their 44th cross of the match

“Andre Ayew pounced in stoppage time, and Marseille will take a one goal lead to Inter. Didier Deschamps was without top scorer Loic Remy, so Brandao was upfront. In midfield, Benoit Cheyrou started rather than Charles Kaboré. Claudio Ranieri made the fitness-related decision to omit Diego Milito, and instead play Diego Forlan and Mauro Zarate – otherwise, the side was as expected. A strange game here – Inter looked in control midway through the second half, but then increasingly invited pressure. 0-0 was probably a better reflection of the balance of play.” Zonal Marking

PSG 2-2 Montpellier: narrowness versus width

“First played second in Ligue 1, and PSG maintain their one-point lead. PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti was unable to use Javier Pastore from the start – he was fit only for the bench. The only change from the 0-0 draw with Nice was Blaise Matuidi coming in for Mathieu Bodmer on the left of midfield. Rene Girard made three changes, bringing in Hilton at the back, Souleymane Camara on the right, and Jamel Saihi in the centre of midfield, in a 4-2-3-1 formation.” Zonal Marking

Nationalities of managers in European leagues

“England are without a manager, and the FA are known to favour an English candidate for the job. Harry Redknapp is the overwhelming favourite, but the problem with favouring an English candidate is that there are so few English managers working in the Premier League. How does this situation compare to other major footballing countries in Europe?” ZonaL Marking

So that is why they are one of the richest club in the world!

“What is the most you have ever paid for a ticket for football? An official one, mind, not one from a tout. £50? Certainly not if you follow your team away from home and have been to the Emirates, Stamford Bridge, White Hart Lane or even in the nPower Championship at Upton Park recently where £50 will get you entry and not even a sniff of a bottle of Emirates water or pie and mash in East London. What about for a cup final? The FA think fans will bend over backwards to be shafted for these tickets but rarely do they go into three figures.” The Ball is Round

Marseille on an inexorable rise

“Speculation over Paris Saint-Germain’s manifold transfer targets may be dominating football coverage in France at the moment, but the headline story on the pitch has been the stunning return to form of Marseille.” ESPN

Ten questions for 2012

Borussia Dortmund celebrate
“As the major continental leagues resume following the winter break – Serie A and La Liga returned to action over the weekend, with Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga set to follow suit in the next fortnight – Pitchside Europe looks at ten issues that will help determine the balance of power across Europe in the 12 months ahead.” Eurosport

Top ten Ligue 1 transfer targets

“Ligue 1 has proved a fertile hunting ground for Premier League sides in recent years – not least for Newcastle United – and as the January transfer window opens, several names from the French top flight find themselves linked with clubs from the English elite. Football Further runs the rule over the players making the headlines and identifies which of them are likely to be on the move.” Football Further

Ten Ligue 1 players who could move in January transfer window
“Ten Ligue 1 players who could move in the January transfer window…” SI

Hakuna Matata #12: Italy-France ’98 – Di Biagio and the trembling crossbar

“On 3rd July 1998 in Stade de France in Saint Denis, the first World Cup ’98 quarter final was played between the hosts, France, and Italy. It was an encounter that would be ultimately be remembered for the Luigi Di Biagio penalty that smashed against the bar to end Italy’s campaign.” The Football Express (Video)

Biggest soccer stories in 2011

“It’s that time of year again where we look back on a selection from the standout soccer stories in the year just passed. Here’s the best of 2011…” SI

Football’s role in Algeria’s fight for independence from France

“In April 1958, Rachid Mekhloufi stood on the brink of international superstardom. Having scored 25 goals in thirty games to help Saint-Étienne win their first Championnat the year before, Mekhloufi was about to win his fifth France cap in a friendly against Switzerland, with coach Paul Nicolas including him in the forty-man pre-selection for Les Bleus’ highly fancied World Cup squad.” World Soccer

Brian Glanville on Lyon’s improbable Champions League qualification

“Seven goals scored and consequent qualification in the European Cup for a Lyon team which until then had found scoring in the group so difficult. True, Dynamo did have a man sent off in the first half, but seven goals? Michel Platini, ever more controversial and disappointing President of UEFA, seems airily unconcerned, reassured it would seem, by the fact that there was no sign of unusual betting at the bookmakers.” World Soccer

Irish underdogs

“It may have seemed as if Ireland’s Euro 2012 dreams had suffered a hammer blow as they were thrown into a opening group featuring Spain, Italy and Croatia, yet the reaction in Dublin has been surprisingly upbeat as the gravity of the task facing Giovanni Trapattoni’s rank outsiders was digested.” ESPN

French fancy their chances
“It goes without saying French football owes a big debt of gratitude to Zinédine Zidane, from his headers to help win the World Cup to his silken contribution to the Euro 2000 success and even to his retribution-filled coup de boule – his ‘head-butt’ – on Marco Materazzi. Zizou added another reason for Les Bleus to be thankful to him when he produced another coup de boule – which could also mean ‘ball trick’, honestly, it works in French! – by drawing a clement Euro 2012 group for his old mate Laurent Blanc.” ESPN

Premier League’s best struggle in Champions League group stage

Franck Ribéry
“Twelve Champions League thoughts from Round 5 of the Group Stage…” SI

Lyon 0 – 0 Ajax: Goalless draw sees Ajax come close to the CL knock-out rounds

“Ajax managed to obtain exactly the result they came for in their fifth Champions League Group stage match, duplicating their home result with a 0-0 away draw at Lyon. Considering Real Madrid’s absolute dominance and Dinamo Zagreb’s failure to grab any points so far, the balance in results between Ajax and Lyon see Ajax now firmly hold an advantage of seven goals over their French rivals for a place among the final sixteen of this season’s Champions League.” 11 tegen 11

France 1-1 Bosnia: Bosnia dominate first half, France lucky to get back in the game late on

“Bosnia were 15 minutes from topping the group, but Samir Nasri’s late penalty put France into Euro 2012. Laurent Blanc brought in Anthony Reveillere and Eric Abidal at the back, and Jeremy Menez came on down the right in a 4-2-3-1. Safet Susic also went with a 4-2-3-1 – albeit with some important modifications, explained later. Despite the result favouring France, Susic got things right tactically from the outset. Bosnia were much more of a force in the first half and can consider themselves unfortunate to have lost the lead late on – they allowed France few clear chances, though rash tackles meant set-pieces were always likely to be a way back into the game for the home side.” Zonal Marking

Shallowness of France squad echoes Blanc’s Bordeaux slump

“In the build-up to France’s final two Euro 2012 qualifiers, the French press have been quick to draw comparisons with the situation that faced Les Bleus at the end of their ill-fated qualification campaign for the 1994 World Cup. Needing just a single point from their last two matches at home to Israel and Bulgaria, Gérard Houllier’s side somehow conspired to lose both to gut-wrenching last-minute goals. The stunning failure confirmed France’s unwelcome reputation for producing gifted but psychologically fragile sportsmen and the trauma of the event was only partially alleviated by the outcome of the next World Cup on home soil five years later.” Football Further

The Best Of Zidane

“You want an intro? No chance. If you need an introduction you’re probably in the wrong place. Nice montage this though, and for once you don’t need to hit the ‘mute’ button. Enjoy! Click the image to watch.” In Bed With Maradona

Manuel Neuer a leader of Europe’s new breed of young goalkeepers

Manuel Neuer
“It must be a peculiar feeling for Iker Casillas to feel like an old crony. Here is the player who for the best part of a decade was one of football’s great exceptions. In a position so specialist, so scrutinised, that experience and proven ability to handle the pressure is preferred, the boy from Madrid was an anomaly. There was, in every sense, very little he could not handle even in his teens.” Guardian

Garde’s guidance restores sense and serenity to Stade Gerland

“It is a measure of Lyon’s progress under Rémi Garde that Wednesday night’s 1-0 loss at Caen could be shrugged off as a mere inconvenience. Garde allowed himself a rueful smile during a pitchside interview after the match as he admitted he had been perplexed by his side’s sluggish approach to the game and in the subsequent press conference he was equally equanimous, likening the defeat to ‘a little kick up the bum’.” Football Further

Pazzini seals Italy’s Euro 2012 berth

“Substitute Giampaolo Pazzini ensured Italy became the second team after Germany to qualify for next summer’s Euro 2012 finals as his late goal handed them a 1-0 win over Slovenia in Florence. The Slovenians had put up a brave fight before Pazzini, a 61st-minute replacement for Antonio Cassano, pounced five minutes from time to give his side an unassailable lead at the top of Group C. Serbia took full advantage to move into second place with a 3-1 stroll over the Faroe Islands in Belgrade with goals from Milan Jovanovic, Zoran Tosic and Zdravko Kuzmanovic, while Estonia are still in with a shout after ending Northern Ireland’s hopes with an impressive 4-1 win in Tallinn….” ESPN

England stroll, Dutch double figures

Charles le Brun, Alexander and Porus
“Wayne Rooney hit a brace as England took a significant stride towards Euro 2012 with an impressive 3-0 hammering of Bulgaria in Sofia. A decade after that memorable 5-1 win over Germany in Munich, Fabio Capello’s men could not quite come up with a repeat performance. Nevertheless, their hosts had no answer to a three-goal first-half salvo – with defender Gary Cahill opening the scoring – that means four points from their final two games will book England a ticket to next summer’s Finals in Poland and Ukraine.” ESPN

Chris Smalling shows why England is no longer a country for old men
“Looking on the bright side, as Wayne Rooney is prone to doing these days, England have won every away game since the World Cup. The striker’s optimism may overlook some questionable performances at home and a World Cup that was more dire than anything that had gone before, but thanks to England’s success on the road – and Wales doing them a favour against Montenegro on Friday – the route to Euro 2012 qualification now seems straightforward.” Guardian

Scotland 2-2 Czech Republic
“Scotland’s Euro 2012 qualifying hopes are all but over after a controversial last-minute penalty gave Czech Republic a draw in their Group I qualifier at Hampden. Kenny Miller put the home side ahead a minute from the break from a pass by skipper Darren Fletcher but that was levelled in the 78th minute by midfielder Jaroslav Plasil.” ESPN

Ireland 0 – 0 Slovakia
“Hollywood newcomer Robbie Keane fluffed his lines as he passed up a glorious opportunity to keep the Republic of Ireland firmly in the race for the Euro 2012 finals. The 31-year-old LA Galaxy striker, who missed a penalty in the reverse fixture in October, headed wide from just five yards with 16 minutes of a distinctly uncomfortable contest against Slovakia remaining to let slip a victory his side never really deserved.” ESPN

Albania 1 – 2 France
“France had to cling on in Tirana as three points against Albania moved Laurent Blanc’s team closer to an automatic place at Euro 2012. Early goals from Karim Benzema and Yann M’Vila looked to have put Les Bleus in complete control inside the first quarter of the match, but Albania rocked the visitors with a reply from Erjon Bogdani in the opening minute of the second half. The hosts had chances to net an equaliser but France stayed ahead.” ESPN

Expect the Unexpected – A Shock For All New Fans Of Ligue 1

“Ligue 1 is often forgotten behind Europe’s more illustrious leagues, but following this summer’s takeover by QSI at Paris Saint-Germain, the competition has been attracting more than its fair share of attention. With many European football fans now eager to see if there is a new power on the rise in France, PSG’s situation has brought in a number of French football debutants. With the league having been underway for three weeks now, first timers will have been struck by the fact that it is a surprising set of teams doing well so far.” the elastico

La Révision: Lyon and Bordeaux held, Lille and PSG victorious

“Indiscipline seemed to be the theme of the week in Ligue 1, with no less than five red cards shown over the course of the weekend. There were some strong challenges but thankfully they were balanced out by some superb goals.” stv

Montpellier smash and grab leaves Lille wanting to leave August behind

“Lille’s record for August matches against French teams under coach Rudi Garcia now stands at 11 games without a win, after the Ligue 1 champions were beaten 1-0 at home to Montpellier on Sunday night. What was a quirky stat is fast becoming an issue, and Garcia’s pre-match joke that his team would be underdogs – ‘Montpellier are the team that always wins in August while we always lose in August’ – does not sound so funny now.” Guardian

Germany down Brazil, Italy slay Spain

“Germany claimed an impressive 3-2 scalp of Brazil in Wednesday night’s international friendly in Stuttgart. The impressive Bastian Schweinsteiger opened the scoring from the penalty spot for Germany before Mario Gotze doubled their lead, capping off a fine attacking move. Robinho reduced the deficit on 72 minutes, slotting home a spot-kick, but Andre Schurrle restored Germany’s two-goal advantage as he lashed into the top corner before Neymar scored a curled consolation.” ESPN

WhoScored.com’s France National Dream Team XI

“Laurent Blanc leads his France side to Montpellier to take on an exciting Chile side, that reached the quarterfinals of the Copa America, in a friendly on Wednesday night. Under his guidance Blanc has tried to mix the experienced internationals with some of Ligue 1’s most talented players including Marvin Martin and Yann M’Vila. Lille’s new winger Dimitri Payet would also possibly have been given a place in the starting line-up.” WhoScored

Ligue 1 2011-12 season preview

“The best stories in France go all the way to the top, and this one is no different. Paris St Germain, newly under the ownership of Qatari Sports Investments, this summer appointed Leonardo as sports director and in one month spent €83m (£72m) on eight players, including €42m on Javier Pastore, the Argentinian playmaker coveted by Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona, in a deal set to be confirmed before the new season kicks off on Saturday.” Guardian

Javier Pastore – El Flaco the new star in Paris

“‘He is irreverent, an ignoramus of football…he touches the ball as if he has already played in four or five World Cups.’ Of all the plaudits heaped onto the back of Javier Pastore, perhaps this endearing quote from one of the greatest legends of the game, Diego Maradona, speaks best to his unbridled potential and future as a superstar. With his record-breaking transfer from Serie A to Ligue 1, the question is whether the Argentine playmaker can live up to the hype his price tag brings.” French Football Weekly

Ten storylines to follow entering the French Ligue 1 season

“Top 10 storylines on the eve of the new French Ligue 1 season…” SI

“Just Fantastic” – Just Fontaine

“Just Fontaine is a name etched in the folklore of the World Cup. His goalscoring exploits for France in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, where he scored 13 goals in the tournament, are legendary and the record he set there has yet to be surpassed by any player since. Born in Marrakech, Morrocco in 1933, Just Fontaine made his professional debut playing for Casablanca, where he grew up. There, he won the Moroccan championship and the North African championship in 1952.” French Football Weekly

Parables

“In October 2001, the national football teams of France and Algeria faced off in a long-awaited, and (at least in principle) “friendly” international game at the Stade de France in Paris. The event was trumpeted as an opportunity for reconciliation, a symbolic end to the conflict between the two countries, and an opportunity for a French nation increasingly shaped by it’s Algerian immigrant population to find peace within itself. But from the beginning, the match was something else: the stadium was packed with fans of the Algerian team, most of them French citizens of Algerian background. Many booed and whistled not just at the French national team (sparing only Zinedine Zidane), but also — loudly — at the French national anthem.” Soccer Politics

The Qatari dilemma facing Paris St-Germain

“The cynical football fan might say that there is no such thing as a bad time to have your club bought up by the richest people on Earth, but if such a time exists then, for Paris Saint-Germain, that time is now. Having lurched through crises in the boardroom, in the stands and on the pitch over the last few years, PSG were until the last few weeks showing signs of entering a phase of stability.” French Football Weekly

Five great soccer quotes from a few literary giants

“Admit it: You’re fascinated by all the chaos and allegations embroiling FIFA these past few days. So are we. Who knows what to believe, but it’s hard to argue with the theater of it all. At some point, we read a poignant quote from legendary French philosopher writer Albert Camus (right), who before writing The Stranger and other classics was a goalkeeper for the youth team of Racing Universitaire Algerios (RUA).” Kicking & Screening Soccer Film Festival

Tough Love: Didier Deschamps and L’Om

“Didier Deschamps’ decision to remain with Olympique de Marseille is excellent news for France’s most successful club. Captain when L’OM became their country’s first European Cup winners in 1993, Deschamps cemented his legend in 2010 when he led them to their first Ligue 1 title since the match-fixing scandal that overshadowed that Champions League triumph, during his first season in charge. But despite his hero status amongst the demanding Stade Vélodrome crowd, further consecrated by declining a move to Roma, Deschamps faces another difficult pre-season at one of Europe’s hardest clubs to manage.” In Bed With Maradona

La semaine en France: Week 38

Pascal Berenguer
“After 34 years in France’s top flight, during which they won five league titles, three Coupes de France, one Coupe de la Ligue and finished runners-up in the 2003-04 Champions League, Monaco were relegated to Ligue 2 following a 2-0 defeat by Lyon last Sunday.” Football Further

The 50 greatest European club sides

“Alex Ferguson was left in no doubt. ‘In my time as a manager I would say yes, this is the best team I’ve faced.’ But then, on Saturday night at Wembley, the Manchester United manager wasn’t exactly analysing the issue with the most detached viewpoint. His team had just been utterly dismantled by Barcelona. And as he gets closer to the end of his career, it was a performance that will probably leave as deep an impression as that of Real Madrid at Hampden Park near the start of it in 1960.” The Football Pantheon

Three pivotal Euro 2012 clashes

“In football, there’s very little rest for the weary. After a long European club campaign, many top players are being called back into action for Euro 2012 qualifying matches on June 3, 4 and 7. There will be over 20 games, so which ones should you focus on? Here are our picks for the three matches with the most at stake as teams continue their quest to qualify for Poland and Ukraine.” ESPN

La semaine en France: Week 37

“You wait 56 years for a major trophy, and then two come along at once. Eight days after ending a 56-year wait to win the Coupe de France by beating Paris Saint-Germain at Stade de France, Lille ended a 57-year wait for the Ligue 1 championship following a 2-2 draw against the same opponents down the road at Parc des Princes.” Football Further

La semaine en France: Week 36

“Anyone who doubts the truth in the old adage that a week is a long time in football would do well to speak to the jubilant people of Lille. Seven days ago their team had gone 56 years without winning a trophy and were in danger of being overhauled in the league by Marseille. One week on, they are practically assured of their first Coupe de France and Ligue 1 double since 1946.” Football Further

Lille 1-0 PSG: Lille win the French Cup with 89th minute goal

“Substitute Ludovic Obraniak netted a lucky/brilliant free-kick to secure Lille’s first major trophy since 1955. Rudi Garcia brought Moussa Sow back into the side upfront, and also selected Idrissa Gueye in the centre of midfield, in the usual fluid 4-1-2-3 shape.” Zonal Marking

La semaine en France: Weeks 34 and 35

“Marseille are bloodied but they are not beaten yet. Lille’s 2-1 victory at Saint-Etienne on Tuesday saw OM fall seven points off the pace in the title race, but the champions defeated Brest 3-0 the following day and will be just a point behind Lille the next time the league leaders take to the field if they win at Lorient on Sunday.” Football Further

Lille’s French Revolution

Gervinho
“Although Lille’s faltering form in recent weeks has caused a few to doubt their ability to sustain their sparkling challenge in Ligue 1, this weekend’s victory over Nancy restored a four point lead at the top of the table. With just four games remaining until the end of the season, Les Dogues are well on course to win their first French title since 1954.” Swiss Ramble

Adios Señor, Bonjour Monsieur.

Action Between the Will of Liverpool and a French Privateer, February 21, 1804 1823, Robert Salmon
“I have to admit that I wholeheartedly bought into the Spanish revolution at Liverpool; so much more than the French one that went before it. The big difference, of course, was that we got the best of Spanish: best manager, best players. By contrast, we had a second-rate French manager (by comparison with Arsene Wenger, at least). Given that Arsenal had not only got the better French manager, but got their first (two years earlier, in 1996), Liverpool was never going to be the primary destination for elite French talent.” Tomkins Times

La semaine en France: Week 33

Kévin Gameiro
“The quota controversy that has dominated the French media agenda this week means that Marseille’s 1-1 draw at home to Auxerre last Sunday did not yield the level of scrutiny you might expect from an unscheduled setback for the reigning league champions.” Football Further

Race-quota scandal rocks France and sparks nationality debate

“On walking through the streets of Paris this spring, it was hard not to be confronted by Nike’s landmark agreement to sponsor the French national team. The glossy posters showing Florent Malouda, Yann M’vila, Abou Diaby and Alou Diarra standing, arms crossed with steely determination, gave off the sense that a changing of the guard had taken place. Fifty-seven years with Adidas had been consigned to history, the coveted rights prised away with the promise of an annual cheque worth €42.6m until 2018.” FourFourTwo

La semaine en France: Week 32

“With an inevitably that feels like it has been building for about two months, Marseille returned to the Ligue 1 summit after a 4-2 win at Mediterranean neighbours Nice on Wednesday night. Lille’s 1-1 draw at Lorient last Sunday – a magnificent game of football – had given the champions an opportunity to sneak to the top of the pile that they duly took, thanks to a hat-trick from André Ayew and a first Marseille goal for his younger sibling, Jordan.” Football Further

France football heads mired in race row over alleged quotas for ethnic players
“France has been plunged into a fresh race crisis after claims that football officials tried to limit black and Arab players on youth training schemes to make the French team more white. The French football federation has opened an internal investigation after website Mediapart reported that top management approved a quota system to limit young black players and those of north African origin emerging as candidates for the national team.” Guardian

La semaine en France: Week 31

“Another misstep from Lille allowed Marseille to close to within a point of the leaders in Week 31, while Paris Saint-Germain confirmed their return to form by beating Lyon 1-0 and relauching their bid for a Champions League place. Lille were held to a 1-1 draw by Bordeaux last Saturday – Vujadin Savić cancelling out Moussa Sow’s 21st goal of the season with a near-post header from a corner – but Rudi Garcia refused to sound the alarm and said he had been much more encouraged by his team’s performance than in the 1-0 loss at Monaco the week before.” Football Further

Feature: Streetwise Marseille slip into title gear

“For their rivals in the French title race, the manner in which Marseille have muscled their way into position in recent weeks bears an ominous trace of déjà vu. Just as they did last season, when they ended an 18-year wait for the Ligue 1 championship, Marseille are steadily grinding out results while their opponents flounder. The 2-1 comeback victory at Montpellier on Sunday enabled Didier Deschamps’s side to close to within a point of wobbling leaders Lille, held to a 1-1 draw by Bordeaux the day before. Third-place Lyon, meanwhile, saw their title ambitions hit in a 1-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain that left them six points off the pace with seven games remaining.” Football Further

Ten top Ligue 1 talents who could be on the move this summer

“The current row over TV rights in French soccer might not have made the news across Europe but its consequences soon will. Orange has dropped out of the bidding for next season’s rights — it paid the French league €200 million ($288M) to show one game a week for the last three seasons — leaving Canal Plus as the sole bidder. Canal has shown a willingness to pay something similar to its current deal, worth €450 million ($650M), but whatever happens, it will not make up the huge shortfall caused by Orange’s drop-out.” SI

La semaine en France: Week 30

“As France baked in unseasonably warm spring temperatures, Lille and Marseille both fluffed their lines to allow Lyon a glimpse of the title and permit Paris Saint-Germain to re-ignite their Champions League ambitions.” Football Further

La semaine en France: Week 29

“And then there were two. A week after Paris Saint-Germain gave up the ghost in the Ligue 1 title race, Lyon and Rennes both followed suit in Week 29. Lyon led 2-0 going into injury time at Nice on Sunday, before capitulating completely in the space of just three minutes to leave their title ambitions in tatters. Pape Diakhaté was the villain of the piece.” Football Further

Hungary 0 – 4 Netherlands

Dance to the Music of Time, Nicolas Poussin
“Holland turned on the style as they cruised past Hungary at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium in Budapest. Tottenham playmaker Rafael van der Vaart gave the visitors an early lead and Ibrahim Afellay’s goal shortly before half-time ensured the scoreline reflected Holland’s dominance.” ESPN

Hungary 0 – 4 Holland: Dutch tiki taka football
“Holland beat Hungary in spectacular fashion to obtain Van Marwijk’s 13th consecutive qualification victory, combining both WC 2010 and Euro 2012 qualifiers. And in the process, national manager Bert van Marwijk extended his unbelievable 90 minutes record in competitive matches to 19-1-0, that one being the World Cup final against Spain.” 11 tegen 11

Wales 0 – 2 England
“Early Frank Lampard and Darren Bent goals turned the spotlight off Fabio Capello as England eased past Wales in the teams’ Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff. England manager Capello had endured a torrid week in the media over his handling of John Terry’s reinstatement as captain and defeat at the Millennium Stadium would have seen the pressure increase considerably.” ESPN

Wales 0-2 England: Lampard and Bent seal the victory early on
“England recorded a comfortable victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium. Gary Speed sent Wales out in a broad 4-5-1 system. Craig Bellamy started on the right, with Andy King on the left. Aaron Ramsey, in his first game as captain, lined up behind Steve Morison. Fabio Capello named a surprising starting XI. Ashley Young was given a game on the wing, with Wayne Rooney also out wide, off Darren Bent. Michael Dawson partnered returning captain John Terry at the back.” Zonal Marking

Luxembourg 0 – 2 France
“The return of Patrice Evra and Franck Ribery failed to inspire France as, for the second time in their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, they laboured to a 2-0 win over Luxembourg. Evra and Ribery were back in the team for the first time since their misdeeds at the World Cup contributed to their side’s humiliating first-round exit. But the result with the pair in the team was the same as the result without them as goals from Philippe Mexes and Yoann Gourcuff saw them to a 2-0 win, just as when the sides met in France in October.” ESPN

Spain 2 – 1 Czech Republic
“David Villa scored twice to bring Spain from behind to beat the Czech Republic, and eclipsed Raul as Spain’s all-time goalscorer in the process. Spain were trailing to a 29th-minute wondergoal from Jaroslav Plasil but Villa fired home from the edge of the area in the 69th minute, moving clear of Raul’s record of 44 goals and relieving the tension in Granada.” ESPN

Slovenia 0 – 1 Italy
“Thiago Motta’s second-half strike handed Italy a narrow win over Slovenia in Ljubljana in their Euro 2012 qualifier. The Brazilian-born midfielder, who made his debut with the Azzurri in last month’s friendly against Germany, struck in the 73rd minute to hand the Italians their first-ever win on Slovenian soil. The result has lifted Italy six points clear of second-place Slovenia at the top of Group C after five games, bringing them significantly closer towards qualifying.” ESPN

What to Watch This Weekend – Interlull Edition, Pt 1 (Friday March 25)

“The Interlull is upon us. Just when the domestic and Champions leagues are hurtling towards their conclusions, getting us all hot and bothered…they take a break so the best players can fly all over the world to risk injury playing for their respective national teams in largely meaningless international games. (Full disclosure: we picked up the ‘Interlull’ terminology from the indispensable Arseblog.)” Cult Football

Jean-Paul Sartre on: The Problem With Other Players

“Anybody who saw the 1983 football biopic ‘Being is Believing’ will almost certainly have left the cinema with a somewhat romanticised view of the period that Jean-Paul Sartre spent as manager of Paris based side Stade Saint-Germain in the early 1960s. Yet, despite its historical inconsistencies, the film does at least manage to convey a tantalising flavour of the footballing revolution that took place in those astonishing few years when the unprepossessing Sartre transformed, in so many ways, how we perceive the beautiful game today.” Fisted Away