Olympique Marseille

World Cup fever swept the nation over the past few months, and now the tournament has finished the spectators’ attentions are waiting for the next big thing. After France achieved the 1^st place trophy in Russia, the interest in watching Ligue 1 clubs compete has greatly increased.

Due to this curiosity when it comes to the French club teams, we thought we would put together this article to discuss all things French football. From the upcoming players to how the make-up of the French soccer leagues is, you will find this all out below.

About Ligue 1 and its Influence

Ligue 1 is the top tier league for French club teams with the Ligue 2 and Champtionnat National beneath it. Therefore, the highest scoring sides are seen in the top division compared to those of smaller lesser skilled ones.

How the transition between these three work, is that at the end of a tournament, the bottom three teams are relegated to the league beneath it and t

27th October 2017. By Edward Stratmann.
Heading into Olympique de Marseille's monumental Le Classique clash with PSG at the Orange Velodrome last Sunday, Luiz Gustavo was always going to be a key figure as Marseille searched for their first win over their rivals in almost six years.

While the €7 million summer signing from Wolfsburg has had some disciplinary issues so far, which has seen him receive one red card and six yellow cards in all competitions, and suffered the odd poor game, his impact has been largely positive since his arrival. Adding experience, class and a strong determination, the 30-year-old's given the side some much needed leadership, fight and quality in the centre of the park.

This was certainly the case in Rudi Garcia's men's excellent showing vs. PSG in their enthralling 2

17th March 2017. By Edward Stratmann.
When speaking in an interview with L'Equipe, Dimitri Payet made it abundantly clear how happy he was to leave West Ham in January to rejoin his former club, Marseille.

Following a sensational debut season in the Premier League, where he notched an impressive nine goals and 12 assists, a disgruntled Payet bemoaned the Hammers' lack of ambition this term, though, even claiming he was bored by Slaven Bilic's style of play. "I didn't want to play the role of also-rans in the Premier League any more," he divulged.

"I didn't like the way we approached matches, the defensive system put in place. With a 5-4-1 in front of our penalty area, I could have all the freedom in the world, but it made it difficult to express myself. You could say I was bored, yes. I went through matches without

1st May 2016. By Ryan Baldi.
There has been a breakout star in French football this season, making waves with Nice. An exciting winger capable of dribbling past several opponents in a single move, and with a wand of a left foot able to bend the ball into the top corner from almost any angle.

This exciting new star is not some teenage sensation. He is not a newcomer to Ligue 1, imbued with the confident swagger of youth. He is 29-year-old former Newcastle United player Hatem Ben Arfa.

Ben Arfa has been in outstanding form this season. His 17 league goals from 31 games has elevated Nice to fourth position in Ligue 1, just two points behind second-placed Lyon and genuine contenders for Champions League qualification.

The former Olympique Lyonnais player has regularly produced individual trickery and showboating skills that have been shared around the world in the form of GIFs on twitter or YouTube highlight videos.

Can anyone keep Paris Saint Germain from winning a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title in 2016? With competition in the French top-flight officially on hold until January 8^th, it certainly doesn't seem like it. In just 19 games, the Parisians have managed to put 19 points between themselves and their nearest competitors. With a record of 16 wins, three draws, and zero losses, they are not only the single undefeated football club on the table, but the only team to have fewer than three losses so far this season. PSG have also won seven more games than any other soccer squad in the division-a remarkable feat that almost makes their 2015 2016 Ligue 1 title seem like a foregone conclusion.

The Hunt for an Undefeated Season

Paris Saint Germain, of course, have been no strangers to success, as of late. Since the 2012 2013 season, they've managed three Ligue 1 titles, one Coupe de France, two Coupe de la Ligue trophies,

Following Ligue 1 2015 - 16 week 15 three-time consecutive champions Paris Saint Germain still have yet to drop a game. The reigning title holders won once again on Saturday, beating Troyes in a 4-1 home match. It's the ninth league victory in a row for the Parisians, who showed signs of weakness in mid-September when they drew two matches in a row, but who have been borderline flawless ever since. PSG have only conceded five goals in those nine matches (while scoring 27) and only allowed Troyes to net a point in the closing minutes of Saturday's match.

The nine-game winning streak has made the wearers of the PSG home shirt 2015/16 more or less untouchable on this season's Ligue 1 standings table. With 41 points and a goal difference of +29, the Parisians lead by a landslide over current second-placers Caen. Following their own 4-1 victory over the weekend-against Bordeaux-Caen have the second-best win percentage in the league, with nine wins from their first 15 games. Still,

Week five of the UEFA Champions League 2015/16 began to bring the next phase of the competition into clear focus, as 10 of the round of 16 slots are now confirmed. Week six of the group stage, which the UEFA has scheduled for December 8^th and 9^th, will see several on-the-fringe clubs battling for last-minute advancement. For the most part, though, the big title contenders have already secured their round of 16 spots.

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The First Qualifiers

When we last checked in with the Champions League, following week four of competition in early November, three teams-Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Zenit St. Petersburg-had already guaranteed themselves advancement into the next round. Zenit St. Petersburg continues to carry

Being an Olympique Marseille fan hasn't exactly been easy over the past few years. From 2004 through to 2011, the football club was one of France's finest, notching top-five finish after top-five finish. In 2010, they won the Ligue 1 title; in both 2009 and 2011, they finished as the runners-up. Since then, though, Olympique Marseille have been inconsistent, to say the least. In 2011 2012, they dropped to 10^th place on the Ligue 1 table; in 2012 2013, they jumped back up to second place; and in 2013 2014, they fell out of the top five once again. And now it seems that in 2015 - 2015 Olympique Marseille hit rock bottom.

Last season, it looked as if the Olympians might win another title. For 14 weeks in the middle of the season, they were in first place in the league in terms of point totals. But when they only won eight games in the second half of the season, Marseille fell from first place to fourth.

A Rough Start

For a significant span of the 2014 2015 football season, Olympique Marseille was leading the way in France's Ligue 1. They ascended to the top spot just six weeks into the campaign, winning 3-0 against Rennes to take the lead. That was the end of September, and the Olympians wouldn't be displaced from the frontrunner position until January. It was a stunning run that had many fans of the club-as well as speculators in the wider football world-wondering if 2014 2015 could be the season to break Marseille's unlucky streak. But it was not to be and PSG ultimately took the title. We look back on the Olympique Marseille Ligue 1 history, and question why they are struggling to win another trophy.

The battle for the Ligue 1 title 2014 - 2015 is the most hotly contested of European football leagues. In most of the professional football divisions across Europe, the top-flight champions are already decided and the final few games of the season are little more than a formality. Chelsea clinched the 2014 2015 English Premier League title a week ago, Juventus have won their fourth consecutive trophy in the Italian Serie A, and Bayern Munich are guaranteed to walk away with the top slot in the German top-flight for the 25^th time in history. In France's Ligue 1, though, the battle is still alive-at least until this weekend, when Paris Saint Germain are expected to solidify their third national soccer championship in a row!

The Current 2014 2015 Ligue 1 Standings

Right now, the standings in France's top-flight football division are as follows: PSG is in the lead, with 77 points and a score of +45 in the goal