This weekend, the D1 is back for a new season. Before embarking on the big bath with the first matches this Sunday, a brief overview of the issues and questions surrounding the beginning of the 2017/2018 fiscal year.


Lyon candidate for his own succession


At the beginning of this season, it's difficult to see a more serious contender than Olympique Lyonnais for the title of champion of France. A team that has retained the same skeleton compared to last season and has the workforce by far the richest, despite injuries (Jessica Houara of Hommeaux, Claire Lavogez) registered in August. A time in advance confirmed with the recent arrivals of Lucy Bronze and Shanice van de Sanden and that already announced of Amandine Henry at the end of the season in NWSL.


At the launch of the D1 yesterday at the headquarters of the FFF, Jean-Michel Aulas announced even other possible arrivals to the club, a sign of a willingness to put all the ingredients to try to achieve a new triplet, and pocket a twelfth title consecutive in the league. The only question mark seems to be on the side of the coach, Reynald Peydros who discovers the women's football with his nomination at the head of the OL.


A relative concern for a former professional and international tricolor player, trained at FC Nantes by Jean-Claude Suaudeau and Reynald Denoueix, a legacy that leads the Lyon president to see his new coach as a technician responsible for bringing "a certain style To accompany "the performance". A requirement of beautiful game that is perhaps a way to anticipate the question: can Lyon still do better?



Makeover


Farewell Juvisy, welcome to Paris FC. A new identity that the players of Essonne take the time to appropriate after having worn the colors of one of the institutions of French women's football. A story that does not disappear completely, especially as Paris FC continue to play on the side of Bondoufle, with some matches that would be scheduled in Charlety during the season.


A transition that has finally spread and which in the opinion of Captain Gaetane Thiney has weighed in the minds. What will be the next season, after a particularly disappointing exercise? A question all the more open with the departure of Kadidiatou Diani to PSG, one of the best players of Juvisy in recent seasons. It will probably take time to judge Paris FC, and see if the club will have the opportunity in the near future to find the heights against the professional teams of the championship.



Paris: Life without Europe


In the shadow of Lyon and now Montpellier, Paris Saint-Germain is preparing for a season without Champions League for the first time in five years (season 2012/2013). An absence while the team of Patrice Lair has repeatedly managed to push the OL in his trenches, but failed to win a single title last season.


This period away from European competitions can also be beneficial for a Parisian team that has sometimes seemed breathless on some matches, leaving particular points in the league. A kind of prolonged transition with this season, the departures of Sabrina Delannoy (now deputy director of the PSG foundation and who will also advise Patrice Lair for the women's team) and Cristiane, two players of importance in the Parisian group in recent seasons.


Yet, in a team that showed last year its ability to work fast and strengthened this summer, everything seems possible. Nevertheless, the match will have to think of three with Lyon but also a Montpellier team that could take advantage of its European experience to further progress collectively.



Musical chairs


This summer, five teams have seen coaching changes. A mercato banks more animated than usual and which we expect to see the effects on the different teams in terms of play but also results. In addition to Reynald Pedros in Lyon, Sébastien Joseph moved from Rodez to Soyaux, himself replaced by Gregory Mleko from Yzeure club in D2. At Juvisy, it's a succession internally with Pascal Gouzenes, while ASPTT Albi has made the choice to hire a tandem (Patrice Garrigues / Théodore Genoux) to lead the first team.


A novelty that necessarily passes through phases of adaptation, as mentioned the Albigensian Aïvi Mitchaï during the presentation of the season at the FFF but which can also be beneficial to the image of what had happened in Rodez in 2015 when Sébastien Joseph arrived, followed by a particularly successful season for the Aveyronnaises. While not necessarily decisive, this new situation could have an impact in the middle of the table but also in the race to maintain.

The "pros" of maintaining


Last season saw two female sections of professional teams (FC Metz and AS Saint-Etienne) down to D2. Relegations that remind that amateur teams are not condemned to go down at the end of the season, and gradually disappear from the elite. A warning especially for the LOSC that rises this season, but also for Bordeaux who had passed near the descent last May.


A trend on which Fleury can hope to surf this season, in the costume of small squeak of the D1 after its title of champion of France of D2. The club of Essonne has also recruited accordingly with players broken to the D1 (Sarah Palacin, Maeva Clemaron, Salma Amani ...) who joined the group of Nicolas Carric.


This need to recruit widely has also imposed on Albi who has seen the departure of his captain Anais Arcambal, one of four players who have regularly played last season and who left this summer the Albigensian club. To overcome these departures, several young players have joined the club Tarn to find play time and help the club to continue the adventure in D1.


A race at the bottom that promises to be once again uncertain, and probably more open than the one for the title. Between the two, we will observe with attention the course of the Olympique de Marseille, brilliant last season. The "seasons after" have proved more difficult for Guingamp and Rodez in recent years, what will happen this year for OM?