Ligue 1 – Sergio Ramos overtaken, flashback and OM referee – Reims contested: the tops and flops of the 19th day

Tops

Adil Rami makes little noise on the Troyes side. Far from always being present, he has played seven Ligue 1 matches this season (out of 19), the 2018 world champion defender, who had already scored against Rennes, however doubled the stake by allowing Estac to save the point of the draw against Brest this Wednesday evening. Seeing Rami shake the nets is nothing new. After all, the former Lille has already scored 29 goals in his career.

But to see him score twice in the same season in Ligue 1 is an event. It hadn’t happened to him since the 2009/2010 season. He was 24 and obviously played for LOSC. Another era. He had also completed the previous season with five goals. We doubt that he will be able to reach this total in 2021/2022 but with him …

Enthusiastic and unbeaten after six days, Nice had started its season in the most beautiful way with Christophe Galtier at its head. Lille or Bordeaux, who had taken four, against the Aiglons can attest to this. And then, the beautiful machine got stuck. Nice could sometimes succeed in beautiful matches, as against Lyon (3-2), sometimes frankly less good. Evidenced by the setbacks against Lorient, Troyes, Montpellier, Metz and Strasbourg.

And then the Gym recovered by beating two candidates for the podium in quick succession. First Rennes, then Lens this evening. A sequence which, coupled with the draw of OM on its lawn against Reims, allows Nice to take the place of runner-up to PSG. The Ineos project continues to grow well.

• Lille, the return of the flame

Jocelyn Gourvennec’s players do not yet show the level of last year and will never be candidates for the title this season. But Lille has definitely regained its state of mind. In Bordeaux, the Northerners were however seriously jostled, and were led twice (1-0 then 2-1). But they did not give up to reverse the trend in seven minutes at the end of the game and finally win in Gironde lands (2-3).

This is the second consecutive time in Ligue 1 that Lille has won despite having been led, after the success (2-1) against Troyes. While they had lost 12 points in five matches between the 11th and 15th day, during meetings where they had opened the scoring, Lille have found their warrior soul. And the path to success.

Rather lively, this 19th day was also pleasant for lovers of beautiful goals. We have chosen three, signed Téji Savanier, Thomas Monconduit and Mario Lemina. The MHSC player’s free kick opened the festivities in the early evening. Located in front of the goal of Angevin Paul Bernardoni, the playmaker from Montpellier rolled up a magnificent shot and took his former teammate against foot in Nîmes who was waiting for him on the other side. One more free kick in the purse of the magician Savanier.

At Le Moustoir, in the 40th minute of the match, between Lorient and PSG, Thomas Monconduit sent a UFO into the skylight of Keylor Navas. Served back at the entrance to the area by Armand Laurienté, the midfielder took the ball as it came with the inside of the right foot. The brushed effect of the ball ended up under the helm of the helpless Navas. Finally, in Nice, Mario Lemina, disguised as Robbie Keane, managed a superb volley in the box, on a ball, high at the hour of play. A real gem of an attacker, which is not Lemina!

Ben Yedder – Volland, timeless duo

Here is a duo which works and which perhaps was missed. These are three matches that Wissam Ben Yedder and Kevin Volland had not started together on the side of AS Monaco. The last time it was against Strasbourg and the first had equalized on a penalty caused by the second. This Wednesday evening, for the last of the first leg, Niko Kovac once again trusted his duo who gave it back to him since goals from Ben Yedder and Volland overwhelmed Rennes (2-1). When the French and German have started together this season, eight times, their joint record stands at seven goals. Perhaps Kovac should remember this, as ASM is firmly in the top four-point field of second-placed Nice.

The flops

And in addition he is expelled… This is perhaps what the Parisian supporters thought when they saw Sergio Ramos take a second yellow card in six minutes on the lawn of FC Lorient this Wednesday evening. Entered at the break in place of Nuno Mendes, the Spanish defender, who had played 135 minutes in the legs before this game, that is to say a match and a half, did not manage to go to the end. Warned for an uncontrolled tackle in the offensive phase (81st), the former Real voluntarily annihilated a counterattack by Enzo Le Fée (83rd), making his expulsion inevitable. This is a task in the first half of the already inglorious season.

• Paqueta, the blow of the winter blackout

He had dazzled his class at the start of the season and had carried Olympique Lyonnais on his shoulders for a long time. But Lucas Paqueta is only a shadow of himself at the end of the year 2021. In difficulty for several weeks, the Brazilian wandered like a lost soul during the reception of Metz. If he got a good opportunity (42nd), the Lyon leader seemed borrowed, did not manage the slightest dribble and ended up being taken out at the break by Peter Bosz. It’s been almost a month that the Brazilian has not scored. However, even if he played better without him on Wednesday, OL need a big Paqueta to get by.

• The inhospitable Velodrome… for OM

Ten matches played for four wins, four draws and two losses. If Olympique de Marseille has often had a problem with opposing supporters this season, it has not spoiled its fans at the Stade Vélodrome either. If the Phocéens are “only” third in Ligue 1 and above all already relegated to 13 points from PSG, they owe it in large part to their weak pace at home. Lens and Brest came to impose themselves there, and the players of Jorge Sampaoli hung the draw against Paris. More annoying, Bordeaux, Metz and therefore Reims, than the formations of the last third of the classification, left Marseille with one point. OM are only the 8th team in the championship at home.

• Mr. Letexier was not very inspired

“When hot, it’s complicated, we have the impression of being robbed“. At the microphone of Prime Video, Yunis Abdelhamid remained calm, preferring to review the images before igniting. But he has his opinion on the decisions of François Letexier, referee of the OM – Reims meeting this Wednesday evening. had a very complicated last minute on three questionable decisions to say the least.

The first when Ekitike collapsed in the Olympian area, well helped by Caleta-Car (88th). The second when he awarded a penalty to Payet for an involuntary kick from Gravillon (90th + 5). The last one finally when he did not expel Boubacar Kamara, guilty of a big fault in the position of last defender (90th + 9). The Marseillais had also taken the direction of the locker rooms. The break is timely for Mr. Letexier.

• Dupraz, first missed

“I intend to play my role but I want it to be shared. We will maintain ourselves because each of us will have given the best of ourselves“. Pascal Dupraz arrived in Saint-Etienne strong in the myth that surrounds him. That of the savior coach since his successful maintenance operation with Toulouse during the 2015/2016 season. The former coach of Evian-Thonon Gaillard would have undoubtedly adored launching the reconquest by a victory, which more is at home since he wished the total support of Geoffroy-Guichard.

Missed because even if Saint-Etienne overall dominated Nantes with a short header, it was the Canaries, thanks to Randal Kolo Muani, who pocketed the three points. The technician Dupraz must quickly return the heads of his players to the place. On January 23, you will have to travel to Lyon …