The 2016-17 Ligue 1 season noticed AS Monaco topped as champions in an excellent marketing campaign, as Leonardo Jardim’s males finish Paris Saint-Germain’s four-year maintain on the trophy.
It marked a surprising distinction to the season earlier than with sub-plots and storylines gripping French soccer followers till the final. Because it occurred, there have been fierce battles to assert not solely the title, but additionally spots within the Champions League, Europa League and to keep away from relegation with this being the primary marketing campaign to introduce relegation play-offs for the aspect in 18th.
CHANGES
Given the slightly stale nature of the 2015-16 marketing campaign, there have been unsurprisingly some vital modifications to personnel on the golf equipment within the shut season. PSG continued their incessant switch spending, bringing in Grzegorz Krychowiak, Jese and Hatem Ben Arfa amongst others. The trio had been later supplemented by the signing of World Cup winner Julian Draxler and Argentine hotshot Giovani Lo Celso within the winter for a mixed price of €60 million.
Laurent Blanc, the three-time Ligue 1 winner with les Parisiens didn’t it make into the marketing campaign, having been shelved by the Qatari management for his lack of ability to land a Champions League trophy throughout his time within the capital. The previous France worldwide was changed by Unai Emery on the bench.
Monaco continued with their ‘transfer-lite’ method, signing younger and inexpensively from throughout Europe. They purchased highly-rated Benjamin Mendy for €15m from crisis-hit Marseille, with Kamil Glik and Djibril Sidibe additionally proving to be worthy additions to the aspect.
Marseille, in the meantime had been in freefall. With proprietor Margarita Louis-Dreyfus refusing to bankroll the membership, the board had been compelled to promote Mendy and Michy Batshuayi to plug a €30m gap within the finances. Reprieve was discovered within the final days of the switch window when Frank McCourt, the previous LA Dodgers proprietor and American businessman agreed a deal to purchase the previous European champions, who later signed 4 gamers – together with fan favorite Dimitri Payet – within the January window for €45m.
SEASON SUMMARY
It was a massively thrilling marketing campaign for all followers, bar these from PSG admittedly as Monaco romped to a primary league title in 17 years with a model of swashbuckling attacking soccer led by Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar, Bernardo Silva and spearheaded by membership captain Radamel Falcao who had a degree to show after spending two years within the wilderness with Manchester United and Chelsea in England.
Leonardo Jardim’s aspect set the early tone with a shock 3-1 dwelling win in opposition to Unai Emery’s PSG in late August, a outcome which maybe was the primary indication that the title wouldn’t be a procession as in earlier years for Paris.
However the early tone was set by Lucien Favre’s equally-as-exciting Good aspect who boasted their very own younger expertise in Wylan Cyprien, Mika Seri, Malang Sarr and with an erstwhile journeyman striker with a degree to show in Mario Balotelli. They too laid down an early marker by beating Marseille 3-2 earlier than pulverising Monaco 4-0 in a memorable Cote d’Azur derby earlier than holding on to the league lead till Christmas.
Nonetheless, regardless of an acclaimed 2-2 attract Paris in January, they had been later decimated by accidents – together with a critical one for Cyprien – however would maintain on to assert third place and a spot within the Champions League for the primary time in 5 and a half many years.
Monaco in the meantime accelerated their run to the title with large wins over Marseille (4-0, 4-1) and likewise avoiding defeat in Paris. They notched 10 league wins with a rating of 4 targets or extra, bundling in a document 107 targets as they claimed the title in Might with a 2-0 win v Saint-Etienne. The Monegasques’ league type was all of the extra admirable in that they made the Coupe de la Ligue last, the Coupe de France semi-final and Champions League semi-final in a extremely profitable season.
Elsewhere, it was Marseille, now beneath new administration each on and off the sphere, who secured a European spot, holding off Bordeaux’s problem for fifth. Caen averted relegation on the ultimate day with a late, late equaliser in opposition to PSG, as Bastia and Nancy had been relegated. Bastia would later be administratively demoted to the fifth tier for monetary irregularities. Troyes had been promoted from Ligue 2, beating 18th positioned FC Lorient over 2 legs within the first-ever relegation play-off.
AWARDS
PLAYER OF THE SEASON
MANAGER OF THE SEASON
LEONARDO JARDIM
A no brainer right here, as Jardim led Monaco to their first title in 17 years, breaking a number of data within the course of, and doing so with out limitless funds at his disposal.
TOP GOALSCORER
EDINSON CAVANI – 36 GOALS
The season the place he emerged from Zlatan’s shadow, it was no shock that Cavani would receive the highest scorer award within the Swede’s absence.
TEAM OF THE SEASON
SUBASIC; SIDIBE, T SILVA, GLIK, MENDY; VERRATTI, SERI; B. SILVA; MBAPPE, CAVANI, LACAZETTE
GOAL OF THE SEASON
MEMPHIS DEPAY introduced himself with a surprising purpose from the centre-circle in opposition to Toulouse after signing from Manchester United in January.
MOST EXPENSIVE TRANSFER
Julian Draxler
Wolfsburg to PSG
€40m
KEY MOMENT OF THE SEASON
Good 3-1 PSG: A tempestuous and high-charged affair in early Might that noticed PSG lose their heads and two males on this unforgettable encounter that pushed Monaco on the point of the title.
