The second side from the French capital marked their arrival in the top flight by moving to the Stade Jean-Bouin
Agache family holding company French representative Antoine Arnault (R) speaks with Paris FC French President Pierre Ferracci ahead of the French L1 match between Paris FC and FC Nantes at Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris on October 24. PHOTO: AFP
PARIS:
Promoted to the top flight of French football at the end of last season, following a takeover by the ultra-rich Arnault family, Paris FC still don’t seem quite ready to mix it up with the big guns of Ligue 1.
The capital’s second side marked their arrival in the top flight by moving to the Stade Jean-Bouin, the 20,000-capacity home of Top 14 rugby team Stade Francais located directly opposite Paris Saint-Germain’s Parc des Princes.
It’s so close to PSG’s home that the French and European champions have a club shop built in the Stade Jean-Bouin itself.
And Paris FC look certain to play in the shadow of their illustrious neighbors for some time to come.
It has been almost exactly a year since they were bought by the Arnault family, one of the richest in the world with Bernard Arnault, the founder of the luxury goods group LVMH. Energy drink giant Red Bull also took a minority stake.
Progress so far has been steady, with money spent in the transfer market heading into this season, but no particularly flashy signings — the most impressive arrivals being Brazilian defender Otavio from Porto and Nigerian winger Moses Simon from Nantes.
Indeed, their most impressive player has been Algerian international winger Ilan Kebbal, who is at the club from 2022 and already has five goals and four assists this season.
Coached by Stephane Gilli, they have won just three of their first 10 games and are currently just two points above the relegation zone.
However, Wednesday saw Paris FC claim perhaps their most remarkable result as they came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at home to Lyon with Jurgen Klopp, Red Bull’s head of global football, watching on. That set them up for Saturday’s trip to Monaco.
“Every match is difficult in Ligue 1 but I think the team is progressing, we are on the right track and with the squad we have now we have everything we need to have a good season,” captain Maxime Lopez, once of Marseille, told AFP recently.
What would he consider a good season? “Our goal remains survival as a priority,” Gilli said recently.
Meanwhile, Paris FC continue to adjust to life in the elite and January could be decisive, when the transfer window opens and they begin their first meeting with PSG since 1978.
Player to watch: Paul Pogba
Could this be the weekend that France’s 2018 World Cup champions finally return to action?
The final seasons of the 32-year-old’s career have been marred by injury and a doping ban, and he has not played since September 2023, when he made the last of 12 appearances in his second spell at Juventus.
Signed by Monaco in June on a two-year deal, the former Manchester United man has been gradually building up his fitness since then and has suffered some minor setbacks. But he is on the verge of making his debut and could come on Saturday against Paris FC.
“It wouldn’t be unreasonable to see him,” Monaco coach Sebastien Poconioli said after the midweek win at Nantes.
Basic statistics
2
The number of points separating the top six teams in Ligue 1, which represents the smallest gap between the top six currently in a season since 2011/12.
9
PSG have dropped nine points from a possible 18 in their last six league outings
26
If Pogba plays on Saturday it will be his first competitive appearance in 26 months
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