Branco van den Boomen News and Analysis

11Jun

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Features, Ligue 1

2022/23 Ligue 1 Team of the Season

The 2022/23 Ligue 1 season is officially in the books with PSG holding on as champions, though Lens made it close in the end. And if you ask people in the know, such as Reims' manager Will Still, they'll tell you that Lens was actually the best team in the league. Certainly, they were the most impressive, consistent, and pleasurable to watch. So it's no surprise then that Lens and another exciting Ligue 1 side, Rennes, were the only ones with multiple representatives in this 2022/23 Ligue 1 Team of the Season. Reims were also an exciting team to watch, but many of their stars - such as Yehvann Diouf, Folarin Balogun, and Junya Ito - just missed out. Let's address the big surprise here first. PSG not having anyone involved. Nuno Mendes, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé all had exceptio...

5 possible summer 2023 transfer targets for Aston Villa

Aston Villa are in the midst of a strong season in the Premier League under new manager Unai Emery, and they still have a shot at qualifying for a European place. Currently in eighth, the Lions are only one point behind Brighton in seventh. The Seagulls may have two games in hand, but compare Villa to Tottenham in sixth. Villa are just three points behind Spurs. If Villa can finish strong and qualify for Europe in 2023/24, that means they can push for more signings to compete at that level and fill out a deeper squad. But even if they fall short, they should still invest in their squad to push for more, rewarding Emery's hard work. Here are five possible summer 2023 transfer targets for Aston Villa. Valencia DM André Almeida Valencia could be relegated to the Segunda, meaning anoth...

The 10 biggest breakout stars of the 2022/23 Ligue 1 season

Ligue 1 is known as the "league of talents" because of all the wonderful up-and-coming players and hidden gems who develop in the French top flight. The 2022/23 season has given us a number of breakout stars worth celebrating, including some players who have escaped any sort of mainstream attention. So let's take a closer look at the biggest breakout stars of the Ligue 1 campaign thus far. Lorient DM Enzo Le Fée Bournemouth's owner has a minority share in Lorient, and the Premier League side already plucked one of Ligue 1's big attacking breakout stars, Dango Ouattara, in the winter transfer window. They were close to signing Enzo Le Fée, but Lorient were able to hold onto their current best player. Le Fée is legitimately one of the best players in Ligue 1 and one of the best yo...