A David Bellion-inspired Bordeaux may pose a genuine threat to Lyon this season. Photograph: Jean-Pierre Muller/AFP/Getty Images
The last time Bordeaux were top of Ligue 1, it was August 2002: at the time, Darius was No1 in the charts, Liverpool had spent £5m on Salif Diao, and David Bellion was a teenager at Sunderland spoken [...]

Beleaguered Nantes manager Michel Der Zakarian. Photo: Jean-Pierre Muller
Nantes got through four different coaches the last time they were in Ligue 1 and by the end of this week the newly-promoted side could be on their second of the season after losing 2-0 to Bordeaux at the weekend.
Current boss Michel Der Zakarian, a former title [...]

Olympique Marseille players celebrate. Photograph: Frank Perry/AFP
An eight-goal thriller, two refereeing cock-ups, late goals and a shockresult that no-one saw coming: Ligue 1 got off to a cracking start at the weekend, even if the name of the team at the top of the table has a familiar ring to it.
Grenoble, playing [...]