French Football Weekly

Kris, Jez and Phil are here for a roundup of game 32 and the European games, and a preview of the midweek round 33 - stand by for our predictions going haywire even before you've had a chance to listen.

After an international break, Women's Champions' League and game 30 of Ligue 1, Kris, Jez and Phil have a lot to get through. Is it a good idea to give a player the keys to a club? Is it a good idea to base your tactics on a dream your president had? What will happen in PSG and OL's sixth meeting in the WCL knock-out stages?

PSG have had another nightmare, and Kris, Jez and Phil are here to look at that, the rest of the last round of Ligue 1, and European qualification before an international break.

Soooooo, that happened. Jonathon Johnson and Matthew Gooding join Kris, Jez and Phil to discuss PSG, as they crash out of the Champions' League again.

Kris, Jez and Phil round up the Coupe de France semi-finals and game 27 of Ligue 1 - are PSG all that without Mbappe? What is the Dupraz effect? How bad can it get for Bordeaux? And many other issues....

Kris, Jez and Phil round up two weeks of French football, including Ligue 1, Europe, and forward to the Coupe de France semi-finals. PSG blip, refereeing issues, some wonderful goalkeeping, and many other things.

Happy New Year! Kris, Jez and Phil are here to round up the Coupe de France 16emes, and the 70% of Ligue 1 that happened at the weekend. Monaco have changed manager, the transfer window is open, TV coverage is...occasionally problematic, and unused goalkeepers with their shirts.

Phil and Jez get together for a Christmas pod to round up the 9th round of the Coupe de France, game 19 in Ligue 1, and the standings at the halfway point.

Kris, Phil and Jez round up game 15 in Ligue 1 and game 5 of the various European fixtures as four of the French teams have qualified already, one's in a very exciting group, and one may drop down and continue their campaign. There's a midweek round as we head towards Christmas, so there will be two rounds to cover in the next pod.

Kris, Phil, and (for a while) Jez look back at an international break that saw France qualify for the World Cup, a red-card-heavy round of Ligue 1 games featuring yet another abandoned game, and some weird moves on and off the pitch in the women's game.

Kris and Phil round up the last round, Europe, how the various European competitions fit together, Saint Etienne finally winning a game, and more. Next up - international break! Oh, the fun...

Kris, Jez and Phil take a look at the bottom of the table, as results at the weekend featured comebacks, long-range strikes, unexpected wins, and apparently ageless Jimmy Briand. Jez is mournful about Metz, Phil thinks far too many teams are too good to go down, and Kris has a cold. They also look forward to Matchday 4 in the various European competitions where several of the French contingent have crunch games.

Kris and Phil are on their own this week to round up an un-classic Classique and Nice's last-minute comeback against OL, as well as St Etienne's ongoing problems and whether or not Lens are going to keep hold of their current position. Features red cards, arrests. Europe, stats, a nod to Ligue 2 and the Coupe de France.

It was a cracking round of games that Kris, Jez, Rich and Phil have to round up featuring boatloads of goals, some absolute worldies, and red cards all over the shop.

After France won the Nations' League, Kris, Rich, Jez and Phil gloat about / analyse the semi-final agains Belgium and final against Spain.

Several teams had a weird week over the European games and the League games at the weekend. Kris, Jez and Phil are here to round up the Rhone derby, Lille's win over OM, and Rennes' unexpectedly comprehensive result against PSG. We look forward to the Nation's League semi-finals and potential final day, and there's a look back at the legacy of Bernard Tapie, who died this week.

It's been a while, but Kris, Rich and Phil look back over rounds 6 and 7 of Ligue 1 and the European matches in between. We look at the main questions - PSG's attitude, which teams will challenge them, what are Saint Etienne doing, and more.

Kris, Rich and Jez debrief les Bleus' September international break. After two matches it looked like it was going to be a post-mortem but, after the 2-0 win over Finland, maybe France have stumbled over a blueprint for the future - with Griezmann at the centre of things of course! The question is will Mbappe put team over ego?

As we trundle into an international break, Kris Rich and Phil round up game 4 in LIgue 1, the European draws, key transfers, and the upcoming set of World Cup qualifiers for les Bleus.

After an eventful weekend, Kris, Jez, Phil and Rich get together to round up all the Ligue 1 action, including goals, red cards, bottles, pitch invasions, presidents grabbing the microphone, the CRS showing up, and upcoming disciplinary issues. They look at the 'big' teams having a bit of a mare, the players who impressed, and some mild transfer chat.

34 goals in the second round of Ligue 1, with comebacks, red cards, players being sent to train with the reserves, managers doing their previous clubs - Kris, Jez, Phil and Rich try to pick out the best (and worst) performances of a chaotic weekend.

Ligue 1 kicked off at the weekend and there were goals, comebacks, arrests and more. Also, a small matter of Lionel Messi leaving/etc Barcelona. Kris, Jez, Rich and Phil are all over all of that - and who to watch out for as the season progresses.

We're back! Kris, Jez, Phil and Rich - the band is back together. Mere minutes after the end of last season, when Lille beat PSG to the title and PSG again failed to win the Champions League, the Euros went badly, the French men's team went 100% Ripoll at the Olympics, and French sports journalism now has TV rights specialists on the books, we are *back*. Trophee de Champions, new teams, new players, new managers, new subscriptions needed - we're ready for the first round of Ligue 1 at the weekend

Well, that went badly. Kris, Jez and Phil look back at the loss on penalties against Switzerland, issues throughout the tournament, and the many elephants there are in the room right now.

The Group of Heck is over, and Kris and Jez have a late-night meet-up to review Portugal 2 - 2 France which put France top of the group as Germany also drew 2-2 with Hungary. This sets France up with a match against Switzerland in the round of 16.

Game 2 and things are a bit problematic; Kris, Jez and Phil look back over a 1-1 draw with Hungary, and the build-up to the key final game on Wednesday against Portugal. Also, Germany's bounce-back against the title-holders, and the sad loss of a legend of social media. Shortly after the game, it was announced that Philippe Vignolo - @Philousports on Twitter - had died of a heart attack. It's a measure of his 'petite notorieté' (his words) that this was announced mid-match by Omar da Fonseca on live TV, various France players paid homage to him just hours after they had got off the pitch, and the French press, sporting and not, have published tributes. Au revoir, Philou. Tu nous manques déjà...

Game 1 is done! Kris, Jez and Phil analyse France 1 - 0 Germany - the selection, the system, the silkiness... Also Hungary's crumble against Portugal in the other Group F game, Phil's boss, and how TV dealt with Christian Eriksen's collapse.

The season is over and the Euros are about to begin! Kris, Jez and Phil look backwards, forwards and sideways at the standings, managerial changes, transfer market and France's chances as they face Germany, Hungary and Portugal in the group stages.

After a chaotic final day, Kris, Jez and Phil round up the final standings - Lille win their first title since 2011, PSG are pushed to second place, Nantes have a play-off to contend with, nobody really understands the Europa Conference League, *all* the managers are moving around, and who were the nicest team this season...

Kris and Jez are joined by a special guest for a very special pod - Angus Torode joins the lads to discuss his career. They also look at the France team that will go to the Euros, and the final of the Coupe de France.

As the season burns to a close, Kris, Jez and Phil look back over PSG's exit from the Champions' League, complications in Ligue 1, promotions from Ligue 2, and the upcoming Coupe de France semi-finals.

It's been a very busy week, and Kris, Jez and Phil have a special guest to talk about PSG's performances in both domestic and European competition - Matt Gooding aka @PSGTourist. Lyon beat Monaco to probably screw up the principality's hopes of the title, PSG struggled more than you'd think against Lens, Lille beat ten men who didn't get a shot off (Nice), and that's before you look at the Champions' League.

Quiet weekend, wasn't it? Kris and Phil look back over a sometimes baffling week, in which both PSGs can thank the away goals rule for their progression to the Champions League semi-finals - the men after a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich at the Parc des Prince, the women after knocking out seven-time trophy winners Lyon with a 2-1 away win. As well as that there were a couple of five-goal thrillers featuring very late winners in Ligue 1, as Kris' Lorient succumbed to OM at the Velodrome 3-2 with a double from Pol Lirola cancelling out ditto from Terem Moffi, and PSG v Saint-Etienne being probably the most exciting last 15 minutes of the season ending in a 96th minute winner from Mauro Icardi as the hosts also won 3-2. We have a midweek Coupe de France round for the quarter-finals and an interesting weekend coming up which finishes with Lyon v Lille in a key game for the title race. Also - yes, we went there - the recently announced 'European Super League' (other super leagues are available) causes sadness, anger, confusion, and Phil talking about EU corporate law, even though no French teams are involved in it...yet.

PSG beat Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champion's League Quarter Finals, all the top four won, we have two fourth-tier teams in the Coupe de France Quarter Finals, and it turns out the French women's team are fine without most of the OL contingent. Kris, Jez and Phil round up a week of interesting developments across multiple competitions.

We had a little international / Easter break of our own, so Kris, Jez and Phil have a lot to round up this week. France drew with Ukraine and beat Kazakhstan and Bosnia-Herzogovina in World Cup qualifying, and the U21s lost to Denmark and beat Russia and Iceland to progress to the quarter-finals of the Euros. Then we had a key set of games on Saturday in Ligue 1 as Lille beat PSG, Monaco beat Metz and Lyon drew at Lens to throw the top of the table into a spin, and elsewhere there were concussions, penalties, red cards and much more besides.

Game 30 of Ligue 1 saw some movement at the top, as Lille lost unexpectedly to Nimes, and PSG won away at Lyon. With the top and bottom of the table (barring Dijon) as tight as ever, Kris, Jez and Phil look back at all the weekend's action, an unexpectedly early Coupe de France quarter final, and the upcoming international break.

Oh ho ho ho ho. When OL drew at Reims and Monaco and Lille played out a goalless draw (sorry about that everyone) it looked like PSG were in the box seat to take top spot in Ligue 1. It didn't go according to plan. Kris, Jez and Phil look back over a chaotic weekend that ended with a twist that nobody saw coming. Features Champions League, Haribo, Twitter bugs, and more.

It was enjoyably chaotic in the 16emes of the Coupe de France with late goals, penalty shoot-outs, cupsets, smoke-bombs, red cards and Kylian Mbappe scoring a pub-team goal. Phil and John Mainland discuss the magic of the Coupe, the impact of Covid, and when exactly the draw for the next round will be...

Julien Stephan has resigned from Rennes, Jacques-Henri Eyraud has left Marseille, Jorge Sampaoli is coming in, Bordeaux could be up for sale and their captain Laurent Koscielny has had some strong words about the state of the club - there's a lot going on in Ligue 1. Kris, Jez and Phil work their way through the comings and goings, the form and the title race (still on, at time of writing), before a midweek round that could be crucial for the standings, and a weekend of Coupe de France action to come.

France's European teams had differing fortunes, as the title race looks ever more like a four-way fight. Kris, Jez and Phil review PSG's comprehensive win over Barcelona and Lille's defeat against Ajax, before returning to home territory for goalkeeping ricks, catch-up games, the managerial merry-go-round, and Kris' attempts to pronounce the teams in the draw for the Coupe de France 16emes.

Kris, Jez and Phil round up the Ligue trouser of the Coupe de France 32emes where there were three 'upsets', before moving on to the weekend's Ligue 1 action which saw PSG win 2-1 against Nice but the rest of the top four all drop points. A turning point in the title race, or a coincidence that lends more weight to individually understandable results?

After some surprising results, 2/3 of the team are giddy with glee - Kris, Jez and Phil focus on the bottom of the table, Lorient's shock win against PSG, the worrying events at Marseille, and the ongoing omnishambles that is the TV coverage of the French leagues.

Game 21 saw some big scores, including in the derby as Lyon won 5-0 away at Saint-Etienne. Birthday boy Kris is joined by Jez and Phil to round up all the action including Marseille continuing to be awkward on several levels, PSG and Lille doing the necessary, and Bordeaux showing their style in attack and defence as they beat Angers 2-1.

The 'season-opening' Trophee des Champions saw PSG beat OM on a cold and foggy January evening, and game 20 saw some interesting table developments. Kris, Jez and Phil round up all the happenings including numerous shanked penalties, a missing game, Benoit Costil's clean-sheet exploits and OM's current difficulties.

Tuchel out and Poch in at PSG, Domenech in at Nantes - Kris, Jez and Phil look back at the managerial changes over Christmas and the current table standings. Also features a small quiz about Olivier Giroud.

Kris, Jez and Phil look back over a really busy week. We've lost Gerard Houillier, seen PSG follow Basaksehir off the field in response to racist language from an official, discuss the ongoing failure of French teams to go deep in Europe, wonder if there will be a title race this year, and whether or not we'll be able to watch any matches after Christmas.

Kris, Jez and Phil look back over game 5 in Europe and the 13th round of Ligue 1, including Vieira's departure, some other potential departures, fog, red cards, an actual title battle, and France's 2022 World Cup qualifying group.

Kris, Jez and Phil look back over a worrying 4th game in Europe with the French teams not massively impressing, and a confusing round 12 in Ligue 1. Dijon have finally won a game, OL look like they might be looking up, OM have two games in hand, and there's some managers coming under increasing pressure. Rumours abound that the Coupe de France is under threat, and the issues with the French Women's team continue.

Kris, Jez and Phil round up a confusing weekend of results, with Monaco coming from 2-0 down to beat PSG, Brest adding to Saint-Etienne's woes, a goalfest at Mosson, and Lille looking good. Round 4 of the European competitions is coming up and Rennes and Marseille are probably looking for Europa League places after Christmas.

Kris, Jez and Phil review the international break, with the men's senior team getting through to the final four of the Nations' League, the U21s topping their Euro qualifying group, and the women's team continuing to have off the pitch issues.