Monaco

Ligue 1 Leaders Lille Pick Up A Crucial Victory, But The Title Race Is Still Too Close To Call

Due to Paris St German's dominance of French football over the years, Ligue 1 has become one of the least competitive competitions in Europe. Since the club's Qatari takeover in 2011, PSG has won seven of the last nine Ligue 1 titles — nearly all of them by 10 points or more.

This season though has brought a welcome change to the Ligue 1 landscape. PSG has played slightly below its standards domestically (its eight league losses, including five at home, are the most in a decade), while the competing sides have noticeably improved, making for a scintillating title race.

Revealed: Which Leagues And Clubs Are Best At Developing U-21 Players?

France’s Ligue 1 has given by far the most opportunities to Under-21 players this season, while German side Borussia Dortmund are the club to have handed out most minutes to youngsters.

A review of the top-five leagues by soccer statisticians Opta showed that Under-21 players have enjoyed a collective 62,046 minutes of game time in the French top flight in 2020/21.

The German Bundesliga is second with 34,993 minutes, while England’s Premier League (29,172), Italy's Serie A (23,225) and Spain’s LaLiga (22,893) round off the list.

Cesc Fàbregas Says USMNT Has Shades Of 2008 Spain But ‘Needs To Believe It’

As a player whose obsession with football has only increased over the course of a glittering 17-year career, Cesc Fàbregas never grows tired of learning. That’s why, after a career spent entirely in England and Spain, the World Cup winner opted to give France a try by signing for Monaco back in 2019.

After playing 11 full seasons in the Premier League and three in LaLiga, the 33-year-old admits that the differences in Ligue 1 were pronounced. 

Monaco Player Scores One Of The Fastest Substitute Goals In Recorded History

AS Monaco midfielder Aleksandr Golovin almost scored the fastest substitute goal that the sport of soccer has ever seen.

During Wednesday’s Ligue 1 match between Monaco and Lorient, Golovin was substituted onto the field in the 64th minute with the score tied a 1-1. It was the Russian’s first appearance for Monaco since Aug. 30 after suffering a severe hamstring injury. He would score in the 64th minute.

It took Golovin all of 10 SECONDS to find the back of the net and give Monaco the lead. Talk about instant impact.

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