Latest news with #GeorgeBoxall
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ligue 1's top three race tightest in 67 years
With five games left to play in the Ligue 1 season, there are five sides separated by just three points: the race for the UEFA Champions League is reaching historic levels of tension. The 2024-2025 Ligue 1 season has thrown up a statistical rarity – according to a recent stat from Opta, you have to rewind back all the way to the 1957-1958 season to find a top-five battle as tight as the one currently roaring on this season. Whilst Paris Saint-Germain have already wrapped up the Ligue 1 title with 21 points ahead, the race for second and direct Champions League league phase qualification is as intense as it gets. AS Monaco currently sit in second with 53 points after Adi Hütter's side overcame Marseille last week (3-0). It leaves Olympian pair Marseille and Lyon just behind on 52 points and 51 points respectively. Meanwhile, high-flying Strasbourg and Lille sit just a point behind on 50. The last time the race for the top five was this tight harks back to the era when only the champions of the division would be able to enter the European cup. In this case Stade de Reims won the league with 48 points: whilst all of Nîmes Olympique, AS Monaco, and Angers finished the season sat on 41 points – only separated by goal difference. GFFN | George Boxall
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
France drops to third place in FIFA rankings
France drops to third place in FIFA rankings This Thursday FIFA updated their rankings following the conclusion of the March international break, which saw France secure their spot in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals. Despite this, Didier Deschamps' men have dropped from second to third spot in the global standings. A costly defeat to Croatia A key factor behind this drop was Les Bleus' 2-0 defeat to Croatia in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final clash. Meanwhile Spain capitalised on it as they secured a draw and a penalty shootout victory against the Netherlands in the same competition, which saw them overtake France into second place. La Roja now hold 1854.64 points, which is only 1.93 points ahead of Les Bleus. It marks the highest spot for Spain in the FIFA rankings since June 2014. Argentina continue to lead the rankings after victories over Uruguay and Brazil. Meanwhile, England hold onto fourth place after two wins against Albania and Latvia. GFFN | George Boxall
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
French National Supporters' Association announces ‘end of dialogue' with authorities
French National Supporters' Association announces 'end of dialogue' with authorities The tone has been increasing in French football over the proposals from French interior minister Bruno Retailleau to disband three major supporter associations at Nantes and Saint-Étienne. On Saturday, the French National Supporters' Association – and organisation which is made up of most major supporter organisations in France – announced that it had ended talks with the authorities regarding the preparation of matches. At a press conference organised in Paris on Saturday, the group that represents most of France's ultra movement has also threatened to put pressure on the authorities and 'put itself in a position to dissolve all groups, returning to a total absence of dialogue with supporters and a return to the situation of 15 years ago.' Advertisement The announcement of the French National Supporters' Association has come in the context of the French government's plans to disband three major supporter groups in France: Brigade Loire (FC Nantes), Magic Fans (Saint-Étienne), and Green Angels (Saint-Étienne). What does this mean for the management of supporters in France? In practice, it means that France's police authorities, including the the National Division for Combating Hooliganism as well as Supporter Liaison Officers will no longer be able to communicate with groups during the organisation of matches. 'without supporters providing information to the SLO, the authorities cannot organise away trips and matches in a peaceful environment.' This comes in the context of the French Sports Ministry refusing a meeting with national representatives of supporter groups last week over the disbandment plans. Last week, an unprecedented communiqué by the National Association of Supporters had been signed by 143 supporter groups in France. It stakes that the measures taken by the French government 'Not only put in danger our organisations that are engaged in constant dialogue with the authorities, but also puts into peril the nature of football supporters in France.' GFFN | George Boxall
