Football Season Guide

Once again, last season Paris momentarily savoured the taste of promotion, finishing in the top 5 for the 4th time in 6 years, but they failed to return to the top flight of the French football, whence they have been missing for 45 years, having lost to Rodez through the penalty shootout in the first round of the playoffs. Their campaign undoubtedly was a crazy one as, until early October, they seemed to be heading for relegation, having lost 7 out of the initial 10 games. Then, they were also hit by an incredible injury crisis that highly affected the squad. Against all odds, though, coach Stephane Gilli, at his first season in charge, was capable of wonders and led them all the way up to to 5th standing, losing only 4 times in the last 28 fixtures. Paris are always expected to fight for promotion, due to the high ambitions of their owners, and the new campaign will be no exception. In fact, first of all, they kept their squad almost untouched, especially retaining the services of wonder boy Kebbal, capable of 8 goals and 11 assists overall last season, whose absence was decisive in the playoffs. First and foremost, they let go key midfielder Mandouki, now 32 and worn out by too many battles, and Lasne, who retired, while they signed Doucet permanently from Nantes: after doing well last season at the club, the 21-year-old will now logically earn a starting status. The attack lost back-up Diaby-Fadiga, who had scored 7 goals but spent too much time on the sidelines, but it was strengthened by the arrival of Krasso, who did not have a great last season at Red Star Belgrade but could represent the much-needed double digit striker they have been looking for for years. Then, they tried to solve the long-standing right-back issue by acquiring Alakouch permanently, after a season plagued by injuries, and by Tourraine, coming from Grenoble.