Football Season Guide

Caen have been subject to a high-profile takeover from Real Madrid attacker Kylian Mbappe in recent weeks, and while this will mean a change at the top on a sporting level, it is unclear how far-reaching the France forward’s plans will be and what impact they will have on the team. Certainly, the club have made it their goal to return to Ligue 1 in the medium term. Despite this exciting overhaul behind the scenes, the team has not been strengthened on the park. Indeed, the squad remains largely the same, albeit some of the fringe players in their ranks have departed. Much of the bench that was present at the club last term has gone, leaving young players to take their place. Ironically, Jean-Marc Furlan, head coach at the start of last term, claimed the academy players were not mature enough to challenge in Ligue 2. This new era will be trying to prove this theory wrong. Head coach Nicolas Seube did a decent job last year and remains in charge. He often played a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 formation last season. He will have much the same squad to work with. Caen’s key player has been Alexandre Mendy in attack, but he has been linked with a big-money move away. It would be a sizeable blow given the cover is otherwise unconvincing, with Mickael Le Bihan at 34 no longer the player he was. There is some quality in the midfield but Mathias Autret was disappointing last season and will have to shoulder more of a burden this time around. In the defence, meanwhile, the key figure is left-back Ali Abdi. He was a potent attacking threat down the left and is a player they can scarcely do without. In the heart of the rearguard, there is both quality and experience, while goalkeeper Anthony Mandrea was a solid performer last season. Pre-season performances, meanwhile, have been worryingly poor and the uncertainty over Mendy’s future is hanging over the club like a cloud.