Not many could have anticipated how the Ligue 1 table would look heading into the halfway point of the season. Reigning champs PSG sit in third, whilst Nice, who finished in fourth last term, are on top of the table. From a neutral perspective, the Ligue 1 title race has been a much more interesting affair than any could have expected. Will French football fans see more of this in 2017?
Facts and Stats ahead of Ligue 1 Matchday 19
Here are five things you may or may not know ahead of the upcoming round of fixtures starting today:
Ligue 1 Matchday 19 - U.S. viewing schedule
Below is the full U.S. schedule for round 19 of Ligue 1 action starting today
Dec. 21: Bordeaux vs Nice on beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A., fuboTV at 11:50 AM PST/2:50 PM EST
Dec. 21: PSG vs Lorient on beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A., fuboTV, beIN SPORTS USA at 11:50 AM PST/2:50 PM EST
Dec. 21: Monaco vs Caen on beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A., fuboTV at 11:50 AM PST/2:50 PM EST
Dec. 21: Olympique Lyonnais vs Angers on beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A., fuboTV at 11:50 AM PST/2:50 PM EST
Dec. 21: Lille vs Rennes on beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A., fuboTV at 11:50 AM PST/2:50 PM EST
Dec. 21: Bastia vs Olympique Marseille at 11:50 AM PST/2:50 PM EST
Dec. 21: Saint-Étienne vs Nancy at 11:50 AM PST/2:50 PM EST
Dec. 21: Nantes vs Montpellier at 11:50 AM PST/2:50 PM EST
Dec. 21: Metz vs Guingamp at 11:50 AM PST/2:50 PM EST
Dec. 21: Dijon vs Toulouse at 11:50 AM PST/2:50 PM EST
*For more information, please navigate to each match's specific page
Ligue 1 - Matchday 19 overview
Nice lead the pack, and Mario Balotelli has been enjyoing his football as of late. After an injury lay-off, the enigmatic striker netted a brace to seal all three points for Les Aiglons against Dijon last weekend. That marked his eighth goal for the team in just eight appearances. By contrast, he scored a grand total of seven in 51 appearances for Liverpool and AC Milan across all comps in his past two seasons. Should they dispatch Bordeaux, who are on a three game losing streak, Lucien Favre's lads will head into the Christmas break on top of the table. Who would have thought that could happen?!
Meanwhile, PSG will be desperate to make amends as they take on Lorient. Les Parisiens are currently without a win in their past three Ligue 1 games and have lost four games so far. That's more than they lost in their past three seasons, and in fact, they have now suffered 50 per cent of the total defeats from the prior three campaigns (eight). It goes without saying that Unai Emery is a man under increasing pressure as the capital club find themselves in third spot. And with Lyon in good form, another bad result could see them fall in danger of slipping out of the top three by the time 2017 rolls around.
Monaco will be hoping to also get back on track. Les Rouges et Blancs have had a very impressive campaign so far, but succumbed to a 3-1 defeat to a recently resurgent Lyon. That marked their first loss in over two months and snapped a eight game unbeaten streak. It was also the first home loss Leonardo Jardim's men have suffered this season, and it goes without saying that he will expect them to get back to winning ways as they welcome Caen in their last match of 2016.
Ligue 1 - Matchday 19 standings
Here's how things stand so far after 18 rounds in the 2016/2017 Ligue 1 season. How will it look after matchday 19 concludes?
| Pos. | Squadra | PG | V | P | S | GF | GS | DR | Pt | Forma | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSG | 31 | 20 | 10 | 1 | 76 | 29 | +47 | 70 | PVVPV | |
| 2 | Monaco | 32 | 18 | 7 | 7 | 62 | 42 | +20 | 61 | VSVVV | |
| 3 | Brest | 32 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 49 | 33 | +16 | 57 | PVSSV | |
| 4 | Lille | 31 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 45 | 27 | +18 | 55 | VSVVV | |
| 5 | Nice | 31 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 36 | 25 | +11 | 51 | VPVPS | |
| 6 | Lens | 32 | 14 | 7 | 11 | 42 | 34 | +8 | 49 | VSVSP | |
| 7 | Rennes | 32 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 51 | 43 | +8 | 45 | VSVSS | |
| 8 | Olympique Marseille | 31 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 44 | VPPSS | |
| 9 | Olympique Lyonnais | 31 | 13 | 5 | 13 | 42 | 51 | -9 | 44 | VSVVP | |
| 10 | Montpellier | 32 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 41 | 44 | -3 | 40 | VPVPV | |
| 11 | Toulouse | 32 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 39 | 42 | -3 | 40 | SVPVP | |
| 12 | Reims | 31 | 11 | 7 | 13 | 38 | 45 | -7 | 40 | SSSPP | |
| 13 | Strasbourg | 32 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 35 | 47 | -12 | 36 | SSSVP | |
| 14 | Nantes | 32 | 9 | 6 | 17 | 29 | 49 | -20 | 33 | PPSVS | |
| 15 | Le Havre | 32 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 33 | 42 | -9 | 32 | VPSSP | |
| 16 | Metz | 32 | 8 | 5 | 19 | 34 | 54 | -20 | 29 | SSVVS | |
| 17 | Lorient | 32 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 37 | 63 | -26 | 26 | SSSSS | |
| 18 | Clermont | 32 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 26 | 54 | -28 | 25 | SVSPP |
