Topics: Ligue 1, Marseille, PSG, Lille, Lyon, Monaco, Matchday 1, 2021/22
The French top-flight kicked off on Friday with Monaco's clash vs Nantes. Here are the top stats from Matchday 1.

After a three-month break, Ligue 1 finally marked its return, with the new 2021/22 campaign kicking off on Friday amid high expectations. Monaco got the season underway, taking on Nantes in the opening fixture, and while Les Monégasques would have liked to have gotten off to a winning start, Niko Kovac's side were held to a 1-1 draw. In fact, that was the tale of this entire round, with Lyon, Lille, Nice, Rennes, and St. Etienne all sharing the points in their clashes with Brest, Metz, Reims, Lens, and Lorient respectively. PSG, on the other hand, benefited from this, as did Marseille, with Les Parisiens and Les Phocéens beating Troyes and Montpellier 2-1 and 3-2, respectively. Here's everything you need to know about the opening round of the 2021/22 Ligue 1 season.

Who are the top five Ligue 1 teams for the 2021/22 season after Matchday 1?

Only four teams managed to win on Matchday 1, with Angers and Clermont taking the top two spots thanks to their superior goal difference. Of those four clubs that secured victories, only PSG and Marseille—sitting in fourth and third—are seen as clubs that could push for the title, meaning the two have marched to an early lead over the likes of Lille and Lyon.

Ligue 1, Angers, Clermont, Marseille, PSG, Lille Standings

Ligue 1 top 3 scorers

Dmitri Payet, Fabien Centonze, Cengiz Under, Marseille, Ligue 1 

Ligue 1 – Top headlines

  • Monaco's opening day draw was the third season in a row in which they failed to win their Matchday 1 fixture. This is the first time this has happened since 1999-2001, equaling their previous record of three.

  • Achraf Hakimi enjoyed a Ligue 1 debut to remember, scoring in PSG's 2-1 victory over Troyes, becoming the first Paris player to score on his French top-flight debut since Metehan Guclu in April 2019 (vs Nantes).

  • Clermont's 2-0 victory over Bordeaux saw Pascal Gastien's side become the first team to win their very-first Ligue 1 fixture since Guingamp on 19 July 1995 (2-0 vs Martigues). Furthermore, this feat has was pulled off away from home for the first time since CO Roubaix on 26 August 1945 (3-1 vs St Etienne).

  • For the first time since 1966/67, a Ligue 1 round went by without a single team winning at home.

Top matches to watch in Ligue 1: Aug. 13-15, 2021

Lille vs Nice: Les Dogues will be looking to get on winning track, having drawn 3-3 on Matchday 1. Unfortunately for the defending champions, they will not be in for an easy test, taking on Nice in round two. Will they bounce back from the weekend disappointment? Time will tell.

PSG vs Strasbourg: Given that Lille are taking on Nicee, PSG will be keen on making it two wins out of two and extending their lead over Lyon and the defending champions. Given that Lionel Messi, who recently bid a tearful farewell to Barcelona, looks to be on the brink of a Parc des Princes move, this fixture could be his debut game.

Angers vs Lyon: Angers are the league leaders, but having played only one game, things could change very quickly. Lyon are their next opponents, with Aouar and Co. eyeing their first league win of the season.

*Keep track of all the activity in the French top-flight by following our dedicated Ligue 1 competition page.