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Ligue 1 (Première division or Division 1 until 2003, now called Ligue 1 Orange) is the top division of French and Monegasque football, one of two divisions making up the LFP, the other being Ligue 2. It has been an all-professional league since its inception in 1932 except for the 1943-44 season, during which the Vichy regime abolished professionalism. Since the end of World War II, the French first division has switched several times between an 18- and a 20- team format, the latter being in force today and having the preference of clubs in spite of a busier schedule for the players. The 20 Ligue 1 teams play each other twice (home and away) during the season for a 38-match schedule. At the end of the season, the bottom three teams in the division are relegated to Ligue 2, and are replaced by the top three teams of Ligue 2. This particular promotion and relegation format, in place since 1995, is a relative novelty in the French top flight. The traditional format has long been direct relegation of the bottom two teams and a play-off between the third-last first-division team and the winner of the second-division play-offs. Currently, the top three teams in Ligue 1 qualify for the Champions League, with the top two proceeding directly to the group phase. The third-placed team enters in the final qualifying round. The fourth- and fifth-placed teams qualify for the UEFA Cup. The sixth- and seventh-placed teams can also qualify, depending on results in the two domestic cup competitions. Point allocation follows the international standard with three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. The three-point rule was adopted in 1994 after a one-time test in the 1988-89 season. From 1973 to 1976, a "bonus" rule rewarded teams scoring three or more goals in a game with one extra point, regardless of outcome, with the objective of encouraging offensive play. The experience was ultimately inconclusive. Ligue 1 teams standing on equal points are ranked by goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded) and, if still even, by the number of goals scored. Until 1966, the league used goal average (the ratio of goals scored to goals conceded) instead of goal difference to break ties on points. This system actually favored the defensive over the offensive, as shown by the outcome of the 1961-62 season: Stade de Reims edged Racing Club de Paris for the title by a 0.018 difference in goal average and was crowned champion on equal points in spite of equal goal difference (83-60 vs. 86-63) and fewer goals scored. Ligue 1 is generally regarded as competently run, with good planning of fixtures, complete and consistently enforced rules, timely resolution of issues, and adequate escalation procedures of judicial disputes to national or international institutions. It has faced three significant corruption scandals in its history (Olympique d'Antibes in 1933, Red Star in the 1950s, and Olympique de Marseille in 1993) and has preserved its reputation every time through swift and appropriately severe punishment of the guilty parties. Ligue 1 is also often criticized (including in France itself) as displaying too much defensive play and lacking entertainment values. [1]
Current Teams (2008-2009)Ligue 1 teams in European competitionsThe original European Cup of 1955-56 featured Real Madrid against Stade de Reims-Champagne, finishing in a 4-3 victory for the Spanish side. In 1958-59, Reims and Real Madrid faced off once again, and once again the French side lost, this time by a score of 2-0. After Stade de Reims-Champagne fell from prominence, Ligue 1 had trouble producing strong sides that could compete with the rest of Europe. However, in the 1975-76 European Cup AS Saint-Étienne defeated European powerhouses such as Rangers F.C., FC Dynamo Kyiv and PSV Eindhoven until they reached the final losing to defending champions Bayern Munich. The following year AS Saint-Étienne advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champions Liverpool F.C.. AS Saint-Étienne entered a dry spell after a short period of dominance and the 1980s produced no significant French clubs ready to conquer Europe. Finally in 1990-91 Olympique de Marseille, with scoring phenomenon Jean-Pierre Papin, advanced all the way to the final before falling to Red Star Belgrade on penalties. When the European Cup rebranded to the UEFA Champions League, Olympique de Marseille unleashed havoc on the competition. Les Olympiens won Group A and suddenly found themselves in the final against AC Milan. Basile Boli hit home the winning goal in the 44th minute, winning the Champions League for Marseille. In 1996, Paris Saint-Germain won the second and last French European title, beating Rapid Wien in the final of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with a Bruno N'Gotty's freekick. The 2003-04 UEFA Champions League saw underdogs AS Monaco FC win their group over Deportivo de La Coruña, PSV Eindhoven and AEK Athens FC to advance to the Round of 16. Monaco did not stop there, triumphing over FC Lokomotiv Moscow, Real Madrid and Chelsea F.C. until they reached the final. F.C. Porto ended the run with a 3-0 victory. In the past few years Olympique Lyonnais entered the European stage, which saw them reach the 1/8 final of the Champions League in 2006-07, 2007-08 and reach the quarterfinals in 2003-04, 2004-05 en 2005-06. Previous WinnersPerformance by club
RecordsClub
PlayersOther records
Statistics by clubs (1932-1939 and 1945-2008)
Media coverageIn Australia, the United States, UK, Ireland, and Canada, Ligue 1 is currently available on Setanta Sports. In Brazil, pay television channel Sportv airs matches from the French league. In France, it is televised on Canal+, but is not broadcast on terrestrial television there in any form. There is also widespread coverage throughout Africa, home to many of the league's players. See also
References
External links
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