'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#1 The French League is on a decline
Despite being a part of the top five leagues in Europe, the French league is so significantly behind the other four that when UEFA decided to revamp its qualification system by rewarding the top leagues with automatic qualification, the Ligue 1 was left out.
Trending
Performances so far in Europe have not done much to improve their status, as all the French clubs participating on the continent bar one were defeated.
In the Champions League, PSG and Monaco both lost to Liverpool and Atletico respectively, while Bordeaux were beaten by Slavia Prague and more shockingly, Marseille fell to Eintratch Frankfurt at home, despite taking a one goal lead and seeing their opponents reduced to ten men.
The only bright light from French club's who participated on the first day of European club competition was Lyon, who pulled off one of the shocks of the tournament by defeating favourites Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad stadium, and for a league attempting to portray itself as one of the best in Europe, that is simply not good enough.
