The Japan Times - Ambitious Paris FC making steady progress after landing in big time

The capital city's second side have marked their arrival in the top flight by moving into the Stade Jean-Bouin, the 20,000-capacity home of Top 14 rugby team Stade Francais which sits just across the road from Paris Saint-Germain's Parc des Princes.

So close is it to PSG's home that the reigning French and European champions have a club shop which is built into the Stade Jean-Bouin itself.

And Paris FC look certain to be playing in the shadow of their illustrious neighbours for some time to come.

It is now almost exactly a year since they were bought by the Arnault family, one of the wealthiest in the world with Bernard Arnault the founder of luxury goods conglomerate LVMH. Energy drinks giant Red Bull also took a minority shareholding.

Progress so far has been steady, with money spent in the transfer market coming into this season but no especially glamorous signings made -- the most eye-catching arrivals were Brazilian defender Otavio from Porto and Nigeria winger Moses Simon from Nantes.

Indeed their most impressive player has been the Algerian international winger Ilan Kebbal, who has been at the club since 2022 and has five goals and four assists already this season.

Coached by Stephane Gilli, they have won just three of their first 10 games and currently sit just two points above the relegation zone.

However, Wednesday saw Paris FC claim perhaps their most remarkable result yet as they came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at home to Lyon with Jurgen Klopp, Red Bull's head of global soccer, watching on. That set them up for Saturday's trip to Monaco.

"Every match is hard in Ligue 1, but I think the team is progressing, we are on the right road, and with the squad we have now we have everything we need to have a good season," captain Maxime Lopez, once of Marseille, told AFP recently.

What would count as a good season? "Our objective remains survival as a priority," Gilli said recently.

In the meantime Paris FC continue to adapt to life in the elite and January could be pivotal, when the transfer window opens and when they go over the road for a first meeting with PSG since 1978.

Player to watch: Paul Pogba

Could this be the weekend on which France's 2018 World Cup-winning midfield star finally makes his return to competitive action?

The latter seasons of the 32-year-old's career have been marred by injury and a doping ban, and he has not played since September 2023, when he made the last of the 12 appearances of his second spell at Juventus.

Signed by Monaco in June on a two-year deal, the ex-Manchester United man has been gradually building up his fitness ever since, and suffered some minor setbacks. But he is on the verge of making his debut and it could come on Saturday against Paris FC.

"It wouldn't be illogical to see him," said Monaco coach Sebastien Pocognoli after the midweek win at Nantes.

Key stats

2 - The number of points separating the top six teams in Ligue 1, which represents the smallest gap between the top six this far into a season since 2011/12

9 - PSG have dropped nine points out of a possible 18 in their last six league outings

26 - If Pogba plays on Saturday it will be his first competitive appearance in 26 months

Fixtures (times GMT)

Saturday

Paris Saint-Germain v Nice (1600), Monaco v Paris FC (1800), Auxerre v Marseille (2005)

Sunday

Rennes v Strasbourg (1400), Lens v Lorient, Lille v Angers, Nantes v Metz, Toulouse v Le Havre (all 1615), Brest v Lyon (1945)

S.Yamamoto--JT