Football Season Guide

Dijon are back in Ligue 1 to play just their second top-flight season and will be aiming to survive for the first time ever. After lasting just one campaign in 2011-12, they have spent four frustrating years seeking to return to the big time. Having finished second in Ligue 2 last term, Olivier Dall’oglio’s men are back and are apparently eager to remain. Changes were necessary in the summer transfer market and they have opted for a quality-over-quantity approach. Their squad size has been reduced, sometimes in an unwelcome manner. Arnaud Souquet has departed for Nice from the defence, but a more pressing loss is Christopher Jullien, who was outstanding in the heart of the back four last term, contributing a high number of goals from set pieces. Yunis Abdelhamid has signed from Valenciennes, having been one of the outstanding players in Ligue 2 last term, and this tactic of signing the best players from the league below has been prominent in their thinking. Fouad Chafik and Benjamin Leroy have also arrived from the second flight. Only in the midfield have they elected to add genuine Ligue 1 experience. Florent Balmont should prove a strong addition in midfield if his legs can hold out another season, having been a champions previously with Lille, while Marvin Martin also arrives from LOSC. Martin is a France international playmaker but has lost his way badly in recent seasons; if he could rediscover his best form, he could single headedly keep Dijon up. His arrival is a gamble. Winger Frederic Sammaritano and striker Lois Diony will be important figures, while Julio Tavares led the line last season but was rather inefficient and it would be dangerous to rely on him at this level. With their defence – their strength last season – altered, and the attack lacking a reliable scoring forward, survival will be tough.