Football Season Guide

Guingamp will embark upon their fifth successive campaign in Ligue 1 – the first time the club has enjoyed such a run at this level – having finished a commendable tenth last season. A seventh-place finish in 2001-02 is the best they have ever achieved, and realistically Antoine Kombouare’s men will not be able to match that over the course of the coming season. While there have been changes to their squad, the majority of these have come on the fringes of the starting XI. However, left-back Marcal, who was arguably the best player in his position in the whole of the league last term, has departed the club following the end of his loan deal. He is, however, the only regular starter to have left over the summer but numerous fringe players have moved on and Kombouare could potentially have a brand new bench to juggle in the coming weeks. Many of the players the manager has signed are unknown quantities. Pedro Rebocho has arrived as Marcal’s replacement on the left of defence from Benfica while Lebogang Phiri arrives from Brondby to bolster the midfield. Meanwhile, they have also moved to sign a couple of younger players in the form of Cheik Traore, a right-back from Chateauroux, and Marcus Thuram, a burly striker from Sochaux, who is a decent prospect at 19 and should offer a focal point should Guingamp want to adopt a more direct approach. Typically Guingamp play in a 4-4-2 formation, with Jimmy Briand very much the spearhead to their attack. He was crucial for them last season and should be just as important this time around. Yannis Salibur could yet move on, particularly as they have already signed his replacement in Abdoul Camara, while youngster Marcus Coco offers a strong threat down the wings too. In the heart of the field, Mustapha Diallo was the revelation of the season last term and will provide a powerful box-to-box presence once more. They will try to get their full-backs forward, with Jordan Ikoko a strong option on the right. In the heart of the defence, they look solid once more.