AFP, Paris :
Cesc Fabregas is set for his home debut as a Monaco player, while Paris Saint-Germain look for revenge against their recent Cup conquerors Guingamp in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
AFP Sport picks out four things to watch in France on a weekend that will be capped by Sunday’s derby clash between Saint-Etienne and Lyon. Cesc Fabregas got his first taste of the unusual experience of a matchday in Monaco in midweek, but the Spain star had to watch from the stands as Thierry Henry’s side drew 1-1 with Nice, coached by another former Arsenal star in Patrick Vieira.
Signed from Chelsea last week, Fabregas impressed on his debut in a 1-1 draw at Marseille, but the 31-year-old was ineligible against Nice, a match that was originally due to be played in December before being postponed.
Just hours after admitting to journalists it had been a wrench to leave the Premier League, Fabregas sat next to fellow new signings Naldo, Fode Ballo-Toure and William Vainqueur to watch the Cote d’Azur derby.
Now the new signings are available again as Monaco host Strasbourg still searching for a first home win of the season as the relegation-threatened side look to climb the table.
“With the new signings we are going to do some interesting things in the weeks ahead. I am convinced of that,” said Monaco’s French World Cup-winning full-back Djibril Sidibe.
PSG have spent the week in Qatar, the land of their owners, a trip set up primarily to keep sponsors happy. Thomas Tuchel’s side did squeeze in some warm-weather training, but the capital club were also keen to point out that they became “the first football club in the world to take part in a traditional camel race”.
It remains to be seen whether that will have been the best preparation for a busy spell building up to the trip to Manchester United in the Champions League on February 12.
Cesc Fabregas is set for his home debut as a Monaco player, while Paris Saint-Germain look for revenge against their recent Cup conquerors Guingamp in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
AFP Sport picks out four things to watch in France on a weekend that will be capped by Sunday’s derby clash between Saint-Etienne and Lyon. Cesc Fabregas got his first taste of the unusual experience of a matchday in Monaco in midweek, but the Spain star had to watch from the stands as Thierry Henry’s side drew 1-1 with Nice, coached by another former Arsenal star in Patrick Vieira.
Signed from Chelsea last week, Fabregas impressed on his debut in a 1-1 draw at Marseille, but the 31-year-old was ineligible against Nice, a match that was originally due to be played in December before being postponed.
Just hours after admitting to journalists it had been a wrench to leave the Premier League, Fabregas sat next to fellow new signings Naldo, Fode Ballo-Toure and William Vainqueur to watch the Cote d’Azur derby.
Now the new signings are available again as Monaco host Strasbourg still searching for a first home win of the season as the relegation-threatened side look to climb the table.
“With the new signings we are going to do some interesting things in the weeks ahead. I am convinced of that,” said Monaco’s French World Cup-winning full-back Djibril Sidibe.
PSG have spent the week in Qatar, the land of their owners, a trip set up primarily to keep sponsors happy. Thomas Tuchel’s side did squeeze in some warm-weather training, but the capital club were also keen to point out that they became “the first football club in the world to take part in a traditional camel race”.
It remains to be seen whether that will have been the best preparation for a busy spell building up to the trip to Manchester United in the Champions League on February 12.
