Football Season Guide

Montpellier flirted with relegation last season before finally coming good under the stewardship of Frederic Hantz, but the coach faces an equal challenge this term after a summer transfer spell that has so far seem his side depleted. Key players such as Jonas Martin and Bryan Dabe have joined Betis and Saint-Etienne respectively, and while Hantz has sought to reduce the number of players on his books, he has brought in scant few replacements. Kylian Sanson has arrived to bolster the midfield sector from Evian, who have been cast into the amateur ranks after successive relegations, while the only other new face is Anthony Vanden Borre, an experienced right-back. On balance, the squad currently seems weaker than it was last term, but equally there was a boost for Montpellier in that Morgan Sanson will be closer to full fitness after missing virtually the whole of last season. Scoring goals promises to be a headache, though. Souleymane Camara, 33, will once again be the man hopes are pinned on, while Casimir Ninga, who was signed as a backup to the reserves a year ago, is likely to be second choice. In a creative capacity, much rests upon Ryad Boudebouz, while there is a lack of in-form defensive midfield in Montpellier’s ranks. The defence, like the forward line, will rely on a veteran in the form of Hilton, who will be 39 in October. This mix of extreme experience and youth is a risky strategy at this level and one that the club cannot keep leaning upon. Last term they received a let off thanks to some shrewd work from Hantz to repair the damage done by Rolland Courbis in the early part of the season, but maintaining that quality over an extended period of a year will be difficult with the squad in its current state.