1997–98 French Division 1 Explained

Competition:Division 1
Dates:2 August 1997 –
9 May 1998
Season:1997–98
Winners:Lens (1st title)
Relegated:Guingamp
Châteauroux
Cannes
Continentalcup1:Champions League
Continentalcup2:UEFA Cup
Continentalcup3:Intertoto Cup
Best Player:Marco Simone
League Topscorer:Stéphane Guivarc'h
(21 goals)
Matches:306
Total Goals:722
Average Attendance:16,555
Prevseason:1996–97
Nextseason:1998–99

The 1997–98 Division 1 was the 60th season of Division 1, the top French professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1932. The season began on 2 August 1997, and concluded on 9 May 1998.

This season saw a change in the league format, with the number of teams reduced to 18 from 20, shortening the season from 38 to 34 rounds. As a result, four clubs which had been relegated at the end of the previous season were replaced by only two, Châteauroux and Toulouse, who entered as winners and runners up of the 1996–97 French Division 2. Defending champions of the 1996–97 season were Monaco.

Lens won the championship for the first time in their 92-year history, becoming the 26th club to become French football champions. Lens won their league title with 68 points, edging out second-placed Metz on goal difference, for whom this was their best result in history.

Teams

Stadia and personnel

TeamManagerStadiumCapacityPos. in 1996–97
Auxerre Guy RouxStade de l'Abbé-Deschamps1066th
Bastia Frédéric AntonettiStade Armand Cesari1077th
Bordeaux Guy StéphanParc Lescure1044th
Cannes Adick KootStade Pierre-de-Coubertin11515th
Châteauroux Victor ZvunkaStade Gaston Petit2011st (D2)
Guingamp Francis SmereckiStade du Roudourou11212th
Le Havre Denis TrochStade Jules Deschaseaux11414th
Lens Daniel LeclercqStade Bollaert11313th
Lyon Bernard LacombeStade de Gerland1088th
Marseille Rolland CourbisStade Vélodrome11111th
Joël MullerStade Saint-Symphorien1055th
Monaco Jean TiganaStade Louis II1011st
Montpellier Michel MézyStade de la Mosson11010th
Nantes Raynald DenoueixStade de la Beaujoire1033rd
Paris Saint-Germain RicardoParc des Princes1022nd
Rennes Guy DavidStade de la Route de Lorient11616th
Strasbourg Jacky DuguépérouxStade de la Meinau1099th
Toulouse Alain GiresseStadium Municipal2022nd (D2)

League table

Promoted from Ligue 2, who will play in Division 1 season 1998/1999

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerClubGoals[1]
1 Stéphane Guivarc'hAuxerre21
2 David TrezeguetMonaco18
3 Victor IkpebaMonaco16
4 Anto DrobnjakLens14
Lilian LaslandesBordeaux
6 Bruno RodriguezMetz13
Marco SimoneParis Saint-Germain
8 Jocelyn GourvennecNantes12
9 Laurent BlancMarseille11
Robert PiresMetz
Stéphane ZianiLens

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.deux-zero.com/ligue-1/buteurs-epreuve/edition/1997-1998 Division 1 - Saison 1997-1998 - Classement des buteurs