In-form Nimes midfielder stars in Ligue 1 team of the month

PSG may have seen their 100% start to the season come to an end in the first two matches of December having been held to respective draws with Bordeaux and Strasbourg, but they steamrolled their way through November, winning all three matches, the champions one of only two teams to achieve the feat. 

Indeed, as one may suspect, the Parisian giants have two players in the Ligue 1 team of the month with Neymar (9.63) and Edinson Cavani (8.25) making the cut. Neymar had a direct hand in three goals in his two outings, scoring two and assisting one, while Cavani scored four in two appearances, which included a man of the match display in a 4-0 win at Monaco. However, it’s the in-form Teji Savanier (8.40) who comes away with the player of the month gong. 

While the midfielder’s rating was significantly lower than Neymar’s, having played in all three matches in November, the Nimes ace wins the award this time around. And it’s deserved, too, with Savanier scoring one and assisting two in November, all the while landing the WhoScored man of the match award in two of three outings. 

He isn’t the only Nimes representative either, with young goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni (7.87) making the cut between the sticks. Lyon’s Marcelo (7.76) and Marseille’s experienced Frenchman Adil Rami (7.61) feature in front of Bernardoni, while Mathieu Debuchy (7.75) and Romain Del Castillo (7.66) of Saint-Etienne and Rennes, respectively, complete the defence. 

Flanking Neymar and Savanier in the middle of the park is Nice star Youcef Atal (7.82) and Marseille’s Lucas Ocampos (7.76). Atal netted in the 1-0 win over Nimes, landing the man of the match award as a result, as the 22-year-old once again thrived in a more advanced role in November. Argentine Ocampos, meanwhile, chipped in with three superb displays as he scored one, made two key passes and completed six dribbles last month. 

Saint-Etienne summer signing Wahbi Khazri rounds off the XI as he continued to shine for the French giants. Saint-Etienne won three of four league matches in November, with the Tunisian attacker in fine form as he scored two and assisted another last month, those coming in man of the match displays against Reims and Nantes.