| Season | 2012–13 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 10 August 2012 – 26 May 2013 |
| Champions | Paris Saint-Germain 3rd Ligue 1 title 3rdFrench title |
| Relegated | Nancy Troyes Brest |
| Champions League | Paris Saint-Germain Marseille Lyon |
| Europa League | Nice Saint-Étienne Bordeaux |
| Matches | 380 |
| Goals | 967 (2.54 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Zlatan Ibrahimović (30 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Valenciennes 6–1Lorient (20 October 2012)[1][2] Nice 5–0Valenciennes (13 January 2013)[2][3] Lille 5–0Lorient (7 April 2013)[2][4] |
| Biggest away win | Bastia 0–4Paris Saint-Germain (22 September 2012)[5] Evian 0–4Toulouse (20 October 2012)[2][6] Lorient 0–4Bordeaux (11 November 2012) Valenciennes 0–4Paris Saint-Germain (11 November 2012) Toulouse 0–4Paris Saint-Germain (1 February 2013) Bordeaux 0–4Lyon (17 February 2013) |
| Highest scoring | Lorient 4–4Ajaccio (28 October 2012)[1][2] |
| Longest winning run | 6 games Marseille (10 August – 23 September) |
| Longest unbeaten run | 16 games Saint-Étienne (21 September – 12 May) |
| Longest winless run | 20 games Nancy (17 August – 26 January) |
| Longest losing run | 11 games Brest (9 March – 26 May) |
| Highest attendance | 47,828 –Lille 0–0Marseille (14 April 2013)[7] |
| Lowest attendance | 0 (behind closed doors) Bastia 1–2Marseille (12 December 2012)[7] |
| Average attendance | 19,262[7] |
2013–14 → | |
The2012–13 Ligue 1 was the 75th season since its establishment.[8]Montpellier were thedefending champions. The league schedule was announced in April 2012 and the fixtures were determined on 30 May.[9] The season began on 10 August and ended on 26 May 2013.[10] A winter break was in effect from 24 December to 12 January 2013.[11]
The season marked the 80th anniversary of professional football in France.[9] In addition, Germansportswear companyAdidas became the official provider of match balls for the season after agreeing to a long-term partnership with theLigue de Football Professionnel.[9][12] To commemorate the 80th anniversary, adidas unveiled an exclusive ball, known asLe 80, for the new season.
Since France dropped from fifth to sixth place in theUEFA association coefficient rankings at the end of the 2011–12 season, the league's third place team,Lyon qualified for thethird qualifying round of the2013–14 UEFA Champions League, having previously been placed in the playoff round.[13]
On 12 May,Paris Saint-Germain won the league title after a 1–0 away win against Lyon.[14][15][16]
There were three promoted teams fromLigue 2, replacing the three teams that were relegated from Ligue 1 following the2011–12 season. A total of 20 teams competed in the league with three clubs suffering relegation to the second division, Ligue 2. All clubs that secured Ligue 1 status for the season were subject to approval by theDNCG before becoming eligible to participate.[17]
Bastia became the first club to achieve promotion to Ligue 1. The club clinched the second division title on 1 May 2012 with three matches to spare after defeatingMetz 3–0 at theStade Armand Cesari.[18] Bastia is making its return to the first division after a seven-year absence and is entering Ligue 1 on a run of two consecutive promotions.[19] The club had earned promotion to Ligue 2 after winning the2010–11 edition of theChampionnat National.
Reims andTroyes became the second and third clubs, respectively, to earn promotion to Ligue 1 alongside the champions Bastia.[20] Both clubs achieved promotion with one game to spare following league victories on 11 May 2012, which positioned each club in second and third place permanently. Reims, which is a six-time Ligue 1 champion, is returning to the first division after over 33 years playing in the lower divisions.[21] During those 33 years, the club underwentliquidation and had all aspects of the club (its records, trophies, etc.) auctioned off. Troyes is returning to Ligue 1 after spending four years playing in Ligue 2. During its five-year spell outside the first division, Troyes also played in theChampionnat National, the third level of French football.[22]
| Club | Location | Venue | Capacity | Av. Att.[23] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajaccio | Ajaccio | Stade François Coty | 10,660 | 7,060 |
| Bastia | Bastia | Stade Armand Cesari | 16,480 | 13,619 |
| Bordeaux | Bordeaux | Stade Chaban-Delmas | 34,462 | 19,683 |
| Brest | Brest | Stade Francis-Le Blé | 15,931 | 11,936 |
| Évian | Annecy | Parc des Sports | 15,660 | 9,697 |
| Lille | Villeneuve-d'Ascq | Grand Stade Lille Métropole | 50,186 | 40,326 |
| Lorient | Lorient | Stade du Moustoir | 18,890 | 14,784 |
| Lyon | Lyon | Stade de Gerland | 41,842 | 29,210 |
| Marseille | Marseille | Stade Velodrome1 | 42,000 | 34,083 |
| Montpellier | Montpellier | Stade de la Mosson | 32,939 | 18,141 |
| Nancy | Tomblaine | Stade Marcel Picot | 20,085 | 15,098 |
| Nice | Nice | Stade du Ray | 17,415 | 9,590 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | Paris | Parc des Princes | 48,712 | 42,289 |
| Reims | Reims | Stade Auguste-Delaune II | 21,684 | 14,696 |
| Rennes | Rennes | Stade de la Route de Lorient | 31,127 | 17,185 |
| Saint-Étienne | Saint-Étienne | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard2 | 26,747 | 22,554 |
| Sochaux | Montbéliard | Stade Auguste Bonal | 20,005 | 12,163 |
| Toulouse | Toulouse | Stadium Municipal | 35,470 | 18,140 |
| Troyes | Troyes | Stade de l'Aube | 21,877 | 12,833 |
| Valenciennes | Valenciennes | Stade du Hainaut | 24,926 | 15,513 |
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined underFIFA eligibility rules. Players and managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Outgoing head coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming head coach | Date of appointment | Position in table |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nice | Sacked | 21 May 2012[26] | Off-season | 24 May 2012[27] | Off-season | ||
| Brest | Mutual consent | 31 May 2012 | Off-season | 31 May 2012[28] | Off-season | ||
| Ajaccio | Resigned | 14 June 2012[29] | Off-season | 22 June 2012[30] | Off-season | ||
| Marseille | Mutual consent | 2 July 2012[31] | Off-season | 4 July 2012[32] | Off-season | ||
| Evian | Sacked | 3 September 2012[33] | 18th | 3 September 2012 | 18th | ||
| Ajaccio | Sacked | 17 December 2012[34] | 14th | 21 December 2012[35] | 14th | ||
| Nancy | Resigned | 10 January 2013[36] | 20th | 11 January 2013[37] | 20th | ||
| Brest | Sacked | 2 April 2013[38] | 18th | 4 April 2013[39] | 18th |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris Saint-Germain(C) | 38 | 25 | 8 | 5 | 69 | 23 | +46 | 83 | Qualification for theChampions League group stage |
| 2 | Marseille | 38 | 21 | 8 | 9 | 42 | 36 | +6 | 71 | |
| 3 | Lyon | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 61 | 38 | +23 | 67 | Qualification for theChampions League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Nice | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 57 | 46 | +11 | 64 | Qualification for theEuropa League play-off round |
| 5 | Saint-Étienne | 38 | 16 | 15 | 7 | 60 | 32 | +28 | 63 | Qualification for theEuropa League third qualifying round[a] |
| 6 | Lille | 38 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 59 | 40 | +19 | 62 | |
| 7 | Bordeaux | 38 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 40 | 34 | +6 | 55 | Qualification for theEuropa League group stage[b] |
| 8 | Lorient | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 57 | 58 | −1 | 53 | |
| 9 | Montpellier | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 54 | 51 | +3 | 52 | |
| 10 | Toulouse | 38 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 49 | 47 | +2 | 51 | |
| 11 | Valenciennes | 38 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 49 | 53 | −4 | 48 | |
| 12 | Bastia | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 50 | 66 | −16 | 47 | |
| 13 | Rennes | 38 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 48 | 59 | −11 | 46 | |
| 14 | Reims | 38 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 43 | |
| 15 | Sochaux | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 41 | 57 | −16 | 41 | |
| 16 | Evian | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 46 | 53 | −7 | 40 | |
| 17 | Ajaccio | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 39 | 51 | −12 | 40[c] | |
| 18 | Nancy(R) | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 38 | 58 | −20 | 38 | Relegation toLigue 2 |
| 19 | Troyes(R) | 38 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 43 | 61 | −18 | 37 | |
| 20 | Brest(R) | 38 | 8 | 5 | 25 | 32 | 62 | −30 | 29 |
| Home \ Away | ACA | BAS | BOR | BRS | EVI | LIL | LOR | OL | OM | MHS | NAL | NIC | PSG | REI | REN | STE | SOC | TFC | TRO | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajaccio | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | |
| Bastia | 1–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | |
| Bordeaux | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | |
| Brest | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |
| Evian | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | |
| Lille | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | |
| Lorient | 4–4 | 4–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | |
| Lyon | 2–0 | 5–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | |
| Marseille | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |
| Montpellier | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | |
| Nancy | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | |
| Nice | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 5–0 | |
| Paris SG | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | |
| Reims | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | |
| Rennes | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | |
| Saint-Étienne | 4–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | |
| Sochaux | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | |
| Toulouse | 2–4 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–4 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | |
| Troyes | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | |
| Valenciennes | 3–0 | 3–4 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 6–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
Top goalscorers[edit] | Hat-tricks[edit]
|
| Award | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Player of the Season | Paris Saint-Germain | |
| Young Player of the Season | Bastia | |
| Goalkeeper of the Season | Paris Saint-Germain | |
| Goal of the Season | Evian | |
| Manager of the Season | Saint-Étienne | |
| Paris Saint-Germaim |
| Team of the Year | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | ||||
| Defence | (Marseille) | |||
| Midfield | ||||
| Attack | ||||