A former manager of Red Bull Salzburg, Olympiakos, and Celta Vigo, Garcia was sacked as Reims manager in October 2022 with the club sitting in 15th place. His assistant, Will Still, took the reins and guided the Champagne club to a historic unbeaten run, including two draws against French Champions Paris Saint-Germain. 

Garcia’s sacking also came in the context of the deteriorating illness of his daughter, who tragically passed away only a month following his departure. During his time as manager he made several visits to Catalonia to support and visit his daughter, after the latest of which he was informed he was going to be sacked as Reims manager after winning only one game at that stage of the 2022-2023 season.

GFFN | George Boxall

El-Mourabet is on the fringes of the first team. During pre-season, he often trained with the first team and even featured in two pre-season friendlies. However, he has yet to feature in an official match for his hometown club. El-Mourabet, who has received a call-up to Morocco’s U20 side, plays largely for the club’s Groupe Élite team. His performances with this side have attracted interest from Ligue 1 rivals Reims, as well as Eredivisie side FC Utrecht. 

El-Mourabet is currently on a trainee contract with Les Alsaciens, which is set to expire in 2025. The Moroccan youth international is a talented left-footed midfielder who came through the ranks playing for the French youth futsal sides. Since Strasbourg’s takeover from BlueCo, there has been a reticence to sell their brightest prospects. It remains to be seen whether RCSA would be open to a sale in this instance. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Garcia has been out of work since leaving Reims just over a year ago. Will Still stepped up from assistant to head coach at Reims in the context of a personal tragedy surrounding the illness of Garcia’s daughter, as well as the side’s declining results. Still, who has since taken Reims to the next level, has said that he “felt seriously bad” about taking the job in the context that he did, even though he was contractually bound to do so. 

The Spaniard was linked with the vacant job at Girondoins de Bordeaux in the wake of David Guion’s departure, however, it was Albert Riera who instead took the role at the Ligue 2 side. Shakhtar Donetsk, who recently sacked Dutchman Patrick van Leeuwen, have tried to convince Garcia to take the role, which is currently in the hands of Darijo Srna on an interim basis. However, the conditions aren’t right for Garcia to retake his position in the dugout, according to L’Équipe.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Still was one of 35,000 fans held in the stadium amid the evolving and dangerous situation. Abdesalem Lassoued killed two Swedes in an automatic rifle attack just three miles away from the stadium. The attacker thought to be of Tunisian origin, was shot dead by Belgian police later that evening. 

These events caused the suspension, and then abandonment of Belgium’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Sweden. Despite the ongoing situation, the first half of the match was played. Upon hearing about the attack, which took place within close proximity of the stadium, at half-time, both sets of players decided that they didn’t wish to return to the field to play the second half. 

Despite the game’s abandonment, fans were kept in the stadium for over two hours for their safety. Amongst them was Still, who gave a first-hand account of events in the stadium to RMC Sport. “The feeling inside the stadium? For now, it’s pretty calm. Everyone has remained silent during the announcements when the match was stopped. There are supporters chanting, but it’s all a bit vague,” said the Belgian-born Englishman. 

The Reims manager then spoke to BFMTV when it was announced that fans were authorised to leave the stadium. “Everyone has been allowed to leave the stadium. I am patiently waiting to be allowed to leave. It’s pretty calm. There isn’t really any panic or anything like that. It was a bit tense and calm at the start, but it’s okay now. The communication was pretty clear that we should stay in the stands. It was a bit long, but it was okay,” said Still. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

The D1 Arkema match which was being played at the Léo-Lagrange stadium in Poissy was suspended in the second half with the scores level at 0-0. Two firecrackers were launched in the first half but the referee did not intervene with proceedings until several were launched during the second half. 

It was confirmed after 40 minutes of both teams waiting that the match would not resume on Saturday evening. The fireworks, fired from the surrounding buildings, fell right in the middle of a stand filled with families, including children, and also reached a mounted structure on which the commentators and cameramen of the match were located. No one is thought to have been injured. The fate of the match will be decided at the next commission of the FFF. 

GFFN | Liam Wraith

Jakobs gave Monaco the lead just before half-time after latching onto a deflected cross at the back-post. The Principality club had then seized control after the break. Folarin Balogun’s deflected effort wrong-footed Yehvann Diouf within seconds of the restart. Facing his former club for the first time, the USMNT forward chose not to celebrate. 

Jakobs, who started the scoring, then found Ben Yedder with a pin-point cross in the 49th minute to essentially secure the three points. Chrislain Matsima’s clumsy tackle in the box gave Reims a route back into the match, and whilst Teddy Teuma slotted home the resulting penalty, Reims couldn’t make up the deficit. 

Monaco therefore overtake Nice and take back top spot, and regardless of results elsewhere, they will retain that place until after the international break.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

For last weekend’s 3-2 victory over Marseille, Golovin was suspended, whilst Minamino was absent with some minor adductor discomfort. However, both will return against Stade de Reims on Saturday night. Their returns will almost certainly see Monaco revert to deploying two No.10s and just one striker, meaning that Wissam Ben Yedder is once again in competition with Folarin Balogun for a starting spot. The latter will be hoping to get the nod as he visits his former club for the first time since his summer move to the Principality club. 

Monaco likely lineup v Reims

Philipp Köhn; Soungoutou Magassa, Guillermo Maripán, Wilfried Singo; Ismaël Jakobs, Denis Zakaria, Youssouf Fofana, Krépin Diatta; Aleksandr Golovin, Wissam Ben Yedder, Maghnes Akliouche. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Monaco are currently top of Ligue 1 and no side has scored more than Adi Hütter’s men this season. They come into Saturday’s match at the Stade Auguste Delaune full of confidence having beaten Olympique de Marseille 3-2 in matchday seven. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Hütter said that “danger comes from everywhere” in his team, and the returns of Aleksandr Golovin and Takumi Minamino will bolster an already frightening attacking arsenal. 

Still is fully aware of the task at hand, and believes that, in Monaco, Reims are coming up against the strongest side currently in Ligue 1. “At the minute, they’re the best team in Ligue 1. They run a lot, they’re very quick and for a long time. They score a lot of goals collectively; it is a team with a real playing philosophy and that does a lot of harm to their opponent. Quite simply, we’re going to play the best team in the division currently so it will be a really good match with a lot of quality,” said Still in a pre-match press conference, transcribed by La Diagonale. 

Whilst Monaco are perhaps, in the words of Still, the best team in the division, Reims can overtake them with victory on Saturday. Depending on results elsewhere, the Champagne side could even top Ligue 1 themselves by the end of matchday eight, however, the English manager sought to downplay the importance of such a feat in an interview with the Ligue 1 Show. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Reims face AS Monaco on Saturday night. Should they beat Les Monégasques, who are the current Ligue 1 leaders, Reims would go top. The Champagne side are currently third in the division, one point behind Monaco and Stade Brestois, who have been the surprise package in these early game weeks.

However, in an interview with the Ligue 1 Show, the Englishman sought to downplay the importance of the potential achievement. “It doesn’t change anything. Honestly, it’s no big deal. We’re keeping our heads, staying calm and preparing to have a good game against Monaco. For now, [top spot] doesn’t mean much to me,” he said. 

Still is more concerned about the overall trajectory of his side. “I’m very happy and proud of everyone because I think this is the Stade de Reims that everybody wants to see,” he said after last weekend’s victory over Lyon. “We showed great maturity. It’s proof that the club is making tracks in the right direction,” he added. 

Reims are looking to make it three in a row when Monaco visit the Stade Auguste Delaune on Saturday night, following deserved victories over Lille OSC and Stade Rennais. Whilst Monaco are undoubtedly a considerable threat going forward, Reims have also shown great efficiency and creativity in the final third. Only the Principality club and Paris Saint-Germain have scored more than the Rémois this season. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Vanderson, a mainstay in Monaco’s side so far this season felt discomfort in his knee in training this week, and therefore won’t be included in the squad to face Reims, manager Adi Hütter has confirmed in a press conference, transcribed by La Diagonale. Soungoutou Magassa was also absent from Monaco’s training session in La Turbie on Thursday. He was left out as a precaution and instead engaged in gym work. 

However, there are returnees up front. In the absence of Minamino, Ben Seghir and Aleksandr Golovin, Maghnes Akliouche shone against Olympique de Marseille last weekend, netting a brace and setting up the third. However, he will face more competition for a place in the starting lineup this week. Ben Seghir has been struggling with injury all season and is yet to feature in the current campaign. However, he returns to the squad, as does Minamino, who missed last weekend’s 3-2 victory over Marseille with adductor pain. Golovin also returns from suspension. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle