TOPS
Sébastien Loeb, winner of the Monte-Carlo Rally
Fifteen months after his last rally (in Turkey with Hyundai), the Alsatian signed a masterstroke by winning the Monte-Carlo Rally, the opening event of the 2022 season. The nine-time world champion thus offered his 80th victory in the WRC, with Ford, at almost 48 years old, coming out of an intense standoff with Sébastien Ogier (Toyota) finally second.
Loeb's 79th victory, alongside a new co-driver, Isabelle Galmiche, dates back to 2018 in Spain.
At the time, he was supported by the faithful Daniel Elena.
We should also salute the performance of Sébastien Ogier who would certainly not have missed out on victory if he hadn't suffered a puncture on the penultimate special.
Read alsoLoeb, the rally legend who escapes time
Imperial Ngannou
Announced as the long-awaited outsider of UFC 270 against Frenchman Ciryl Gane, Francis Ngannou retained his world heavyweight belt with style. Declared the winner unanimously by the judges, the Franco-Cameroonian colossus, badly embarked after two first rounds to the advantage of the "Bon Gamin", completely reversed the trend by revealing a "game plan" that no one had imagined, and even less his former trainer Fernand Lopez, today alongside Gane. By managing to bring the Vendéen to the ground (more than five minutes) while dominating the fight in wrestling, the “Predator” emerged victorious from a fight of titans which kept all its promises. Ten months after his title, Ngannou remains at the top of the UFC and finds himself in a position to negotiate additional fights. On his side,Gane should certainly not stop at this very first loss in MMA (10 wins-1 loss).
Read alsoUFC: Revenge against Gane?
“Of course … if I stay in the UFC”, warns Ngannou
The Rediscovered Flame by Gaël Monfils
He has come a long way from Gaël Monfils. Last February, in tears, after his elimination in the first round of the Australian Open, the Monf 'did not hide his dismay. A little less than a year later, he found the wire, the desire and the confidence. And the results are coming back. Winner in Adelaide, the Parisian confirms in Melbourne, where he has not lost a set after four rounds. Taking advantage of a depopulated table of the Novak Djokovic scarecrow, the 20th in the world assumes his status. Offensive against Matteo Berrettini, the French number one was good in the important points and took the match on his own (54 winning strokes in total). The 35-year-old has 'found his mojo back'. That of 2019 and the start of 2020, when, after winning two consecutive titles,he was on the verge of beating Djokovic in the semi-finals in Dubai. And then the Covid-19 landed... Ancient history, it seems. Place Tuesday against Matteo Berrettini, seeded number 7 and reigning Wimbledon runner-up. The French will play on this occasion his tenth quarter in Grand Slam, his first since the US Open 2019, the first in Australia, with a revenge to take against the giant Berrettini, who had thus dominated the French in five sets at the US Open 2019. This Monfils can believe it.with revenge to be taken against the giant Berrettini, who had thus dominated the French in five sets at the US Open 2019. This Monfils, can believe it.with revenge to be taken against the giant Berrettini, who had thus dominated the French in five sets at the US Open 2019. This Monfils, can believe it.
OM travel first
"I think it's our most successful game of the season." Signed Jorge Sampaoli, in the bullseye after the victory of “his” OM in Lens (0-2), Saturday, during the 22nd day of Ligue 1. As fair as his northern counterpart, Franck Haise, when he judged the “deserved” Marseille success. Led by Dimitri Payet, brilliant and author of a penalty, Marseille no longer loses, with a series of eight matches without defeat since the beginning of December. In fact, OM shine above all on the road, with five consecutive victories away from the Vélodrome, in all competitions. "We are more comfortable outside, even emotionally," admits Sampaoli. And the Argentinian technician added: “At home, if we don't score quickly, the match can get complicated. It is necessary that thewe work to have the same level at the Vélodrome as outside, because we owe it to our public. In the meantime, Olympique de Marseille continues to navigate at the top of the standings, pointing to third place in Ligue 1 following Nice's victory in Metz (0-2).
Read alsoTops / Flops Lens-OM: Payet shines, Medina misses
Blue sky for Moussa Diaby
Leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Leverkusen in 2019, against fifteen million euros, Moussa Diaby was still only a hope. Two and a half years later, he must not regret having crossed the Rhine. Neo-international (4 selections), the 22-year-old titi made the heyday of a Bayer who invited himself to the podium in the Bundesliga standings, after a 5-1 card against Augsburg, during the 20th day. A match during which he made the powder speak, joining Anthony Modeste, Alassane Plea and Jean-Philippe Mateta in the closed club of the French authors of a hat-trick in the German championship. Three goals, including two on assists from another former L1 player, ex-Toulouse Amine Adli. "Today, Moussa rewarded himself," smiled his coach, Gerardo Seoane,insisting on the good performance of the whole team. With his hat-trick, Diaby is on the heels of another former resident of the PSG training center among the top scorers in the Bundesliga, Christopher Nkunku (9 goals). Little titi has become big.
FLOPS
The Blues of handball off topic… and soon out of the race?
If the hypothesis of a failure at Euro 2022, five months after the Olympic coronation in Tokyo, was not to be excluded for the Blues of handball, their exit from the road against Iceland was much less predictable (21- 29). Faced with a team rejuvenated by the multiplication of positive cases for Covid-19, the band of Nikola Karabatic, completely extinguished on Saturday (only one goal, scored at the start of the match), suffered a violent return to earth after a start to the European campaign. without a hitch (4 wins). Opposite, the young Scandinavian guard, embodied by the metronome Omar Magnusson (24 years old, 10 goals) and the imperial Viktor Hallgrimsson (21 years old, 15 saves), offered himself the right to dream of a surprise qualification for the semis -Hungarian Euro finals. Unlike the Blues,the 2008 Olympic vice-champions have their destiny in their hands and could hasten the elimination of their executioner from Beijing 2008.
Read alsoTops / Flops France-Iceland: Hallgrimsson disgusted them, the Blues sank
Yilmaz, blow of anger and blow of slack
Where did Burak Yilmaz go? Overall, the Turkish international striker from Lille is evolving a notch below last season, it's a fact. Saturday again, "King Burak" did not shine in Brest (2-0 defeat), during the 22nd day of L1. He was rather noted for his tempestuous character when Jocelyn Gourvennec called him back to the bench to launch his new recruit, a certain Hatem Ben Arfa (75th). Which "HBA" almost scored for his first Lille outing, as Cédric Bakambu was able to do with OM. Still, Yilmaz only moderately appreciated this choice of his coach, making big gestures, shouting, taking off his shirt and going straight to the locker room. “We will discuss it with a clear head, you should never react hotly”, commented Gourvennec,evoking a gesture of “frustration” from the 36-year-old veteran, and recalling that it is a question of a player who has “a lot of character. We don't compete with dolphins or lambs. It will not change today, “added the Lille coach. Author of 18 goals in 33 matches in 2020-21, Yilmaz has only shaken the net six times in 27 matches since the start of the current campaign, his second in the North.has scored just six times in 27 appearances since the start of the current campaign, his second in the North.has scored just six times in 27 appearances since the start of the current campaign, his second in the North.
Read alsoTops / Flops Brest-LOSC: Perfect Bizot, Yilmaz upside down
