# 2012–13 Ligue 1

The 2012–13 Ligue 1 was the 75th season since its establishment. Montpellier were the defending champions. The league schedule was announced in April 2012 and the fixtures were determined on 30 May. The season began on 10 August and ended on 26 May 2013. A winter break was in effect from 24 December to 12 January 2013.
The season marked the 80th anniversary of professional football in France. In addition, German sportswear company Adidas became the official provider of match balls for the season after agreeing to a long-term partnership with the Ligue de Football Professionnel. To commemorate the 80th anniversary, adidas unveiled an exclusive ball, known as Le 80, for the new season.
Since France dropped from fifth to sixth place in the UEFA association coefficient rankings at the end of the 2011–12 season, the league's third place team, Lyon qualified for the third qualifying round of the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League, having previously been placed in the playoff round.
On 12 May, Paris Saint-Germain won the league title after a 1–0 away win against Lyon.

## Teams

There were three promoted teams from Ligue 2, replacing the three teams that were relegated from Ligue 1 following the 2011–12 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 the DNCG before becoming eligible to participate.
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 defeating Metz 3–0 at the Stade Armand Cesari. 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. The club had earned promotion to Ligue 2 after winning the 2010–11 edition of the Championnat National.
Reims and Troyes became the second and third clubs, respectively, to earn promotion to Ligue 1 alongside the champions Bastia. 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. During those 33 years, the club underwent liquidation 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 the Championnat National, the third level of French football.

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Location | Venue | Capacity | Av. Att. |
| 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 Velodrome$^1$ | 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-Guichard$^2$ | 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 |
* $^1$The Stade Vélodrome is currently undergoing renovation in preparation for UEFA Euro 2016. The current capacity is 42,000, a decrease from the original capacity of 60,031. The capacity will be slightly extended in December 2012 following the completion of a new stand.
* $^2$The Stade Geoffroy-Guichard is currently undergoing renovation in preparation for UEFA Euro 2016. The current capacity is 26,747, a decrease from the original capacity of 35,616. The capacity will be slightly extended in August 2012 following the completion of a new stand.

### Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt sponsors (front) | Shirt sponsors (back) | Shirt sponsors (sleeve) | Shorts sponsors |
| Ajaccio | Albert Emon | Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi | Duarig | Restaurants du Cœur, Collectivité Territoriale de Corse, Conseil Général Corse du Sud | Europcar | Géant Casino | Corse-Matin |
| Bastia | Frédéric Hantz | Yannick Cahuzac | Kappa | Oscaro, Collectivité Territoriale de Corse, Odalys Vacances, Corsica Ferries | Vocalcom | Afflelou, Haute-Corse | Géant Casino, Kaporal 5 Jeans |
| Bordeaux | Francis Gillot | Jaroslav Plašil | Puma | Kia | Groupama | None | None |
| Brest | Corentin Martins | Ahmed Kantari | Nike | Quéguiner Matériaux (H)/Yaourt Malo (A & 3)/La Potagère (A & 3), Geodis Calberson, Breizh Cola | Casino Supermarchés | GUYOT Environnement | Centre Dépannage Gaz, Oceania Hotels |
| Evian | Pascal Dupraz | Cédric Barbosa | Kappa | Evian, Pilot, Danette, Geodis Calberson, Sword Group | Samsic | Agence de Voyages SAT | VEKA |
| Lille | Rudi Garcia | Rio Mavuba | Umbro | Partouche | Partouche | Nord-Pas-de-Calais | None |
| Lorient | Christian Gourcuff | Bruno Ecuele Manga | Macron | La Trinitaine, Armor-Lux | Salaun Holidays | None | Lorient Agglomération |
| Lyon | Rémi Garde | Lisandro López | Adidas | Hyundai/Veolia, MDA Electroménager, UNICEF | Groupama | Renault Trucks | Intermarché |
| Marseille | Élie Baup | Steve Mandanda | Adidas | Intersport | Groupama | OpusDry (H)/Technitoit (A) | Groupama |
| Montpellier | René Girard | Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa | Nike | Sud de France, Dyneff, Montpellier Agglomération, Partouche | La Région Languedoc-Roussillon | FAUN-Environnement | Système U, Wati B |
| Nancy | Patrick Gabriel | André Luiz | Umbro | Groupe DLSI, Sopalin, Geodis Calberson, NetBet Sport | Comarch | Chaussea, Grand Nancy | Caisse d'Epargne |
| Nice | Claude Puel | Didier Digard | Burrda | Mutuelles du Soleil, Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur | Pizzorno Environnement | Rémanence Hygiène et Propreté | Ville de Nice |
| Paris Saint-Germain | Carlo Ancelotti | Thiago Silva | Nike | Fly Emirates | None | Indesit | None |
| Reims | Hubert Fournier | Mickaël Tacalfred | Hummel | Transports Caillot/Epsilon Global/Sanei Ascenseurs, Geodis Calberson, Ace Crédit | TSO Logistique | Ville de Reims | Sanei Ascenseurs/Transports Caillot |
| Rennes | Frédéric Antonetti | Romain Danzé | Puma | Samsic, rennes.fr | Blot Immobilier | Association ELA | Breizh Cola |
| Saint-Étienne | Christophe Galtier | Loïc Perrin | Adidas | Winamax, Mister-Auto, Conseil général de la Loire en Rhône-Alpes | Triangle Intérim | Markal | Saint-Étienne Métropole, Loire, Rapid CroQ' |
| Sochaux | Éric Hély | David Sauget | Lotto | Mobil 1, Franche-Comté | Pays de Montbéliard Agglomération | Peugeot 208 | Téréva |
| Toulouse | Alain Casanova | Jonathan Zebina | Kappa | JD Patrimoine, JD Promotion | Newrest | None | None |
| Troyes | Jean-Marc Furlan | Eloge Enza Yamissi | Duarig | Afflelou, Colorpro Design (H)/Isolapro (A), Intermarché | Afflelou | Urbanéo (H)/Dugain Piscines (A) | Troyes, FSE Securite Grand Est |
| Valenciennes | Daniel Sanchez | Rudy Mater | Uhlsport | GDE Recyclage (H)/Prévoir Assurances (A), Toyota | Prévoir Assurances (H)/GDE Recyclage (A) | Nord-Pas-de-Calais | Konica Minolta |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing head coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming head coach | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Nice | René Marsiglia | Sacked | 21 May 2012 | Off-season | Claude Puel | 24 May 2012 | Off-season |
| Brest | Corentin Martins | Mutual consent | 31 May 2012 | Off-season | Landry Chauvin | 31 May 2012 | Off-season |
| Ajaccio | Olivier Pantaloni | Resigned | 14 June 2012 | Off-season | Alex Dupont | 22 June 2012 | Off-season |
| Marseille | Didier Deschamps | Mutual consent | 2 July 2012 | Off-season | Élie Baup | 4 July 2012 | Off-season |
| Evian | Pablo Correa | Sacked | 3 September 2012 | 18th | Pascal Dupraz | 3 September 2012 | 18th |
| Ajaccio | Alex Dupont | Sacked | 17 December 2012 | 14th | Albert Emon | 21 December 2012 | 14th |
| Nancy | Jean Fernandez | Resigned | 10 January 2013 | 20th | Patrick Gabriel | 11 January 2013 | 20th |
| Brest | Landry Chauvin | Sacked | 2 April 2013 | 18th | Corentin Martins | 4 April 2013 | 18th |

## League table

| 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 the Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Marseille | 38 | 21 | 8 | 9 | 42 | 36 | +6 | 71 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 3 | Lyon | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 61 | 38 | +23 | 67 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Nice | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 57 | 46 | +11 | 64 | Qualification for the Europa League play-off round |
| 5 | Saint-Étienne | 38 | 16 | 15 | 7 | 60 | 32 | +28 | 63 | Qualification for the Europa League third qualifying round |
| 6 | Lille | 38 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 59 | 40 | +19 | 62 | |
| 7 | Bordeaux | 38 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 40 | 34 | +6 | 55 | Qualification for the Europa League group stage |
| 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 | |
| 18 | Nancy (R) | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 38 | 58 | −20 | 38 | Relegation to Ligue 2 |
| 19 | Troyes (R) | 38 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 43 | 61 | −18 | 37 | Relegation to Ligue 2 |
| 20 | Brest (R) | 38 | 8 | 5 | 25 | 32 | 62 | −30 | 29 | Relegation to Ligue 2 |
* ↑ Saint-Étienne, as winner of the 2012–13 Coupe de la Ligue, qualifies for the third qualifying round of 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.
* ↑ Bordeaux, winner of the 2012–13 Coupe de France, qualified for the Group stage of 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.
* ↑ On 9 August 2012, Ajaccio was docked two points, one suspended, by the Disciplinary Committee of the Ligue de Football Professionnel for the 2012–13 season because of incidents during a 2011–12 league match against Lyon.

## Results

| 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 | |

## Season statistics
### Scoring

* First goal of the season: Souleymane Camara for Montpellier against Toulouse (10 August 2012)
* Fastest goal of the season: 27 seconds – Zlatan Ibrahimović for Paris Saint-Germain against Lille (2 September 2012)
* Latest goal of the season: 90+5 minutes – Ilan for Bastia against Reims (18 August 2012)
* Largest winning margin: 5 goals
** Valenciennes 6–1 Lorient (20 October 2012)
** Nice 5–0 Valenciennes (13 January 2013)
** Lille 5–0 Lorient (7 April 2013)
* Highest scoring game: 8 goals
** Lorient 4–4 Ajaccio (28 October 2012)
* Most goals scored in a match by a single team: 6 goals
** Valenciennes 6–1 Lorient (20 October 2012)
* Most goals scored in a match by a losing team: 3 goals
** Valenciennes 3–4 Bastia (30 March 2013)
** Toulouse 3–4 Nice (6 April 2013)

### Clean sheets

* Most clean sheets: 23
** Paris Saint-Germain
* Fewest clean sheets: 6
** Brest
** Nancy

### Discipline

* Most yellow cards (club): 83
** Bastia
* Most yellow cards (player): 14
** Sambou Yatabaré (Bastia)
* Most red cards (club): 10
** Paris Saint-Germain
** Rennes
* Most red cards (player): 2
** Younès Belhanda (Montpellier)
** Cheikh M'Bengue (Toulouse)
** Jamel Saihi (Montpellier)
** Florian Thauvin (Bastia)

## Awards

| Award | Winner | Club |
| Player of the Season | Zlatan Ibrahimović | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Young Player of the Season | Florian Thauvin | Bastia |
| Goalkeeper of the Season | Salvatore Sirigu | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Goal of the Season | Saber Khalifa | Evian |
| Manager of the Season | Christophe Galtier | Saint-Étienne |
| Manager of the Season | Carlo Ancelotti | Paris Saint-Germaim |
Team of the Year :
| Goalkeeper | Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain) | Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain) | Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain) | Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain) |
| Defence | Christophe Jallet (Paris Saint-Germain) | Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain) | Nicolas Nkoulou (Marseille) | Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain) |
| Midfield | Dimitri Payet (Lille) | Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain) | Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain) | Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille) |
| Attack | Zlatan Ibrahimović (Paris Saint-Germain) | Zlatan Ibrahimović (Paris Saint-Germain) | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Saint-Étienne) | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Saint-Étienne) |