Ligue 1 Team of the Week

Another weekend of enthralling action in Ligue 1 saw Lyon maintain their five-point lead at the top of the table whilst Paris Saint-Germain moved clear of Marseille, Bordeaux and Saint-Etienne. Meanwhile Toulouse lost ground at the top following a goalless draw with Bastia, Nancy and Troyes remained in the relegation zone and Evian joined them after Sochaux’s draw with Lille.

Goalkeeper

Kossi Agassa

Team-Reims

Opposition-Bordeaux

Contribution-Five saves, clean sheet, Reims’ second point since October.

Agassa has been in top form for Reims this season keeping five cleans sheets in 15 matches since the start of the season as the newly-promoted side enjoyed a dream return to the top flight after 34 years away.

Defenders

Christophe Jallet

Team-Paris Saint-Germain

Opposition-Evian

Contribution-Assist (Ibrahimovic goal), clean sheet.

PSG’s captain Jallet has endured a far from ideal start to the season after being made captain before then slipping down the pecking order due to increased competition. The now French international has retained his role as captain though and has still been featured 11 times domestically this year.

Defenders

Mickael Tacalfred 

Team-Reims

Opposition-Bordeaux

Contribution-Clean sheet.

Reims’ evergreen captain Tacalfred has been a source of inspiration for the team from the champagne country this season. The 31-year-old has epitomised the underdog spirit that Hubert Fournier’s men personify in every performance, scrapping for their lives as the dinosaurs of French football.

Defenders

Milan Bisevac

Team-Lyon

Opposition-Saint-Etienne

Contribution-Clean sheet, three vital points against OL's bitter rivals to take them five clear at the top.

Bisevac has been an important presence at the heart of Remi Garde's defence this season since joining from title rivals PSG. If he maintains his solid form, Carlo Ancelotti's decision to let him go could come back to haunt him by the end of the season as les Gones currently sit ahead of the capital club in the title race.

Defender

Michel Bastos

Team-Lyon

Opposition-Saint-Etienne

Contribution-Winning goal in 1-0 win against Saint-Etienne.

Although not a fan of playing at left-back, I will fit Bastos into this selection here for this week. A prolific scorer of important goals, the Brazilian doesn't score tap-ins and he saved a vital strike for the clash with bitter rivals les Verts at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard. Bastos now has four goals for the season.

Midfielders

Javier Pastore

Team-Paris Saint-Germain

Opposition-Evian

Contribution-Two assists, improved form in last two games (PSG’s midweek clash with Porto in the champions league included).

PSG’s Argentine playmaker has suffered a downturn in form this season after a difficult teething period in Paris. Pastore was recently criticised by coach Carlo Ancelotti for his disappointing form, and that seems to have been the catalyst for his latest improved showings.

Midfielders

Remy Cabella

Team-Montpellier

Opposition-Ajaccio

Contribution-Goal and all-round impressive 70-minute showing against hometown club Ajaccio.

Montpellier’s hot property, Cabella has developed well so far this season having stepped out of the shadow of Olivier Giroud and Younes Belhanda last season.

Midfielders

Romain Alessandrini

Team-Rennes

Opposition-Brest

Contribution-Goal and yet another superlative performance from the man quickly becoming one of Ligue 1’s best buys of the summer.

Alessandrini has been a revelation for Rennes so far this campaign, adapting to Ligue 1 seamlessly having plied his trade in Ligue 2 previously.

Midfielders

Benjamin Corgnet

Team-Lorient

Opposition-Marseille

Contribution-Goal, second strike in two games.

Corgnet has looked the part for Lorient since joining from Dijon. He now has three goals in four games as les Merlus continue to improve.

Attackers

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Team-Paris Saint-Germain

Opposition-Evian

Contribution-Goal, assist (Ezequiel Lavezzi goal).

Ibrahimovic has been sensational in Ligue 1 so far this season, scoring 14 goals and providing three assists. The towering Swede has been PSG’s most influential player in almost every game he has played and spearheads the league’s most dangerous attack.

Attackers

Dario Cvitanich

Team-Nice

Opposition-Troyes

Contribution-Goal, salvaged Nice a 1-1 draw with Troyes.

Cvitanich has been in superb form since Week 7, having netted seven times and providing one assist in 13 games overall. All of those, however, have come in the past eight weeks.