10 Biggest Fixtures to Look Forward to in Ligue 1 Next Season

The 2012-13 campaign may have come to an end, but in the world of football, it is never too early to look to the future.

A title race that was interesting until the last few months of the season, a tight relegation battle, and a competitive battle for European places, last term in Ligue 1 had much to keep the fans entwined.

With the re-introduction of big spending Monaco, and a number of rivalries and exciting fixtures to look forward to, the 2013-14 season promises to be even better.

French football is gaining a bigger and bigger audience because of the transfer policies of Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco, and Bleacher Report is here to take you through what they can expect to see with the 10 Biggest Fixtures in Ligue 1.

Paris Saint-Germain V Monaco

We start with what most people will be touting as the biggest fixture of the season.

It's the champions against the new kids on the block; Ibrahimovic versus Falcao; Ancelotti (maybe) against Ranieri; big spenders versus big spenders; it's Paris Saint-Germain vs. Monaco.

A few seasons ago, this is a clash which would have failed to get many pulses racing. PSG an improving side but one incapable of challenging for the title, and Monaco a side deep in decline and on the cusp of an eventual relegation.

How things change, the men from the capital stand as not only French champions, but as a side very much capable of challenging the best in Europe after reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last season.

Ancelotti's men may have only gone out to Barcelona on away goals, but they may have a new domestic challenger in the principality side, who cantered to promotion at the second time of asking, and have now moved to bring Falcao, James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho and Ricardo Carvalho so far in the transfer window.

Star quality will be present all over the pitch, and the spectacle promises to be a marvelous one when these two sides do battle in a game which could have a massive bearing on the destination of next year's title.

Le Classique: Marseille V Paris Saint-Germain

Monaco may be the upstart new boys, but for the majority of French spectators the first fixture in the calendar they look for is: Marseille vs. Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG have dominated recent affairs between the two sides, Marseille tasting victory just once in the last five meetings in the previous two seasons.

The Parisians greater financial strength has given them the edge over their greatest and most bitter rivals, but Marseille, especially at the Stade Velodrome, are always full of motivation and passion ahead of "Le Classique".

Elie Baup is likely to focus on strengthening his side with affordable French recruits—despite their qualification for the Champions League, and the Marseille boss will hope that he can boost his squad sufficiently enough to restore the bragging rights to Provence.

Nantes V Rennes

Rennes, Lorient and Brest may have contested many all-Brittany clashes last season, but next term will see the return of the true Breton derby.

Nantes' return to the top flight may have been blighted by the transfer embargo placed upon the club (AFP), but regardless of who is on the field, their game with Rennes promises to be a fiery affair.

Michel Der Zakarian's men were promoted behind Monaco, and although they will be unable to add any new faces to their squad, young talents like Jordan Veretout and Adrien Trebel are sure to make them an exciting side to watch.

Their greatest rivals, Rennes, are set to undergo a transitional period following the departure of Frederic Antonetti and the arrival of former Real Sociedad manager Philippe Montanier.

Still, with attacking players such as Romain Alessandrini and Jonathan Pitroipa in the side, Montanier will hope to be able to build a clinical and attractive team.

The rivalry between Nantes and Rennes is one of the fiercest in the French game, and with both sides possessing some of the most promising players in the country, next season's derby games promise to be one of the highlights of the campaign.

Lyon V Saint-Etienne

Lyon and Saint-Etienne provided two of the tightest and most tense encounters of last season, and the Rhone Derby will once again be of the most competitive fixtures of the new campaign.

Saint-Etienne's star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang may not be present to take part if he decides to leave for pastures new.

Still, the results of the games between these two next term will largely depend on the business Lyon do during the transfer window.

The financial boost of Champions League football should enable them to keep the likes of Clement Grenier and Maxime Gonalons, but they will need to add further reinforcements if they are to keep challenging for the top three on a consistent basis.

If they do add to the squad significantly, they should have more than enough to overcome their local rivals, especially if Les Verts lose Aubameyang.

However, Christophe Galtier has proven to be a very astute manager in his time at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard, and the joint Ligue 1 Coach of the Year will have hope that he can guide Saint-Etienne to a long-awaited win over their local rivals next term.

Nice V Monaco

Monaco's biggest clash of the season may come against Paris Saint-Germain, but there will be more than one team looking to knock-off Claudio Ranieri's revamped side.

Nice will more than likely be one of those teams. Claude Puel's men enjoyed an excellent season last campaign, securing a Europa League spot by finishing fourth, despite working on a limited budget.

Les Aiglons will be moving into a new stadium for next season, and they will renew acquaintances with their new look Cote d'Azur rivals knowing that they will go in as underdogs, despite performances last season.

Still, Nice possess vociferous home fans who took great joy in knocking off Paris Saint-Germain, and they will no doubt need little motivation to attempt to get the better of Falcao and co.

Ajaccio V Bastia

Only one goal was scored in the two fixtures between these major Corsican rivals last season, but meetings between Ajaccio and Bastia remain must-see encounters.

Why? Well seven red cards in two games pretty much sums it up. These two hate each other.

Bastia won the last meeting 1-0, Toifilou Maoulida netting the only goal as five players were dismissed in a contest marred by an ugly brawl late in the game.

Similar scenes are to be expected next season, the football may not be of the highest quality and Florian Thauvin's move to Lille will be a disappointment to Bastia fans, but if you are fan of sport which has the potential to explode into a large fight, then this is one you can not afford to miss.

Lille V Lyon

Lille's prospects next season could well depend on whether manager Rudi Garcia, the man who led them to a league title in 2011, remains at the club.

The club have confirmed that Garcia can leave, but the fans at the Grand Stade Metropole will be hoping the 49-year-old opts to stay, as the re-building job began in earnest following the departures of Yohan Cabaye and Moussa Sow in 2011, and Eden Hazard in 2012.

If Garcia does remain in northern France then Lille will have a good chance of returning to the Champions League. They will hope to overhaul Lyon, the team they ran close towards the end of last season.

The addition of Florian Thauvin to an attacking line-up which already boasts Salomon Kalou and Dimitri Payet will be a big boost to Les Dogues, and with European football (which proved to be a significant burden on their league campaign last term) absent from their schedule next campaign, Lille fans will be looking for their team to replicate the performances they delivered in the the second half of the 2012-13.

Should Lille deliver—then their clash with Lyon, who will be among the favorites for a top-three berth, is sure to be crucial. The pair are two of the most evenly matched sides in the league, and an exciting game with plenty riding on it should be anticipated when they do battle next season.

Marseille V Monaco

It will be a case of the old power versus the new when Marseille take on Monaco next season.

For those that object to the immense spending power of PSG and Monaco and feel that it is having a detrimental impact on the tradition of football in France, Marseille represent all that is good and true in the country's top flight.

This is not of course a view held by everyone, but it still gives the fixture between the Stade Velodrome outfit and the principality some extra spice.

The likes of Falcao and Joao Moutinho have performed on big European stages, but it will certainly be intriguing to see how they react when they are thrown into the cauldron of the Veldorome.

Bordeaux V Evian

Bordeaux versus Evian is not a fixture that immediately whets the appetite, but if you are looking for a clash which delivers excitement, then this would be a good choice.

Francis Gilot's men were among the lowest scorers in Ligue 1 last season, however, their contests with Evian proved to be exciting and filled with goals.

Bordeaux did a league double over Les Roses, winning 3-2 in Annecy on the first day of the season and 2-1 on the final day of the campaign.

They saved the best for last, though, securing the Coupe de France title with a hugely entertaining 3-2 success in which Evian saved a penalty and twice came from behind to level, before Cheick Diabate hit the winner for Gillot's charges.

Evian will surely be looking for revenge next season, and if they can keep hold of Saber Khelifa, the striker who netted 13 league goals last term including one from inside his own half against Nice, then more thrills and spills are to be expected when the two teams resume their rivalry.

Lyon V Paris Saint-Germain

For Paris Saint-Germain, the Stade de Gerland will always hold a special place in the hearts of their fans after it became the scene of their first league title win since 1994.

The Parisians clinched the French crown with a 1-0 success in May, and they will be eager to take victory in Lyon again next term.

However, after being at the sharp end of the title race for much of last season, to witness PSG win the league in Lyon's backyard will have angered both fans and players, and revenge is likely to be on their minds next term.

Games between the two always deliver atmosphere and excitement, the sides drew 4-4 in Lyon in the 2011-12 season, and the clash between two of the country's biggest teams should be a stand out one yet again in 2013-14.