Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Mazargues War Cemetery in Marseille on Wednesday and paid tributes to Indian soldiers who lost their lives while fighting in World Wars I and II. 

“At Mazargues War Cemetery, President @EmmanuelMacron and I paid homage to the soldiers who fought in the World Wars. This includes several Indian soldiers who valiantly fought and displayed utmost grit. All the brave soldiers answered the call of duty and fought with unwavering courage,” Prime Minister Modi posted on X.

At Mazargues War Cemetery, President @EmmanuelMacron and I paid homage to the soldiers who fought in the World Wars. This includes several Indian soldiers who valiantly fought and displayed utmost grit.

All the brave soldiers answered the call of duty and fought with… pic.twitter.com/p0tJ3646qi

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 12, 2025

“They shed their blood in the hope of a better and more peaceful world. Many of them never returned, but their heroism will continue to be remembered for the times to come. Their bravery will never be forgotten!” he wrote.

President Macron also shared a touching tribute later, saying the sacrifice of the Indian soldiers who died fighting for his country in 1914, during World War I, binds France and India forever. 

More than 100,000 Indians fought for France in 1914. Ten thousand never returned. They set foot on the soil of Marseille before fighting in the mud of the trenches, unaware that they were marching to their deaths.

Their sacrifice binds France and India forever. pic.twitter.com/lmjbawDCdh

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 12, 2025

“More than 100,000 Indians fought for France in 1914. Ten thousand never returned. They set foot on the soil of Marseille before fighting in the mud of the trenches, unaware that they were marching to their deaths. Their sacrifice binds France and India forever,” Mr Macron posted on X. 

The French president’s reference to 1914, the year that World War I – also known as the Great War – began, was seen as highlighting the contributions of Indian soldiers in fighting the Germans, who had invaded parts of France that year. 

India, which was a colony at the time, reportedly supported the war effort to further its attempt to get dominion status. The opinion in some sections of the country was that India could gain greater political autonomy by helping the British support the defence of its allies. 

The British Expeditionary Force was suffering heavy casualties and on August 6, 1914, the War Council in London ordered the mobilisation of two divisions – the Lahore division (3rd India War Division) and Meerut division (7th India War Division). The Lahore division was meant to head to Egypt to defend the Suez Canal, but was diverted to Marseille in France because of the grim situation there. Soldiers from the division arrived in the city on September 26 and, after a brief period of familiarisation, were deployed in the trenches on October 24, 1914, joining their counterparts from the Meerut division.

Treacherous Conditions

Having fought largely in dry, hilly regions and clad in summer cotton uniforms, adjusting to the wet and muddy trenches proved to be an uphill task for Indian soldiers. Many, on both sides, died of pneumonia in the bitter cold or suffered from trench feet, which led to amputations if left untreated. 

“Hell is not fire. Hell is mud.” read a French journal, Le Bochofage, in March 1916.

Despite the challenging conditions, the Indian soldiers played a significant role in several key battles in Nueve-Chapelle, Givenchy-les-la-Bassee, Festubert, Aubers Ridge and Loos, among others. 

“While the Indian soldier fought valiantly in France there were shortcomings in their organization and training. Replacement of battle casualties of the same class composition was not possible and officer replacements who knew the language of the men were hard to come by. Yet this army fought like heroes and showed the resilience, determination and courage that the Indian soldier has been famous for,” says a book on Indian War Memorials around the world. 

The 129th Baluchis and the 57th Wilde’s Rifles from the Lahore Division were also sent as reinforcements for the Alleby’s Cavalry Corps at Ypres in Belgium.

In the Ypres battle in October-November 1914, Sepoy Khudadad Khan of the 129th Baluchis continued to fire using his machine gun till his position was overrun by German soldiers. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest gallantry award, becoming the first Indian to receive the honour.

In November 1914, the 1st Battalion 39th Garhwal Rifles was ordered to recapture a portion of trenches occupied by the Germans. Naik Darwan Singh, the leading scout, continued to lead from the front till all the trenches had been cleared despite being seriously wounded. He became the second Indian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

In the second battle of Ypres in April 1915, chemical weapons were used for the first time and Indian soldiers were among the first to suffer the effects of chlorine gas on humans. 

Letters From The Front

Some of the letters of Indian soldiers to their families were released by the British Library, revealing their experiences during the war.

A soldier from Ludhiana wrote, “Don’t be grieved at my death because I shall die with arms in hand, wearing the warrior’s clothes. This is the happiest death that anyone can die. I am very sorry that I have not been able to discharge my obligations towards my family because God has called me already.”

Another soldier wrote in Garhwali, “It is very hard to endure the bombs, father. It will be difficult for anyone to survive and come back safe and sound from the war. The son who is very lucky will see his father and mother, otherwise, who can do this? There is no confidence in survival. The bullets and cannonballs come down like snow. The mud is up to a man’s middle.”

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron today agreed the two countries should work more closely on building the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEEC).

The IMEEC is an important project as it passes through Marseille in the Mediterranean Sea.

Marseille, where PM Modi went today to pay homage to Indian soldiers who died fighting alongside their French counterparts in World War I, occupies a strategic space in the Mediterranean Sea.

It is at the crossroads of global shipping routes and positioned as the natural gateway to southern Europe.

The city’s importance is such that PM Modi and Mr Macron inaugurated an Indian consulate in this port city. The prime minister said this consulate will serve as an important bridge, strengthening cultural, economic and people-to-people connections between India and France.

A fully operational IMEEC will improve India’s maritime security and ensure faster movement of goods between Europe and Asia. The IMEEC was launched during India’s G20 presidency.

Some analysts see it as one of the countermeasures against China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a massive infrastructure project that is a central pillar of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s bid to expand his country’s clout overseas.

Western critics accuse China of using the BRI to enmesh developing nations in unsustainable debt to exert diplomatic leverage over them or even seize their assets. Many countries have withdrawn from the BRI.

The IMEEC aims to integrate India, Europe, and the Middle-East through UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel and the European Union.

India and Mediterranean countries have a huge common interest in the shipping sector, whether in ship building, ownership, maritime sector or in the cruise business.

India sees a huge opportunity in developing ports and has doubled its port capacity in the last decade.

The IMEEC will have two separate corridors – the east corridor connecting India to the Gulf, and the northern corridor connecting the Gulf to Europe. The corridor intends to enhance connectivity, increase efficiency, reduce costs, secure regional supply chains, increase trade accessibility, generate jobs and lower greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in a transformative integration of Asia, Europe and Middle East

The implementation of the IMEEC involves multiple stakeholders and is at an initial stage, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh told parliament in a written reply in August 2024.

The IMEEC seeks to mobilize $600 billion by 2027 to address infrastructure gaps in partner countries. The memorandum of understanding on IMECC outlines political commitments from the participants and does not establish legal rights or obligations.

After the France visit, PM Modi departed for the US, where he will hold talks with US President Donald Trump.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrive after the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris at Marseille Provence airport in Marignane, southern France, Feb. 11, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon arriving in Marseille, paid tribute to the city’s historical “significance” in India’s freedom struggle, recalling the “courageous escape” attempt of “Veer” Savarkar and thanking the French activists who supported him during his time of peril.

In a post on X, he wrote, “Landed in Marseille. In India’s quest for freedom, this city holds special significance. It was here that the great Veer Savarkar attempted a courageous escape. I also want to thank the people of Marseille and the French activists of that time who demanded that he not be handed over to British custody. The bravery of Veer Savarkar continues to inspire generations!”

The city of Marseille holds a special place in India’s freedom struggle, as it was here that Veer Savarkar, one of India’s freedom fighters, made a brave attempt to escape British custody. According to the government website, amrit mahotsav.nic.in, “Veer Savarkar was arrested in London in 1910 in connection with the Nasik Conspiracy Case. When he was being taken by ship to India for trial, off Marseilles, Savarkar jumped into the sea and swam to the French coast, braving the firing from the ship.

He was arrested at Marseilles by the British Police. The French government protested against this arrest on French soil to the Hague International Court. This brought Veer Savarkar and other Indian freedom fighters to prominence throughout the world.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Marseille ahead of their engagements in the city.

In Marseille, they will visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, a significant international collaboration in nuclear fusion research. In a tribute to historical ties, the Prime Minister will also visit the Mazargues War Cemetery to honor Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the World Wars.

Meanwhile, PM Modi addressed the CEOs Forum in Paris. In a post on X, he wrote, “The India-France CEO Forum plays a key role in strengthening economic ties and fostering innovation. It is gladdening to see business leaders from both nations collaborate and create new opportunities across key sectors. This drives growth, investment, and ensures a better future for the coming generations.”

Speaking at the event, PM Modi said, “This is more than just a business event–it’s a convergence of the brightest minds from India and France. You are embracing the mantra of innovation, collaboration, and elevation, driving progress with purpose. Beyond forging boardroom connections, you are actively reinforcing the strategic partnership between India and France.”

He also underlined the deep trust and shared values between India and France, citing democratic values, innovation, and serving the people as the pillars of their friendship.

“India and France aren’t just connected by democratic values. Deep trust, innovation, and serving the people are the pillars of our friendship. Our relationship isn’t limited to just our two nations. Together, we’re providing solutions to global problems,” PM Modi added.

Meanwhile, PM Modi also co-chaired the AI Action Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The week-long summit culminated in a High-Level Segment attended by global leaders, policymakers, and industry experts.

Paris:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Marseille in southern France and paid homage to the memory of freedom fighter V D Savarkar, who attempted a “courageous escape” at the port city.

“Landed in Marseille. In India’s quest for freedom, this city holds special significance. It was here that the great Veer Savarkar attempted a courageous escape,” Modi said in a post on X after arriving there Tuesday night (local time).

He added, “I also want to thank the people of Marseille and the French activists of that time who demanded that he not be handed over to British custody. The bravery of Veer Savarkar continues to inspire generations!” During British colonial rule, freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had attempted an escape from captivity on July 8, 1910, while he was being transported on board the British ship Morea to India to stand trial.

He is known to have slipped out of the ship’s porthole and managed to swim ashore before being captured by the French authorities and then handed back into the custody of the British ship authorities. It triggered a major diplomatic row as Savarkar went on to be sentenced to life imprisonment at Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Prime Minister Modi is in Marseille to inaugurate a new Consulate General of India with French President Emmanuel Macron. The leaders have a series of engagements planned for Wednesday, including an expected visit to the Mazargues War Cemetery to honour the sacrifice of Indian soldiers who died fighting in the World Wars.

A tour of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, an international nuclear fusion collaboration, is also on their agenda.

Earlier on Tuesday, they addressed the AI Action Summit and the 14th India-France CEOs Forum. PTI AK TIR TIR

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Adrien Rabiot scored a second-half winner as Marseille beat Rennes 2-1 in Brittany on Saturday to move within four points of Ligue 1 pace-setters Paris Saint-Germain. Marseille, bidding for a 10th French title but first since 2010, closed the gap on reigning champions PSG ahead of the leaders’ match against Saint-Etienne on Sunday. Roberto De Zerbi’s men have dropped just two points in their last six league games. Rennes wasted a golden chance to take the lead just after the half-hour mark when Arnaud Kalimuendo’s penalty was diverted onto the woodwork by Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.

But Kalimuendo made no mistake 11 minutes later, collecting the ball and firing into the corner to put the hosts ahead.

Marseille crucially levelled before the interval, though, as Michael Murillo‘s pass picked out Mason Greenwood to score his 11th Ligue 1 goal of the season, moving the controversial English striker joint-top of the goalscoring charts alongside Lille’s Jonathan David.

The visitors completed the comeback less than four minutes after the restart, as Rabiot headed Greenwood’s cross past Rennes ‘keeper Brice Samba, making his debut just three days after signing from Lens.

Marseille thought they had won a penalty late on for a handball by Albert Gronbaek, only for the decision to be overturned by VAR.

But they held on for an important win which leaves Rennes languishing just a point above the relegation play-off spot.

Earlier, Lyon missed an opportunity to draw level on points with third-placed Monaco with a 2-1 loss at Brest.

Monaco’s draw at Nantes and Lille’s stalemate with Auxerre on Friday gave Lyon a chance to climb from fifth into the third and final automatic Champions League spot.

But Brest, who are in the top eight of this season’s Champions League table, bounced back from last weekend’s loss to Angers to move six points clear of the bottom three.

Mahdi Camara gave Brest an eighth-minute lead, following in to score after Ludovic Ajorque’s shot was saved by Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

Ajorque doubled the hosts’ advantage in the 25th minute with his fifth Ligue 1 goal of the campaign.

The striker burst onto Camara’s brilliant flicked pass to fire a low strike into the bottom corner.

Jordan Veretout pulled one back in first-half added time to give Lyon hope of a comeback.

But the away side could not find an equaliser in the second period, with Alexandre Lacazette going closest to grabbing a point when his header was kept out by Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot.

Nice jumped up to fourth, pushing Lyon down to sixth, as Gaetan Laborde scored twice in a 4-2 away victory over Reims.

File photo of Mikel Arteta© AFP

Marseille closed the gap on leaders Paris Saint-Germain to seven points at the top of Ligue 1 after crushing strugglers Le Havre 5-1 at the Velodrome on Sunday as the season approaches the halfway point. Valentin Rongier, Bilal Nadir, Neal Maupay, Elye Wahi and Ulisses Garcia scored the goals for Roberto De Zerbi’s team, who also moved three points clear of third-placed Monaco with the victory. Marseille have won five and drawn one of their last six outings in all competitions, and have scored nine goals in two matches either side of the fortnight-long winter break.

Rongier drove in the first from distance on 25 minutes and Nadir fired a low shot into the far corner to make it two, the 21-year-old scoring his first senior goal on just his second Ligue 1 start.

Maupay, who is on loan from Everton in a deal that will become a permanent transfer at the season’s end, headed in Marseille’s third goal before the interval.

Nadir, who was starting in the absence of the ill Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, did not reappear for the second half as Marseille added a fourth goal on 66 minutes when Mason Greenwood squared for substitute Wahi to tap in.

Garcia, also on from the bench, completed the scoring for the home side as De Zerbi’s men scored five in a Ligue 1 game for the third time this season.

Le Havre, who are in the relegation zone, pulled one back late on when former Marseille player Andre Ayew headed in.

PSG beat Monaco 4-2 away in December, just before the winter break, in a fixture that was brought forward because the sides met in the Champions Trophy in Qatar on Sunday.

The Parisians won that game 1-0 to claim the first trophy of the French campaign.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Champions League revelations Brest slumped to a 2-0 defeat away at Angers, a result which leaves them 12th in Ligue 1 as the season reaches its midway stage next weekend.

Toulouse were surprise 1-0 winners at Lens thanks to a Zakaria Aboukhlal penalty, while Strasbourg came from behind to beat Auxerre 3-1 in Alsace.

Lyon, Nice and Saint-Etienne also won over the weekend.

Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, the two clubs who have taken turns dominating French football so far this century, pits the stuttering reigning champions against opponents who have hit a rich vein of form. PSG head into the final round of Ligue 1 games this calendar year unbeaten domestically and with a five-point lead from nearest challengers Marseille and Monaco at the top of the table. However, they have struggled to convince recently and have been held to draws in their last two domestic outings, against Nantes and Auxerre.

At least they breathed life into their faltering Champions League campaign in midweek, a 3-0 win at Red Bull Salzburg calming fears that they might not make the knockout phase of Europe’s elite club competition.

Even then, coach Luis Enrique suggested his team had played better in earlier games against PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid, neither of which they won.

“To be honest we didn’t play better than we did against PSV or Atletico. We were worse, but that’s football,” said the Spaniard.

All is far from rosy at the Parc des Princes, amid recent reports in the French media of a rift growing between the coach and certain players.

Their best performer this season has been young winger Bradley Barcola, who has scored 10 goals, but he has gone off the boil lately and will hope to find form again as he comes up against the club he left last year.

Lyon, who won seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles in the first decade of this century, have often been a thorn in PSG’s side even if they have won just one of the last eight meetings of the clubs.

Afer stumbling in the early weeks of this campaign, they look in superb shape just now, on a run of nine games unbeaten and just one loss in 15 altogether.

They have won their last four matches and scored at least three goals in each of them, including an entertaining 3-2 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League on Thursday.

That game, in which Rayan Cherki was outstanding, saw Lyon secure a place in the knockout phase play-offs of the Europa League at least.

Domestically, meanwhile, they are currently fifth and would be just six points behind PSG with a victory in the capital. They cannot be written off right now.

Player to watch: Rayan Cherki

The 21-year-old was a transfer target for PSG during the last close season but ended up staying at Lyon where he is now playing the best football of his career. 

The gifted winger or attacking midfielder may yet leave Lyon in January due to his current club’s need to raise funds in the transfer market.

That would be a blow for Lyon coach Pierre Sage, who has seen Cherki score two goals and set up three in two games over the last week. Sage feels his player deserves to be in the next France squad.

“I think today Rayan is being watched and is under consideration,” he said of a player who featured sparingly in the France side that won Olympic silver.

“His experience at the Olympics was not very positive but now he has other arguments in his favour and, if he gets a call-up, he will deserve it.”

Key stats

8 – Brest are enjoying a heroic campaign in the Champions League but have lost eight times in Ligue 1 this season — that is one more defeat than in all of the last campaign.

15 – Also doing well in the Champions League, Lille are unbeaten in 15 games before Saturday’s clash with Marseille.

6 – PSG have lost six times to Lyon in Ligue 1 since the transformative takeover of the club by Qatar in 2011. Only Rennes (7) have recorded more wins against Paris in that time.

A Mason Greenwood penalty in the 89th minute handed Marseille a 2-1 victory over Monaco and sent them into second place in Ligue 1 on Sunday, while Alexandre Lacazette netted a hat-trick as Lyon beat rivals Nice 4-1. Earlier, Lille passed up the opportunity to move provisionally into third place in Ligue 1 after conceding a late equaliser to bottom side Montpellier. After leaders Paris Saint-Germain drew on Saturday, it was the chance for the second- and third-placed sides to close the gap to the top.

And it was Marseille who took that chance with their slender win leapfrogging them above Monaco into second place on goal difference, the pair are tied on 26 points — seven behind PSG.

Aleksandr Golovin made the breakthrough for Monaco four minutes before half-time with a deflected finish.

But Marseille struck back in the 53rd minute through Luis Henrique.

A half-blocked cross appeared to be going behind but spun on the line to stay in at the near post and Neal Maupay reacted quickly to nod it across the goalmouth, where the Brazilian was on hand to head in his sixth goal of the season.

The decisive moment then came in the 87th minute when the referee adjudged that Monaco’s Christian Mawissa had blocked a cross with his hand.

Greenwood duly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to seal the comeback win for Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

In Lyon, Lacazette scored twice in the first half, before putting the cherry on top for the home side with a 69th-minute penalty.

Sofiane Diop had equalised for Nice midway through the first period, before Lacazette and Jordan Veretout struck to open up a two-goal buffer by the interval.

Lyon move up to 22 points, two ahead of Nice in sixth place and one behind fourth-placed Lille.

Lacazette sent his side ahead on four minutes, poking home a cross at full stretch.

Nice hit back in the 22nd minute as Diop did well to reach Mohamed-Ali Cho’s back-post cross.

Lacazette and Veretout scored in the 41st and 43rd minutes to restore Lyon’s lead, before the former Arsenal forward made the points safe with a second-half spot-kick.

“This victory is good for us and rounds off a great week,” said Lacazette, after Lyon also won by the same scoreline against Azeri side Qarabag in the Europa League on Thursday.

‘Anything is possible’

Earlier, Jonathan David twice gave Lille the lead from the penalty spot in either half but Issiaga Sylla struck in first-half injury time and Arnaud Nordin then found a 93rd-minute leveller for Montpellier as the points were shared in a 2-2 draw.

“We offered far too little to be more dangerous (in the second half), to create more situations for ourselves and to put ourselves in the clear,” said Lille coach Bruno Genesio.

“We know that in this kind of match, anything is possible right up to the end.”

Lille sit three points behind third-placed Monaco, while Montpellier stay rooted to the foot of the table, five points from safety.

Canadian attacker David broke the deadlock in the 44th minute as he sent Benjamin Lecomte the wrong way from 12 yards.

The lead only lasted three minutes with Sylla rising highest to glance home a corner on the stroke of half-time.

David restored Lille’s lead from the spot nine minutes into the second half and the visitors appeared set to win until the third minute of stoppage time.

Lille failed to clear the danger from a cross and after ping-ponging around the box, the ball landed for Nordin who finished gleefully from close range.

Montpellier forward Tanguy Coulibaly was sent off in the 99th minute for firing the ball at Genesio after a foul was given against the Frenchman.

In the chaotic aftermath of the incident, Lille substitute Mitchel Bakker was also given his marching orders.

Eighth-placed Auxerre went down 2-0 at Toulouse thanks to two goals in seven first-half minutes from Joshua King and a Vincent Sierro penalty.

Angers took an invaluable three points in the relegation battle with a 1-0 win against Le Havre, who dropped into 16th spot.

Paris Saint-Germain find themselves in familiar territory following their midweek defeat against Bayern Munich, as a side that is too strong for its domestic rivals in France struggles in the Champions League. There is perhaps a difference this time, however — while PSG have often not lived up to their potential in Europe, this season they appear simply nowhere near as good as the best teams on the continent. Luis Enrique’s side offered little attacking threat in Tuesday’s 1-0 loss in Munich, in which goalkeeper Matfei Safonov was at fault for the goal and Ousmane Dembele was sent off.

PSG have just four points and have suffered three defeats in five games in the Champions League, meaning they sit 25th out of 36 teams.

That leaves them one place and two points outside the qualifying spots for February’s knockout phase play-offs, and they will surely need to win at least two of their three remaining matches to avoid elimination.

Such a fragile position means Luis Enrique is naturally in the firing line, with doubts surrounding his tactics — “The method without any effect,” read one headline in sports daily L’Equipe on Thursday.

In particular, his penchant for playing without a centre-forward since the departure of Kylian Mbappe and the loss of Goncalo Ramos to injury.

Randal Kolo Muani, a big-money signing who was expected to step up following Mbappe’s exit, has become an outcast.

A France regular, Kolo Muani has started just twice all season for PSG and did not come off the bench against Bayern.

Yet Paris have scored only three goals in five Champions League matches, one of which was an own goal.

“To be the coach of PSG is a privilege. The pressure I put on myself is greater than any external pressure,” Luis Enrique said in Munich.

“I am not here just to pass the time. My objective is to win titles and to do so now, not in the future.”

PSG are on course to do that domestically, as they are unbeaten in Ligue 1 and six points clear of nearest challengers Monaco before hosting struggling Nantes this weekend.

At home they average three goals a game with Bradley Barcola their leading marksman on 10. They have lost just one of their last 41 Ligue 1 matches.

France’s other Champions League representatives — Monaco, Lille and Brest — are all doing well in Europe but it is not a great look for Ligue 1 that PSG continue to cruise at home while toiling abroad.

The current vintage is maybe the weakest PSG side since the first season of the Qatari takeover in 2011/12, with the possible exception of 2016/17.

That latter campaign followed Zlatan Ibrahimovic‘s departure and was prior to the arrivals at the Parc des Princes of Neymar and Mbappe.

Monaco pipped PSG to the title that year, and appear the most likely threat to their hegemony again this time.

Player to watch: Hamed Junior Traore

The 24-year-old Ivorian attacking midfielder is surely the signing of the season so far in Ligue 1.

Traore joined Auxerre on loan from Bournemouth after spending the second half of last season at Napoli. And he is the main reason why newly-promoted Auxerre sit a lofty seventh a third of the way through the season. 

He has six goals in 10 Ligue 1 appearances, including a last-gasp winner against Angers last weekend.

One more against Toulouse on Sunday and he will match his best-ever tally for a single league season, of seven for Sassuolo in Italy in 2021/22.

Key stats

7 – Brest have suffered as many defeats in Ligue 1 this season as in the whole of the last campaign.

300 – PSG captain Marquinhos could make his 300th Ligue 1 appearance this weekend.

3 – Marseille have conceded three goals in each of their last two home games. They have not done so in three successive home top-flight games since 1962.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Reims v Lens (1945)

Saturday

Rennes v Saint-Etienne (1600), Brest v Strasbourg (1800), Paris Saint-Germain v Nantes (2000)

Sunday

Montpellier v Lille (1400), Lyon v Nice, Toulouse v Auxerre, Le Havre v Angers (all 1600), Marseille v Monaco (1945)