League of Future Stars: Seven former French Ligue 1 players thriving in the Premier League

French Ligue 1 has been the name of the top division in French football league since 2002, before that it was called Division 1. The league in its original form was inaugurated in 1932, two years after professionalism in French football became legal. The first season featured 20 teams, the same number of teams that are included in Ligue 1 today. Ligue 1 is the top tier of the French football league system, one level above the current Ligue 2, and apparently it has been dominated by one team called PSG for many years.

There are a quite number of stars who left the French Ligue and went on to become living legends and some are still playing to build the legacy. In this article we are delighted to cover the stars that left the French Ligue 1 and are still building their careers as living legends, making an impact and leaving a mark that cannot be erased.

Per Mertesacker of Arsenal is challenged by Fabinho Tavares of Monaco during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between AS Monaco and Arsenal at Stade Louis II on March 17, 2015 in Monaco, Monaco.

(March 16, 2015 - Source: Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe)

1. Fabinho

Full name: Fabio Henrique Tavares

Nation: Brazil

Club Team: Liverpool FC

Position: Defensive Midfielder

Year of Birth: 1993

Bought from: Monaco

Fabinho, full name Fabio Henrique Tavares, is a patrolling defensive midfielder who agreed a deal to join Liverpool from AS Monaco on May 28, 2018. The midfielder officially became a Red on July 1 and took the No.3 shirt for the team's first pre-season friendly of the summer against Chester FC. Jürgen Klopp preached patience when it came to the Brazilian's adaptation to English football after five seasons in Ligue 1. He would make his debut for the club on September 18, 2018, when he appeared as an injury-time substitute in a 3-2 victory over Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield in the Champions League. The win over Paris Saint- German was one that will be talked for ages in Liverpool’s football history and it is imperative to note that Fabinho contributed immensely to that memorable win.

Fabinho was born in Sao Paulo in 1993, but his first professional club was Rio side Fluminese. He left there for Rio Ave Portugal in June 2012 without making a first team appearance. However, after just a month in northern Portugal he was loaned to Real Madrid's reserve side Castilla for the 2012-13 season and made his debut towards the end of the season.

He was handed his first start in Liverpool colors against Chelsea in the third round of the League Cup where the Reds were beaten by 2-1. It was towards the end of October, though, where Fabinho began to find his feet in Klopp's side. Man of the Match performances against Red Star Belgrade and Manchester United quickly followed, providing a boost to disappointed fans. A defensive midfielder who can play in either full-back position, Fabinho's versatility was a factor in Jurgen Klopp's decision to sign him with Emre Can's contract expiring in June 2018. Despite not being an attacking player, he scored an impressive 23 goals in 167 Ligue 1 appearances for Monaco over five years. Still coming to terms with Jurgen Klopp's intense fitness and training methods, Fabinho has had to be patient. Notable achievements for Fabinho include but not limited to winning the French Super Cup with AS Monaco in 2017, and the UEFA Champions League and Supercup in the year 2019 as a Liverpool player.

Anthony Martial of Monaco in action during the Emirates Cup match between Valencia and AS Monaco at the Emirates Stadium on August 2, 2014 in London, England.

(Aug. 1, 2014 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe)

2. Anthony Martial

Full name: Anthony Jordan Martial

Nation: France

Club Team: Manchester United FC

Position: Forward

Year of Birth: 1995

Bought from: AS Monaco

Playing youth football for Les Ulis, Martial began his professional career at Lyon, and then transferred to AS Monaco in 2013 for a fee of €6 million. He was a member of Monaco's squad for two seasons, and signed for Manchester United in 2015 for an initial fee of £36 million which could potentially rise to £57.6 million. This was the highest fee paid for a teenager in football history even before the potential increase. He scored in his first match for the Red Devils and was named the Premier League Player of the Month in his first month in English football.

A youth international for France from under-16 to under-21 level, Martial made his senior debut in 2015. He was named in their squad for UEFA Euro 2016.

On 30 June 2013, AS Monaco announced they had signed Martial to a three-year contract for a fee of €5 million-plus bonuses. On 24 November, he made his first league appearance for the club at the age of 17, replacing Radamel Falcao after 63 minutes and playing a part in Mounir Obbadi's goal which gave victory away to FC Nantes. He scored his first goal for the renowned club on his first start, a 2–0 win over Rennes at the Stade Louis II six days later. His campaign was disrupted by a sprained ankle against Valenciennes in December. On 27 January 2014, he extended his contract until June 2018.

In his second season at Monaco, Martial scored nine goals in 36 Ligue 1 games, starting on 5 October 2014 when he came on as a substitute for Lucas Ocampos, he gained a 1–1 draw at reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain with a last-minute strike from close range. He scored twice against a 10-man Bastia on 13 March 2015 in a 3–0 home victory. On 26 June, he further extended his link with the team until 2019.

On 4 August 2015, Martial scored his first goal in European competition, in a 4–0 home win over BSC Young Boys in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League; Monaco advanced 7–1 on aggregate.

Anthony then joined the Red Devils on transfer deadline day during the summer of 2015 and made his mark by scoring an excellent debut goal as a substitute against Liverpool, which immediately won the love and respect of the fans. That famous strike later won the club’s Goal of the Season award during the annual prize-giving night at Old Trafford, beating off competition from Marcus Rashford.

Martial finished the 2015/16 season as United’s top scorer with 17 goals from 49 appearances and that included a dramatic added-time winner during the FA Cup semi-final victory over Everton, which led to earning a winners’ medal following the 2-1 extra-time win over Crystal Palace in the final. That wrapped up a superb maiden season in which the Reds forward emphasised his massive potential.

The 2016/17 campaign, his first under the management of Jose Mourinho, yielded eight goals from 42 appearances, plus three trophies in the form of the FA Community Shield, EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League. The 2017/18 season, saw the no.11 shift up a gear once more, his explosive pace and instinctive eye for goal making him a key part of United's attacking armory. Either sharing attacking duties with Rashford or being unleashed as part of a front three with Marcus and Lukaku, Martial surpassed his goals total from the previous season. Five goals in United's opening eight games, plus a run of form in January meant that the Frenchman ended the season with 11 goals in all competitions.

Anthony enjoyed a good first half of the 2018/19 season and was voted Player of the Month for October by fans after a series of impressive performances. On 31 January 2019, Martial signed a new contract, keeping him at the club until June 2024, with the option to extend for a further year. Following Romelu Lukaku's move to Inter Milan, he switched back to United's no.9 jersey and quickly got off the mark for 2019/20 season with the second goal in the 4-0 rout of Chelsea at Old Trafford, giving an early indication that he will thrive on the responsibility of playing down the middle and compensating for the lack of the Belgian's goals.

Benjamin Mendy of Monaco in action during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Manchester City FC and AS Monaco at Etihad Stadium on February 21, 2017 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

(Feb. 20, 2017 - Source: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Europe)

3. Benjamin Mendy

Full name: Benjamin Mendy

Nation: France

Club Team: Manchester City FC

Position: Left-back

Year of Birth: 1994

Bought from: AS Monaco

Benjamin Mendy arrived at City from Monaco, signing a five-year deal in July 2017. In the two seasons since, the Frenchman has suffered a number of injury set-backs, but evidenced his quality in 23 appearances in which his high energy, attacking approach to the full-back position thrived.

Mendy began his career with Le Havre, where he played more than 50 league games, before joining Marseille in 2013. He impressed at the Stade Velodrome, making 101 appearances in three seasons and gained a reputation as one of the best full-backs in the French top flight.

His performances earned him a move to Monaco, where he was a key component of Leanardo Jardim’s side’s improvement. His surging runs down the left flank were central to the Red and Whites’ success in the 2016/17 season, claiming the Ligue 1 title and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League.

It was in Europe where Mendy and Monaco particularly impressed, with notable scalps against City and Borussia Dortmund in the knockout stages, whilst domestically, he was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year. He enjoyed a strong start to his City career, winning his first five games and keeping four clean sheets in the process, but his debut season was ruined by a knee injury which kept him out until April 2018.

His return saw him selected for France’s 2018 World Cup squad, where Les Bleus were victorious, but his 2018/19 campaign was again hampered by injuries. He made 16 appearances in total and registered five assists as City lifted the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Community shield. Mendy is a World Cup winner, two-time English title winner, English FA Cup winner, English League Cup winner and French Cup winner.

“The 2017/18 season, saw the no.11 shift up a gear once more, his explosive pace and instinctive eye for goal making him a key part of United’s attacking armory. Either sharing attacking duties with Rashford or being unleashed as part of a front three with Marcus and Lukaku..”

— Farai Maringa, FirstTouch Africa

Bernardo Silva of AS Monaco runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and AS Monaco FC at Wembley Stadium on September 14, 2016 in London, England.

(Sept. 13, 2016 - Source: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Europe)

4. Bernardo Silva

Full name: Bernardo Mota Veiga de Carvalho e Silva

Nation: Portugal

Club Team: Manchester City FC

Position: Midfielder

Year of Birth: 1994

Bought from: AS Monaco

Born in Lisbon, Silva came through Benfica's youth academy. He began playing for Benfica B in 2013 and was promoted to the first-team in 2014, playing a few minutes with the latter. He was on loan at the Ligue 1 side Monaco during the 2014–15 season, with Les Monégasques making the move permanent in winter 2015. After winning the national championship with them in 2017, he was signed by English club Manchester City for a reported fee of £43.5 million. He subsequently won the Premier League and EFL Cup in his first season in England, following this up with a domestic treble the following season. He had a significant role in City becoming the first men's team in England to win a domestic treble, also being named Manchester City's Player of the Year in 2019.

Silva made his senior debut for Portugal in 2015 after previously being capped by Portugal youth teams at under-21 and under-19 levels. He was selected in Portugal's squads for the 2017 Confederations Cup, 2018 World Cup and 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals on home soil, winning the latter tournament as its best player.

In the 2018 World Cup, Bernardo played in all four games as Portugal reached the last 16. His second season in Manchester proved even better on both a personal and team level. City swept all the four trophies domestically and the 24-year-old was sensational throughout. He recorded 13 goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances, winning Man of the Match in the Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea and ending the campaign as the Club’s Player of the Season. Early in 2019 he signed a contract extension which keeps him at City until 2025.

Alexandre Lacazette of Olympique Lyonnais in action during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 second leg match between AS Roma and Olympique Lyonnais at Stadio Olimpico on March 16, 2017 in Rome, Italy.

(March 15, 2017 - Source: Paolo Bruno/Getty Images Europe)

5. Alexandre Lacazette

Full name: Alexandre Lacazette

Nation: France

Club Team: Arsenal

Position: Forward

Year of Birth: 1991

Bought from: Olympique Lyonnais

Born in Lyon, Lacazette began his senior career at the city's largest club Olympique Lyonnais at age 19, after impressing as a member of the team's youth setup. He initially played as a winger, but was converted into a striker. This success led him to start for the side regularly by 2012, where at age 21, he helped the club win a Coupe de France and a Trophée des Champions title.

During his time at the club, Lacazette developed into a regular goalscorer, becoming renowned for his prowess in front of goal, as well as his team-first mentality, gaining comparisons to Ian Wright by Gérard Houllier. Lacazette also helped the club make a return to the UEFA Champions League, and contributed heavily to Lyon's runner up finishes in Ligue 1 in the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons. Lacazette recorded league-high 27 goals, and won the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award for his performances. Despite this, the club failed to win any additional trophies, and Lacazette began voicing his desire to leave.

After being honored in three Ligue 1 Team of the Year designations, as well as in a UEFA Europa League Squad of the season, Lacazette was the subject of, at the time, a club-record transfer to English team Arsenal in 2017, when he moved from Lyon in a deal worth £46.5 million. In England, Lacazette captured a FA Community Shield title in his debut season. In his second season, he was named the club's Player of the season, and gained praise for his strike partnership with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as he helped Arsenal reach the UEFA Europa League final.

Lacazette made his debut for the senior side of the France national team in 2013, after he represented his nation across all youth levels. The 28-year-old was a key contributor in France's victory in the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, where he scored the match-winning goal in the final against Spain. The Arsenal striker continues to add value to the Arsenal team as they continue pursuing to become part of the premier league top 4.

Tiemoue Bakayoko of Monaco in action during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Juventus and AS Monaco at Juventus Stadium on May 9, 2017 in Turin, Italy.

(May 8, 2017 - Source: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images Europe)

6. Tiemoue Bakayoko

Full name: Tiémoué Bakayoko

Nation: France

Club Team: Monaco (On loan from Chelsea)

Position: Defensive Midfielder

Year of Birth:1994

Bought from: AS Monaco

Due to his ability to break up play, the defensive midfielder is considered to have all-round ability, as well as possessing physical power and athleticism, with France national team manager Didier Deschamps describing him as “a complete midfielder.”

Bakayoko joined the academy at Rennes at the age of 13. At 14, he was turned down by the Clairfontaine academy. His senior career began at Rennes where he made 24 appearances before moving to Monaco in 2014 for £7 million. In his first two seasons at the club, Bakayoko made 31 Ligue 1 appearances, but was a regular starter in the 2016–17 season, contributing to Monaco's Ligue 1 title win as well as being named in the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League squad of the season. In 2017, he joined Chelsea for £40 million. Bakayoko made his first senior international appearance for the France national team in March 2017. This man has so much potential and he is growing to become a living legend if continues to work hard and push himself to the limits.

7. David Luiz

Full name: David Luiz

David Luiz of Paris Saint Germain in action during the pre-season friendly match between SSC Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Stadio San Paolo on August 11, 2014 in Naples, Italy.

(Aug. 10, 2014 - Source: Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images Europe

Nation: Brazil

Club Team: Arsenal

Position: Centre Back

Year of Birth: 1987

Bought from: PSG

After starting out at Vitória, David Luiz moved to Benfica, remaining with the club for five seasons. He joined Chelsea in January 2011, winning the UEFA Champions League during the 2011–12 season. In the following season, he won the UEFA Europa League. In June 2014, he transferred to Paris Saint-Germain for a fee of £50 million, a world-record transfer for a defender, and won all four domestic competitions over his two seasons in French football. His resume is absolutely out of this world and he is one of the best defenders of all time despite some mistakes he has made over the years of his career. He returned to Chelsea in August 2016 in a £30 million transfer deal.

David Luiz made his full international debut for Brazil in 2010 and has since earned over 50 caps for his country. He was a member of the Brazilian teams which won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and reached the semi-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and has also represented his nation in two editions of the Copa América. David Luiz continues his career at Arsenal where he is working hard in developing a strong and undisputed defense system for Arsenal football club.

Parting note

All the mentioned players moved to French Ligue 1 and made a remarkable impact, which attracted the interest of other leagues particularly the English Premier League teams and that is where all of them are playing now. They continue building their careers as living legends and hopefully will create unforgettable moments in the English Premier League that will catapult them to even greater clubs, greater history positions and greater sponsorship deals.

Arsenal win on Wenger’s last match

Arsenal’s long-reigning manager, Arsene Wenger, took charge of his last match as the boss on Sunday against Huddersfield away from home. The club had not collected a single point since the turn of the year and were looking to end on a more favorable note in the Frenchman’s last match. A strong line-up was announced for the away side which saw an attacking trio of Aubameyang, Lacazette, and Mkhitaryan lead the line ahead of Ramsey, Iwobi, and Granit Xhaka. Nerves were flying high for the Arsenal team who were out to prove a point that they have potential to be great again under the right tutelage of a competent manager. Huddersfield had a better start and looked to spoil the party for Wenger’s farewell celebrations as Tom Ince failed to bury home a cut-back from Alex Pritchard. As the match progressed, two planes flew over the stadium paying tribute to Arsene Wenger. One had the hashtag #OneArseneWenger and the other with a message, “Merci Arsene. We’ll miss you too.”

It was such an emotional match and the manager’s last signing ever, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang stole the show as he finished off an Aaron Ramsey pass on the 38th minute. The Gabon international was out to thank the manager for believing in him and allowing him the opportunity to test himself out in the English Premier League. This goal against Huddersfield means that Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has scored a total of 10 Premier League goals. The forward has already proved a gem for the team and the next manager would have to find ways to make him play against Lacazette because he can also create goals having assisted 4 since January. Arsenal resisted a couple of efforts from Huddersfield to grind out Arsene Wenger’s 716th win as well as picking up the club’s first points in 2018. It would have been better if he managed to win the UEFA Europa League this season but his team was eliminated by Atletico Madrid in the semifinals. We are grateful that he leaves the club with other memories such as winning the English Premier League in the 2001/02 season without losing a single match. Au revoir Arsene!

Arsenal fail to capitalize on disadvantaged Atletico as they draw 1-1 at home

The Emirates Stadium looked packed for the first time in a while ahead of the clash between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid in the semifinals of the UEFA Europa League. The night marked Arsene Wenger’s last home match in Europe and he was looking to end it on a climax. The fans were pumped up and ready to give their all as the ready whistled kick off. The referee wanted to let the players know that he was the one in command he did not waste time before flashing a yellow card to Vrsaljiko for a late challenge on Jack Wilshere. The player was standing in for Juanfran at right-back since the Spaniard is injured. Vrsaljiko was silly to make a challenge on Lacazette and the referee showed him a second yellow in the 10th minute and Atletico Madrid were down to 10 men with more than 80 minutes to go. Hector Bellerin was involved in a clash with Koke shortly after and Diego Simeone reacted outrageously which saw the referee sending him off to the stands. The Gooners could not have a better advantage to put it a great performance against the wounded Madrid side. Wenger’s men, however, failed to produce a goal before the referee called for halftime. Atletico Madrid reshaped pretty well and showed discipline.

The Spanish club never really looked like they were a man down as they also created chances to match what Arsenal were doing. Both teams wasted a couple of opportunities before Jack Wilshere’s cross was headed past Jan Oblak by Lacazette. 1-0 and Arsenal looked like they were going to score more. Atletico Madrid went back into their shell and defended with their lives while waiting for counterattacks. As you might have guessed, it only took one counter-attack and Griezmann was through on goal with only Koscielny as a threat. The French defender failed to clear the ball and Griezmann got past the on-rushing Ospina. Mustafi had the chance to block Griezmann’s shot from going in but he slipped and saw the want-away striker score Atletico Madrid’s equalizer in the 82nd minute. That was it as Arsenal failed to capitalize on their advantage. The return leg would be a steeper mountain to climb with Diego Costa expected to be fit and will start from the beginning of the match. Will Arsenal have enough to win in Spain after struggling in their away form this season?

Aubameyang makes Arsenal good as they win 4-1 against West Ham

The game against West Ham saw Wenger make changes to his team ahead of the semifinal clash against Atletico Madrid in the coming week. Ozil, Wilshere and Cech were not in the team while Aubameyang was dropped to the bench despite his red-hot form since joining Arsenal in the winter transfer window. Wenger planned to boost the confidence of Lacazette who will be the striker in the UEFA Europa League since Aubameyang is cup-tied. The match had nothing to appease the many Arsenal fans who returned to their seats in the stadium after having protested against the performances in recent games.

On this day, the fans were there and backed their manager who is set to leave in the summer. They did not stop cheering their team even when they went into the break without a goal. Nacho Monreal who has arguably been Arsenal’s best player this season opened the scoring from Xhaka’s corner on the 51st minute with a half-volley. His finish was something that even strikers can look back to and learn a few things. West Ham boss, David Moyes responded by introducing Lanzini and Javier Hernandez to support the striker Arnautovic. It was not long before these changes paid dividends as Arnautovic control the ball with his left leg and fired a shot across goal and into the net after Arsenal had failed to clear the ball out. 1-1 was the scoreline when Aubameyang was called onto the pitch.

The team started to believe with their star man on the pitch as they began to create spaces for forwards to capitalise on. It was not long before Aubameyang caused confusion in West Ham’s box just by his presence as Aaron Ramsey’s cross flew straight into the net. The Gabon international then turned provider to Lacazette’s goal in the 85th minute after some slick passes by Arsenal. Lacazette scored his second of the night 4 minutes after from a pass by Ramsey, and he celebrated with his strike partner Aubameyang. The pair already calls themselves The Bad Boys which draws a comparison to the relationship between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in their classic movies from the 1990s and early 2000s. Will this relationship help bring Arsenal more success after Wenger leaves?    

Newcastle is now safe from the drop

Newcastle United have secured their place in the English Premier League for the 2018/19 season. This came after they came back from 1 goal down to defeat a rejuvenated Arsenal side 2-1 at home. This victory marks the first time the club has won a league match against Arsenal since 2005. Arsenal took the lead from Lacazette’s goal who was thankful to the new signing Aubameyang for setting him through on goal. Many anticipated that Aubameyang was going to be Lacazette’s replacement but the two have proved that they can play together which is giving a selection headache to Wenger at times. Maybe the pair has benefited from Mkhitaryan’s injury as they have shared the pitch more since the Armenian’s setback. Arsenal had a couple of other chances but could not bury them away and were left to rue those chances later on in the match. Ayoze Perez was the first to score for Benitez’s side as he finished intelligently from the near post after darting past Mustafi. The German defender has been a suspect since his acquisition and he really has to do a lot to win the Arsenal fans over. Matt Richie the winner at the 68th minute which secured their 4th straight win.

Newcastle have reached the 40-point mark which means that they are safe from the drop. This defeat for Arsenal means that the club have suffered their fifth successive league match away from home for the first time since 1984. It only proves that the club is unreliable because they had seen a turn in results after their bad patches in the earlier parts of the season. So much for a club that claims to be a big club in England.

Ozil artistry saw Arsenal beat CSKA Moscow by 4 goals to 1

A master class from Ozil stunned the Russian side in the first leg of the Quarter-Final clash between the two teams. The artistry of the German was the highlight of the match as we were at the heart of almost all the action that led to goals for the Arsenal side. Arsenal started well in the match and managed to score early in the first half with a goal from Ramsey in the 9th minute. This came 2 minutes after the player put the ball in the net but was correctly ruled offside as Ozil, the man who found him in the box, was just offside before squaring for the Welshman. CSKA Moscow were having none of this as they replied with a beautifully taken free kick from 25 yards out by Golovin in the 15th minute. Game on, it was. About ten minutes later, Ozil found himself in the box and was brought down before he could pull the trigger. The resulting penalty was converted by Lacazette who recently returned from injury. Ozil was at it again when he provided a dinked pass to Ramsey who lifted himself up and flicked past Akinfeev. A 2 goal advantage for Arsenal and the home side were not satisfied. Mesut Ozil got to the byline and pulled the ball back for Lacazette to finish his second of the night from 15 yards out. This meant that Arsenal went into the break with a 4-1 lead. Ramsey found other opportunities to score the third but spared them and one curler hit the far post in a match that was dominated by the Arsenal side. Wenger’s men have started to play beautiful football again. Can they replicate this performance in the away leg and qualify for the next round?

On the same night, Atletico Madrid played against Sporting Lisbon and ran away with a 2-0 win courtesy to goals from Koke and Griezmann.

Lazio won 4-2 against Salzburg with Lulic, Parolo, Anderson and Immobile scoring a goal apiece while Berisha and Minamino scored the two for the away side.

Timo Werner scored the decider for RB Leipzig in their match against Marseille which leaves the clash very open and up for grabs in the return clash.

FIFA drops racism investigation on Batshuayi’s claims

The cases of racism continue. This time, UEFA has decided to drop their investigation into the claims of racial abuse directed towards Michy Batshuayi in a match between Dortmund and Atalanta in the Europa League last month. UEFA have done so without giving any reason why they were dropping the case which brings suspicion to the way they handle issues of racism. Many players have been racially abused in the past and these include Mario Balotelli, Samuel Eto’o, Muntari, Roberto Carlos, and Everton Luiz among others. UEFA are clearly not doing enough to end racism because many players are being affected by it and the abusers know that little action will be taken against them. In this instance, Batshuayi’s case has been dropped for no reason and the player has responded to that decision by posting, “LOL. It was probably in my imagination,” on his Twitter account. The Belgian striker on-loan at Dortmund from Chelsea laughs it off because of disappointment. This is the second time in less than a month that UEFA have decided to close the investigation on claims of racial discrimination after a black player publicly drew attention. Hefty fines and bans are placed on the players that take matters into their own hands when racially abused and leave the pitch like Kevin Prince-Boateng did. What is UEFA waiting to be done so that they could take serious measures against these inhumane characters who discriminate against other human beings of different race, religion, gender, sex etc?

Arsenal unconvincingly down Stoke 3-0

Arsenal were looking to pick up from where they left off before the international break with a win against Stoke City. The match started off well with some end to end stuff and Aaron Ramsey hit the crossbar after some beautiful play by Arsenal. Shaqiri came close for Stoke with a fine finessed shot from the edge of the box which nearly went in the far corner of Ospina’s goal. Although the match kept fans at the end of the sits, the first half produced no goals. It was only in the second half that new signing Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang found the net from the penalty spot after Mesut Ozil was brought down in the penalty area. It is important to note that this was after his strike partner (Lacazette) came onto the pitch replacing Danny Welbeck who was not producing the final ball in the match. The two forwards gave problems to the Stoke defense by roaming into different dangerous positions and creating spaces that were being utilized by Ramsey although he failed to score. It was on the 86th minute that Aubameyang found his second of the game as he placed a cool finish from a cross. The match did not end until Lacazette made his mark on the day of his return from a lengthy injury that kept him out for quite some time. Ozil was brought down again in the 18 area and this time Aubameyang showed his class by allowing Lacazette to take the penalty instead of claiming his first Arsenal hattrick. The Frenchman did not make a mistake as he fired the penalty to the left side of Butland in goal and got the keeper to give in the wrong direction. That summed up a fine late show from the gunners that stunned Stoke City. It is just a shame that there were many empty seats in the Emirates Stadium with fans disappointed by the club’s form this season. They want what is best for Arsenal but feel that they cannot get it as long as Wenger is still at the helm and steering the ship in the direction he likes.

Who should play for Arsenal in the remainder of games in the EPL?

March is usually the turning point period for the gunners in the fight for a place in the top four. This has not been the case this year as they are 13 points further from fourth and do not look like they will qualify through the league. This raises questions on who should be playing for the remainder of the games as they make no difference towards achieving their yearly objectives. Many see this as an opportunity for the youngsters to get some EPL caps under their belt and help bring some confidence to the inexperienced newcomers who have showed a lot of potential since the start of the campaign. The first being Reiss Nelson. The explosive winger has been deployed as defensive cover for Bellerin in the right-wing back position. However, his performances in the U23s as a right forward have yielded 8 goals in 10 games. This shows that the boy has the creative threat and is also not shy to dribble at defenders. Next up is Eddie Nketiah. The Arsenal fans remember this name because of his heroic efforts when he scored 2 goals as a late substitute in the Carabao Cup match against Norwich. Ever since, his minutes have been very limited for a promising introduction to a player. The Europa League was an opportunity for him to challenge for a spot against Welbeck in the absence of Lacazette but he came short. Maybe the manager will give him a run of games in these last matches to prepare him for next season. Maitland-Niles has already been introduced in many EPL games debutising for Monreal and Kolasinac when they were either injured or out of form. His natural position is central midfield but his speed makes him versatile and adaptable to any position he plays. FirstTouch Football appreciate your thoughts. Tell us whom you think should also be mentioned among these players that need to be given more opportunities by Wenger.