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Ligue 1 2008-09

Ligue 1
Season 2008–09
Champions Bordeaux
6th French title
Relegated Caen
Nantes
Le Havre
Champions League Bordeaux (group stage)
Marseille (group stage)
Lyon (playoff round)
Europa League Toulouse (playoff round)
Lille (third qualifying round)
Goals scored 858
Average goals/game 2.26
Top goalscorer France André-Pierre Gignac (24)
Biggest home win Marseille 4–0 Auxerre (17 August 2008)
Bordeaux 4–0 Le Havre (28 October 2008)
Bordeaux 4–0 Paris Saint-Germain (11 January 2009)
Marseille 4–0 Rennes (30 May 2009)
Biggest away win Nantes 1–4 Le Mans (30 August 2008)
Saint-Étienne 1–4 Lorient (29 October 2008)
Nantes 1–4 Paris Saint-Germain (7 February 2009)
Highest scoring Rennes 4–4 Marseille (9 August 2008)
(8 goals)
Highest attendance 78,056, Lille 2–0 Lyon (7 March 2009)
Lowest attendance 6,294, AS Monaco 3–0 Le Mans (23 November 2008)
Average attendance 20,913

The 2008–09 Ligue 1 season was the 71st since its establishment. Bordeaux became champions for the sixth time on the last weekend of the season. The fixtures were announced on 23 May 2008. The season began on 9 August 2008 and ended on 30 May 2009. A total of 20 teams contested the league, consisting of 17 who competed the previous season and three that were promoted from France's second division Ligue 2.

Bordeaux consecutively won their last 11 league games of the season and clinched the title on 30 May 2009 after the 1–0 victory against Caen. This was Bordeaux's sixth title and their first since the 1998–99 season. Bordeaux's title victory ended a historic run for Lyon, who had won seven consecutive titles beginning with the 2001–02 season. Le Havre, Nantes and Caen were relegated to Ligue 2. Both Le Havre and Nantes were promoted from Ligue 2 last season. Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse and Lille all secured European football for the 2009–10 season through their league position.

RC Lens, RC Strasbourg and FC Metz were relegated to the 2008–09 Ligue 2 after finishing in the bottom three spots of the table at the end of the 2007–08 season. Lens were relegated to the Ligue 2 after 17 seasons of continuous membership in the top football league of France, while Strasbourg and Metz made their immediate return to the second level.

The three relegated teams were replaced by three 2007–08 Ligue 2 sides. Champions Le Havre, who terminated their second-level status after five years, runners-up FC Nantes, who returned to the top flight after one season in second level and Grenoble Foot 38 returned to highest French league for first time after 35 years.


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