Three Norwegians are approaching the end of the season in the French Ligue 1 division.
Berger Melling (Rennes) and Stian Gregersen (Bordeaux) contributed to their respective clubs throughout the year, while Patrick Berg arrived in northern France and Lens in January.
This season has presented different challenges for the Norwegian boys, who are all fighting for a place in the upcoming national team squad for Ståle Solbakken.
“I don’t really want to call it a disappointment for Norway’s players in the French league, but the end was difficult for the Norwegians,” says Netavisen and Dirksport commentator Robin Haugen.
The Norwegian trio have been on the field for 178 minutes, in each team’s last five league games.
The online newspaper is in place in Paris, and will broadcast the first division final on Saturday with a broadcast from the inner court of the Parc des Princes.
Berg struggles with playing time
Patrick Berg was brought to Lens at the turn of the year at a price of around NOK 40 million. On the other hand, the former Bodø/Glimt captain has struggled with playing, having only appeared twice in Ligue 1.
– He may have had higher expectations for this half of the same year, but he is playing for a team that could quickly be named the best midfield duo in Ligue 1. But this, of course, cannot continue during the summer. He should get more playing time from next season, but I think that’s also possible for Patrick Berg. Haugen explains that he went through a difficult period, which certainly presented various challenges to him.
It continues:
– Cheick Doucouré was the man Berg had to fight off the team, but the 22-year-old from Mali has actually done well since January. Then it became almost impossible for the Norwegian to play for a permanent place, and this captain Seiko Fofana describes himself in the Lens team.
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As a Norwegian football fan, one would like to see Patrick Berg more in Ligue 1. The consolation is that he played all the right matches for his team. He didn’t necessarily make any high-profile performances, but the team did really well. This is a very positive sign.
The 24-year-old has been on the field in 14 league games, but only 296 minutes total. The Norwegian’s only full match against Lille came in mid-April.
– He played the entire match against his arch-rival Lille and ended with an away victory. I’m sure Doucouré or Fofana will be gone from Lens this summer, which will open up a spot for Patrick Berg.
– As I understand, are you doing well in this half of the year?
– I think it required that, adapting to a new country, a new league and a new club. Even Lionel Messi struggled with her at Paris Saint-Germain, so it is clear that it is a phenomenon that many suffer from.
Meiling amusement park
Berger Melling’s first season as a Rennes player was a versatile one for the 27-year-old from Stavanger. Until Christmas, the left-back was almost stuck in the squad, but after the New Year he was challenged by brilliant talent Adrien Truffert.
The seasonal development has not been positive for Berger Melling. On the other hand, I must stress that the competition is fierce in one of the best teams in France. Meanwhile, Rennes’ producer, 20-year-old Adrien Truffert, has been fantastic, Haugen continues.
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Listen to this week’s episode of the Nettavisen football podcast “The Season Card” below:
Truffert is an under-21 player for France, with a bright future. After all, Melling has played more than 30 Ligue 1 matches, so he has shown that he has the inner level. But he obviously prefers to play regularly, so he cannot continue to start every fifth game in the series. Then I think Ståle Solbakken starts wrinkling his nose a little bit too.
Is he looking for other possibilities?
– It’s difficult because he has to play. Rennes’s Europa Drome was decided in the final round, which will mean a lot for next season. The load of the match will increase, which means that the chances of playing time will do the same. He’s playing in a great team, so we just have to get tough for more playing time. I think he did a lot right and presented on the field,
– tough season
The third Norwegian to earn a living in France this season is Stian Grigersen. Hans Bordeaux has had a season packed top spot and is likely to take the trip to Ligue Two. Mouldani has been out of the squad in his last four matches:
– He will be less attractive to other clubs after the season presented by Bordeaux. There is nothing to wonder about. It’s been a tough season, offensively and defensively for the team.
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– Now it applies not only to Gregersen, but also to others on this team. In Ligue 2, he cannot play either, if he has ambitions of getting a place in the national team. I think it’s going to be hard for him, anyway. If he had any chance, he should come and look away.
Haugen isn’t necessarily surprised by the Norwegians’ lack of playing time, and he reminds us of the wealth of talented and skilled players in Ligue 1.
– The quality in Ligue 1 is high, so you have to be at a good level to have the chance to play for one of the teams. You can always see that players are struggling to raise the bar in Europe, after moving on from the Elite Series. He concludes that it has to be the club that suits you and gives you the opportunity to get done from day one, so you can’t go into Ligue 1 and think you can only walk until playtime.
Ligue 1 season ends on Saturday, and Nettavisen is in Paris to celebrate the title for Mbappé and Co. You can follow the entire tour at Nettavisen and Direktesport!
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