Start of the season to see Ligue 1 champions miss out on their key playmakers amidst strong challenge from the newly assembled Paris-Saint Germain squad.
The happenings of the last few days have seen Rene Girard lose out his midfield trio, as Montpellier FC start their title defence next week against Toulouse. Keeping in view the importance of a good start to the campaign, the blow to the champions will serve
the rival title compatriots with a boost.
While Younes Belhanda and Anthony Mounier are out due to injuries, Marco Estrada will miss the opening encounter due to suspension as he picked a red card in the Trophee des Champions in New York. The Chilean International forms an integral part of Rene
Girard’s playing eleven.
Another midfield blow to Rene Girard is the injury picked up by the newly recruited highly-rated midfielder Anthony Mounier. The attacking player has been in blistering form ever since he signed for the champions from Nice, already bagging four goals to
his pocket.
The former Lyon man picked up a thigh injury and was made to forfeit the 2-0 friendly loss to Spanish side, Espanyol and the 24-year-old will be made to sit on the bench against Toulouse as the manager awaits his full fitness.
However, the worst to come for the champions was to see their star playmaker, Younes Belhanda limping out of the field inside the first 20 minutes of the match as the champions played their pre-season friendly against Espanyol. The Moroccan sensation provides
great attacking flare to the side and the services of the 22-year-old will indeed be missed at the Les Pitchouns.
Whilst it is indeed a worst nightmare for any manager to see a lapse in his side's defence, time and again Montpellier rose to the occasion and defied all odds.
Even in the last campaign of 2011/2012, La Paillade side lost the services of their star playmaker Younes Belhanda in the last three matches, yet the side produced spectacular results in the three, as victory in those matches helped them pip mega-rich Paris
outfit, Paris Saint-Germain in a befitting manner.
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