Ukrainian Zabarnyi ready for PSG debut as Ligue 1 season heats up
Illia Zabarnyi (photo: instagram.com/psg)
The new season of the French Ligue 1 will begin on August 15, at the same time as the championships of Spain and England. The main focus is on Paris Saint-Germain, which strengthened its squad with high-profile transfers, including Ukrainian defender Illia Zabarnyi.
PSG opens the season with new stars
The reigning champion of France will start the new season as the undisputed favorite. The club's summer transfer campaign was not massive, but it was precise, as the management strengthened key positions in a targeted manner.
The biggest signing was 22-year-old Ukrainian central defender Illia Zabarnyi, who moved from England's Bournemouth for 63 million euros.
Along with him, the squad was joined by Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, for whom another 40 million was paid.
In the UEFA Super Cup match against London's Tottenham, only Chevalier took to the field, while Zabarnyi is still awaiting his official debut.
At the same time, the team parted ways with experienced Slovak center-back Milan Skriniar, who signed with Turkish club Fenerbahce. Moreover, Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is leaving the French club.
Who is ready to challenge the champion
Last season, PSG finished with a huge lead of 20 points over its closest pursuer, Marseille.
This summer, the Provence side spent 65 million euros on two players: winger Igor Paixão from Rotterdam's Feyenoord and Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg from Tottenham.
Monaco avoided big spending but surprised with the return of Paul Pogba to France as a free agent, as well as signing experienced defender Eric Dier, also without a transfer fee.
Nice and Lille opted for rejuvenating their squads during the off-season: they sold several key players but brought in young talents for significantly less money.
Lyon and Strasbourg follow a similar strategy, which is letting go of several leaders but investing in promising players with an eye on the future.
Starting from the 2023/24 season, the French championship was reduced from 20 to 18 clubs. The 2025/26 season will have 34 rounds, with no winter break. So, the matches will be played without interruption.
Newcomers who could surprise
One of the main sensations of the summer was the return of Paris FC to Ligue 1 for the first time in forty-six years. The team from the Paris suburbs has already actively reinforced its squad and plans to fight at least for a mid-table finish.
The other two newcomers, Metz and Lorient, primarily aim to remain among the strongest and avoid a quick return to Ligue 2.
What to expect from the 2025/26 season
Although Ligue 1 is often considered the weakest among Europe's top five leagues, it regularly produces new names and unexpected storylines for the football world.
This season, much attention will be paid to Illia Zabarnyi's debut for PSG, as the Ukrainian defender has every chance of quickly becoming a key figure for the team.
Equally intriguing will be Marseille and Monaco's attempt to challenge the Parisians in the title race. There is also expected to be fierce competition for spots in European competitions, with new surprise contenders likely to emerge.
Overall, the 2025/26 season in France promises to be eventful: on one side, PSG with its high-profile newcomers; on the other, ambitious pursuers ready to take advantage of any slip by the favorite. And, of course, the Ukrainian presence in the form of Illia Zabarnyi, closely followed by fans back home.
When to watch Ligue 1
The French traditionally move one match to Friday evening. Three matches are scheduled for Saturday from 6:00 to 10:00 PM Kyiv time; the main matchday is Sunday, when games take place from early evening.
Ligue 1 2025/26 first round fixtures
August 15 (Friday), 21:45
Rennes - Marseille
August 16 (Saturday), 18:00
Lens - Lyon
August 16 (Saturday), 20:00
Monaco - Le Havre
August 16 (Saturday), 22:05
Nice - Toulouse
August 17 (Sunday), 16:00
Brest - Lille
August 17 (Sunday), 18:15
Auxerre - Lorient
Angers - Paris FC
Metz - Strasbourg
August 17 (Sunday), 21:45
Nantes - PSG
Previously, we wrote that Paris Saint-Germain recently won the UEFA Super Cup in an incredible penalty shootout against Tottenham.
We also reported that PSG's captain gave his medal to Zabarnyi immediately after the UEFA Super Cup final.
