playAncelotti: Mbappé can reach Ronaldo's level (1:31)Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti believes Kylian Mbappé can reach the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo in his career Kylian Mbappé put on his ownership hat and made a surprise visit to his struggling Ligue 2 side Stade Malherbe Caen on Thursday The Real Madrid forward, who acquired a majority share of Caen last summer took advantage of his day off in Spain and travelled to Caen to encourage the coach and players with the team facing the prospect of relegation "I want to show my support," Mbappé told reporters "To be in contact with everyone and for them to know that they can count on me "If I'm here it's because I believe in the project I wanted to come earlier but it was impossible I told them [the team] that I was with them and that they had to believe And I saw a group that is not resigned and wants to change the results." Kylian Mbappé is a majority owner of French Ligue 2 side Caen. Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty ImagesMbappé's visit came just two days after the club's decision to sack manager Bruno Baltazar on Tuesday and appoint Michel Der Zakarian as his replacement who had only taken over the job in December following the sacking of Caen great Nicolas Seube 2 and Monday's 1-0 defeat at Annecy FC was their ninth straight league loss Mbappé discovered early on how challenging ownership is with Caen fans upset over the dismissal of Seube Caen fans displayed a banner aimed at the Real Madrid star that read 'Mbappé SMC is not your toy!' Despite the French team's dismal form, Mbappé, who scored a hat trick in Madrid's 3-1 win against Manchester City in Wednesday's Champions League game "I think that with the quality of the team and the support of the fans things can change and I hope that this is a turning point," he said on Thursday but I think that a good run of results can change the team's spiral "I understand the frustration of the people because I have not been through this before fill the stadium and our mission is to give our best." Caen are at the foot of the Ligue 2 standings heading into Saturday's league game against Pau The bottom two sides in the division are relegated automatically while the team finishing in 16th enters a relegation playoff with the third-placed team in the league below Romanesque masterpieces which were built for his marriage to Matilda of Flanders Its half-timbered houses and narrow cobblestone streets were once the domain of merchants and tradespeople it’s a lively and fashionable area perfect for exploring on foot is an ideal spot for coffee at a pavement café while admiring elegant 18th-century hôtels particuliers the Église du Vieux Saint-Sauveur and the statue of Louis XIV such as the Hôtel d’Escoville and Hôtel de Than Architectural highlights extend to the 20th century with Art Nouveau touches found on buildings such as the Post Office Hotel at Place Gambetta The devastation of the Second World War reshaped the city: the Battle of Caen in 1944 caused extensive damage Caen is ensuring its millennium celebrations are unforgettable with a full calendar of events running from March to December 2025 Festivities begin at Caen Castle from March 20 to 23, which opens its doors following two years of renovations. History Days (March 21–28) will highlight the city’s evolution from medieval times to today with events at the castle Beginning in April and running every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 2pm throughout the summer, the tourist board is holding English-language tours of Caen. Tours take approximately 90 minutes and can be booked here On May 9, the Operatic Parade will take in some of Caen’s emblematic sites over a 5km route from the Prairie to the Bassin Saint-Pierre conceived by the Caen-based company Le Ballon Vert circus performers and musicians to retrace the history of Caen through monumental floats combining poetry and heritage From May 15 to June 30, Normandy will commemorate the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings with guided tours American and Canadian flags in remembrance The Marathon de la Liberté (June 13–15) will honour D-Day through various races children’s races and roller skating events From June 27 to 29, the Maritime Weekend will see three days of activities races and demonstrations in three spots: the Presqu’Île de Caen the Bassin Saint-Pierre and the Canal from Caen to the sea symbolising the 48 communes of Caen la mer will dock in the port and along the quays of the Presqu’île Throughout summer, open-air concerts and theatre performances will fill city squares and parks, while an outdoor art trail will guide visitors through Caen and Caen la Mer An art trail forms part of the celebrations © Vincent Leroy On July 9, Caen’s millennium celebrations will coincide with the Tour de France which features an individual time trial starting at Tour Leroy Cyclists will pass landmarks such as the University Colline aux Oiseaux and the Memorial before traversing Saint-Contest and Cambes-en-Plaine The route re-enters Caen via the Chemin-Vert district and concludes at Place Foch The Retro Festival (August 30–31) at La Prairie will showcase classic cars with parades the Aquanauts Show at the Bassin Saint-Pierre will combine circus acts On September 20–21, Caen la Mer will join European Heritage Days guided tours and special events at museums and landmarks The Normandy Beach Race in September will bring pre-1947 American and European cars and motorbikes to Sword Beach So whether you’re interested in medieval landmarks 2025 promises to be a great year to visit this remarkable 1,000-year-old Norman city For the full list of events visit www.caenlamer-tourisme.com/events/major-events Lead photo credit : The castle and the Église Saint-Pierre © Ville de Caen and Fabien-Potel www.airkapture.fr Gill Harris has 20 years' experience of travel writing and journalism She fell in love with the French language at school and then with the country when We collect information from our users – this is for administration and contact purposes in connection with contributions you may wish to make to the site or your use of certain site features such as newsletter subscriptions and property enquiries Alexandria is renewing its commitment to international friendship through its sister city relationship with Caen as Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Councilman John Taylor Chapman recently returned from celebrating the French city’s 1,000-year anniversary provided an opportunity for Alexandria officials to strengthen ties with their French counterparts and discuss future collaborations between the two historic cities “Our sister city Caen celebrated its 1,000-year anniversary and the mayor and I had an opportunity to travel there to celebrate with them last week and also to talk about Caen,” Councilman Chapman reports during the March 25 City Council meeting The milestone celebration serves as a catalyst for renewed engagement between the sister cities Chapman noted that Caen officials “wanted to use this as an opportunity to set a new tone for how they work with their sister cities and kind of what to expect from them.” Alexandria representatives engaged in productive conversations with Caen city staff about the future of their relationship and potential collaborative initiatives “We had some great conversations with their city staff about what we can look forward to in terms of relationship with Caen as a sister city,” Chapman explained The trip also prompted discussions about Alexandria’s overall approach to sister city relationships Chapman mentions that the visit “gave us an opportunity to talk about what we do with our sister cities but how we structure our sister cities here in the city of Alexandria.” Mayor Gaskins emphasized the significance of maintaining these international connections especially in today’s global climate “At this time in the world that we are in having international friendships is not just a symbolic gesture recounting conversations with Caen officials The mayor highlighted how Caen representatives expressed the importance of Alexandria’s presence at their celebration stating they “want it to be clear to the world that we are more than friends and there’s so much we can do to learn from each other.” One potential area for collaboration involves flood management expertise Mayor Gaskins noted that Caen’s university “has an entire institute that is dedicated to mapping sort of flood events and how do you prepare This expertise could prove valuable for Alexandria which recently recognized Virginia Flood Awareness Week and continues to address flooding challenges through its Flood Action Alexandria initiative the visit reinforced a broader commitment to international cooperation at the local government level and a renewed commitment to reminding the world that no matter what else may be going on that local governments will still find ways to collaborate and do the things that they need to do for their residents,” Gaskins said is part of Alexandria’s broader international engagement strategy Chapman reminded the council that the city has a pending memo to staff regarding the potential addition of two new sister cities “We do have a memo to staff that talks about them coming back to us to look at two additional sister cities,” Chapman said indicating that discussions about expanding Alexandria’s international relationships are forthcoming The councilman anticipates “future conversations about what we’re doing with sister cities in the city of Alexandria and hopefully two new sister cities to celebrate and have and create a relationship with.” Mayor Gaskins acknowledged that international travel for city officials involves personal expense and time away from family but she believes the diplomatic benefits justify these sacrifices “It’s not always easy to decide to go on these trips because as a council person or mayor this is a personal expense that you’re making whether it’s time away from the family or just the cost of the trip,” Gaskins explained I think it was one of the most important things that we could do.” the Sister Cities of Alexandria include Dundee It has been a turbulent first season as owners of SM Caen for the Mbappés It is a season that was greeted with optimism but ended with the club relegated from Ligue 2 to the National 1 Having burned through three managers and having finished rock-bottom the reaction from Caen’s fans has been one of indignation who purchased the club through his investment fund all out,” read a banner from the Caen fans earlier this month Amid the anger, Mbappé’s mother, Fayza Lamari, considered ending the investment, as she has told Ici Normandie “I remember humbly telling Kylian that they (Caen) didn’t deserve us and that we had to know when to leave when we weren’t wanted it would be dishonest for us to leave.” In the interview Lamari specifically stated that the Mbappés would not leave Caen admit that the relegation to National 1 does change the plans “The objective is to tell ourselves that we are making a societal project of it,” said Lamari GFFN | Luke Entwistle @2025 - All Rights Reserved. Get Football Group Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are Lorient 8 win(s) Have been awarded the most penalties this season (12) Elie Junior Kroupi is the competition's top scorer (19) Have scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches Haven't kept a clean sheet in 6 matches 26 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT?Lorient won 4–0 over Caen on Sat 26 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 13 goals in their last 5 matches Lorient is playing home against Caen at Stade du Moustoir - Yves Allainmat on Sat de Caen joins Holy Cross after more than 20 years at the University of Southern California Holy Cross announced today that Jeffrey de Caen, a leader in arts administration, production and interdisciplinary collaboration, has been appointed as the Nancy Savage Skinner ’79 Director of The Prior Performing Arts Center effective June 1 With decades of experience in performing arts management guided strategic initiatives and championed programs that integrate the arts into broader academic and community contexts He brings a wealth of experience that will further elevate The Prior as a hub for world-class programming interdisciplinary partnerships and deep engagement with the local and global arts communities de Caen deeply values the intersection of creativity and intellectual inquiry challenge perspectives and encourage innovation and creative thinking: “I am deeply honored to be entrusted with nurturing the exceptional chemistry among the outstanding staff exemplary students and visionary leadership of the College — alongside the inspiring architecture of The Prior and the vibrant artistic heart of the Commonwealth.” recording engineering and production from Loyola Marymount University with additional graduate studies at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati His background as a performer spans musical theater vocal performance and guitar studies in classical "I am delighted to welcome Jeffrey de Caen as the new Nancy Savage Skinner '79 Director of the Prior Performing Arts Center," Holy Cross President Vincent Rougeau said "Jeff brings a stellar track record of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and cultivating high-profile industry partnerships he champions the centrality of the arts in a liberal arts education for all students His extensive experience in arts leadership and higher education coupled with his roots in Jesuit education make him an ideal fit to lead The Prior in its exciting next chapter." De Caen joins Holy Cross from the University of Southern California (USC) where he has served in various leadership roles most recently as the associate dean for operations of the USC Thornton School of Music he was instrumental in developing operational and programmatic strategies that enhanced the school’s production capabilities and partnerships de Caen designed and co-produced numerous high-profile events including more than 50 student-focused Visions & Voices Initiative grant projects and collaborations with esteemed organizations such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic Los Angeles Opera and the Grammy Foundation de Caen served as executive producer of the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival 42-event cello extravaganza presented by the USC Thornton School of Music and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in partnership with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra showcasing more than 30 international artists representing 15 countries and four continents who served as The Prior’s interim director since its opening in the fall 2022 1 College StreetWorcester, MA 01610508-793-2011hcmag@holycross.edu Mbappe’s Interconnected Ventures purchased a majority stake in the French team MORE: SM Caen Fans Send Brutal Message To Co-Owner Kylian Mbappe The 26-year-old France international is said to have invested approximately $15.73 million of his own money through the fund as the club’s previous majority shareholder Year 1 of the Mbappé era has been a disaster, with Caen facing relegation to France’s third division. Now, Canal+ pundit Bertrand Latour is criticizing the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner for his handling of the club, especially with the team in such a tough spot (via Le10Sport) 🔴🔵 Kylian Mbappé is the majority owner of Ligue 2 side, SM Caen. ✨Yesterday, he visited and spent time with the squad and supporters. 🇫🇷❤️ pic.twitter.com/9khGDu41fR I don't understand how someone can be both a player and an executive who has plenty of coaching experience in Ligue 1 to help save the club from dropping out of Ligue 2 Les Vikings are in 18th place and trail Red Star by 10 points to be clear of the relegation zone Michel Der Zakarian nouvel entraîneur du @SMCaen 🤝#SMCaen #TeamSMC the situation could get ugly for Mbappe as he could become public enemy No Full Match Highlights For Real Madrid's 1-0 Win Over Real Sociedad In The Copa Del Rey Real Madrid Suffer Huge Blow As Midfielder Could Be Sidelined For Several Weeks Real Sociedad 0-1 Real Madrid: Endrick Scores As Los Blancos Secure A Narrow Win Real Madrid Could Secure The Return Of Two Former Players The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER USA’s Chris Nilsen became the first man to pole vault six metres in 2025 scaling 6.01m to win at the Perch’Xtrem – a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting – in Caen The 2021 Olympic silver medallist cleared the winning height on his first attempt then went on to attempt a would-be North American record of 6.10m Olympic bronze medallist Emmanouil Karalis was second with 5.90m while French duo Baptiste Thiery and Renaud Lavillenie were tied in third place with 5.80m European champion Angelica Moser won the women’s competition with 4.71m New Zealand’s Olympic finalist Imogen Ayris added six centimetres to her PB with 4.66m in second place there were several stand-out performances at the Elite Indoor Track Meeting – another World Indoor Tour Silver fixture – in Miramas Morocco’s Abdelati El Guesse came close to his own national indoor record to win the 800m in 1:45.57 just ahead of European U23 champion Yanis Meziane who went to third on the French indoor all-time list with 1:45.87 2002 world indoor silver medallist Noah Kibet was third (1:46.05) Liadagmis Povea won a close triple jump contest from her fellow Cuban Leyanis Perez Hernandez leaping a world-leading 14.57m to win by five centimetres Bulgaria’s Bozhidar Saraboyukov took the men’s long jump with 8.19m winning from China’s Shu Heng (8.12m) Senegal’s Mamadou Fall Sarr won the men’s 60m in 6.54 and Louis Gilavert took the men’s 1500m in 3:36.25 European silver medallist Enrique Llopis won the men’s 60m hurdles in 7.54 and France’s Laeticia Bapte clocked 7.93 to win the women’s race At the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville Anthaya Charlton – younger sister of world 60m hurdles record-holder Devynne Charlton – sailed out to an outright Bahamian record of 6.98m The 21-year-old had a previous best of 6.74m outdoors and 6.53m indoors Olympic finalist Shafiqua Maloney also produced a world lead clocking 1:59.87 in the women’s 800m to win by almost three seconds Jenoah McKiver produced an indoor PB of 45.19 to win the men’s 400m NCAA indoor champion Christopher Morales Williams ran 45.54 in a separate heat World champion Katie Moon produced her best ever season opener to win the women’s pole vault at the Deloss Dodds Invitational in Manhattan The 2021 Olympic champion cleared every height up to and including her winning mark on her first attempt Jadin O’Brien scored a world-leading 4552 to win the women’s pentathlon Several world-leading marks were set in distance events at the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston Olympic finalist Whittni Morgan set an outright PB of 14:48.41 to win the women’s 5000m ahead of Ella Donaghu (14:50.89) and Bailey Hertenstein (14:56.33) Morgan now moves into the top 20 on the world all-time list while Hertenstein smashed her outright PB by 14 seconds World and Olympic 5000m finalist Elise Cranny stepped down in distance to the mile and clocked a world-leading 4:20.83 to move to third on the US indoor all-time list World indoor 1500m silver medallist Nikki Hiltz won the women’s 3000m in 8:32.52 finishing comfortably ahead of Australia’s Linden Hall (8:35.17) USA's Ethan Strand moved to third on the world all-time list for the men's indoor mile – one place ahead of Hicham El Guerrouj and behind only world record-holder Yomif Kejelcha (3:47.01) and Yared Nuguse (3:47.38) also putting him in the top 10 on the world all-time list Jimmy Gressier won the 5000m in a national indoor record of 13:00.54 leading a French 1-2 ahead of Romain Legendre (13:02.08) Meeting records fell at the Meeting de L'Eure George Mills clocked a world-leading meeting record of 7:27.92 to improve Josh Kerr’s British indoor 3000m record of 7:30.14 That time moves him to ninth on the world indoor all-time list Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom won the women’s mile in 4:25.44 while Kenya’s Noah Kibet won the men’s 800m in 1:45.97 Three athletes surpassed 19 metres in the women’s shot put - Dutch record-holder Jessica Schilder finishing top with a world-leading meeting record of 19.85m That final round throw clinched her the win by 10cm ahead of Canada’s world indoor champion Sarah Mitton with USA’s two-time world champion Chase Jackson third on 19.43m Laeticia Bapte of France clocked a PB of 7.87 to top the women’s 60m hurdles from Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska (7.91) while the men’s event was won by Poland’s Jakub Szymanski in 7.46 Two days after his 6.01m clearance in Caen USA’s Chris Nilsen won the pole vault in Val-de-Reuil with a meeting record of 5.85m Cuba’s Lazaro Martinez won the triple jump with a leap of 17.03m Poland's Maria Zodzik won the women's high jump with a world-leading 1.98m Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has persuaded his mother Fayza Lamari not to give up on their Caen project after the club were relegated to Ligue 2 Whether you want to marvel at a medieval masterpiece or educate yourself at a second world war memorial set sail for an adventure in this region and you’ll be spoiled for choice Here are six reasons why you should holiday in Normandy this year creating a striking and moving visual reminder of the sacrifices made on Normandy’s beaches this year’s installation will feature about 200 new creations radio operators and a Scotsman playing the bagpipes The project will also include giants representing the only two women on the memorial nurses Sister Mollie Evershed and Sister Dorothy Field who died while saving 75 men from a sinking hospital ship; and 50 French resistance fighters The installation is a must-see for anyone interested in the second world war and a chance to reflect on one of the most significant moments of the 20th century It will be in place from 12 April to 12 September The museum displaying the Bayeux Tapestry will close for renovation in the autumn. Photograph: Valentin Pacaut/Normandy TourismSince 1983, the world-famous Bayeux Tapestry has been housed in the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux but this year marks the final opportunity to see this 11th-century masterpiece in its current location before it undergoes major renovation work This epic embroidered chronicle of the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England in 1066 remains one of the most extraordinary historical artefacts in Europe Visiting this year means witnessing a piece of history before it embarks on its next chapter The existing Bayeux Tapestry museum will close to visitors on 1 September and won’t reopen until 2027 so this spring and summer will be your last chance to see it for a few years the tapestry will be kept in a storage area specifically designed for its conservation The tapestry is a classified historic monument and listed on the Unesco Memory of the World register Read more4 The Tour de France returnsThe Tour de France route highlights Normandy this year featuring three stages with two starts and three finishes which is considered the most prestigious in professional cycling the fourth stage will cover 107 miles from Amiens Métropole to Rouen including the challenging Saint-Hilaire ramp The fifth stage will be an individual time trial in Caen while the sixth will take riders from Bayeux to Vire-Normandie on a hilly 124-mile course before heading to Brittany These key locations will showcase Normandy’s diverse landscapes and you are sure to find a celebratory mood if you visit during this time The Caen Millennium aims to be a precursor to the anticipated Millennium of William the Conqueror in 2027 with a full programme of artistic and cultural events scheduled throughout the year The city is the capital of the Calvados department and the celebration is designed to shine a spotlight on the many areas that contribute to its unique character concerts and theatrical performances that will bring history to life in the heart of the city Discover more about Normandy and how to get there aboard Brittany Ferries’ new hybrid-LNG powered ship, Guillaume de Normandie: visit brittany-ferries.co.uk SMC is not your toy," one of the signages read a reference to the ownership group's decision to sack the popular Nicolas Seube after a disappointing first half of the campaign respect the local figures," another of the banners read legends are made through work and loyalty." Seube had been associated with Caen since 2001 making 477 league appearances and scoring 10 goals prior to his retirement in 2017 He was replaced by Portuguese coach Bruno Baltazar in December Mbappé became part of the executive group in charge of the club in July when his company's investment fund bought an 80% stake in Caen from American firm Oaktree Capital The relationship between the Mbappés and Caen goes back a long way. In 2014, when Mbappé was 13, he almost signed for them before choosing Monaco The team sit 16th out of 18 teams in Ligue 2 Information from ESPN's Julien Laurens contributed to this report Months after being sacked by Montpellier HSC Michel Der Zakarian will once again be out of a coaching job in the coming weeks The 62-year-old was appointed manager of SM Caen in February with the goal of trying to dig them out a deep hole in Ligue 2 and help them avoid relegation That did not happen with the club from Normandy already assured of going down into Championnat National with a mere 21 points from 31 matches Der Zakarian said that he may not have resigned if not for their relegation Michel Der Zakarian confirme son départ de Caen, relégué en National, en fin de saison➡️ https://t.co/QKgjrzg5Pv pic.twitter.com/yc2wRDEZLn and Montpellier boss has only won one of his nine Ligue 2 matches in charge of Les Vikings suffering a humiliating 4-0 defeat last Saturday at soon-to-be-promoted FC Lorient owned by French captain Kylian Mbappé (26) have two more matches in Ligue 2 this season but even if they win them both they will still finish at the bottom of the table Der Zakarian was in charge of Montpellier but was sacked following a 5-0 defeat in Ligue 1 to Olympique de Marseille Montpellier are also guaranteed to finish dead last in Ligue 1 this season When asked if he might retire from coaching after a rough campaign I don’t want to finish on two consecutive failures in one season Even though I consider that Montpellier is not necessarily a failure on my part because there have been things that have not been correct five more than the next closest team in Ligue 2 Friday will be his last opportunity to claim a domestic home triumph as their manager with Caen hosting SC Bastia in Normandy at Stade Michel-d’Ornano GFFN | Joel Lefevre Caen president Ziad Hammoud defended Kylian Mbappe amid growing anger among fans over the Real Madrid star's investment at the club BetaAskNever miss a moment with Real MadridSign up for the latest news and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox every Monday playMbappe: I knew I would play for Real Madrid when I was a kid (2:14)Kylian Mbappe says he knew from a young age that he was destined to play for Real Madrid Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé is about to become the new majority owner of French second division club Stade Malherbe de Caen His takeover should be announced imminently and it will make the 25-year-old the youngest active player to own a professional European football club The newly minted Real Madrid player will invest around €15 million via his own Coalition Capital investment fund to acquire 80% of the club's capital and will also pay off part of the club's debt Mbappé will replace the previous majority shareholder which bought 80% of the club's shares back in 2020 The remaining 20% ​​of the capital is held by Pierre Antoine Capton current president of the club's supervisory board Kylian Mbappé is on holiday after captaining France to the semifinals of Euro 2024. Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP via Getty ImagesCaen are currently in Ligue 2 after having been relegated from the top flight in May of 2019 The relationship between the Mbappés and Caen goes back a long way. In 2014, when Mbappé was 13, he almost signed for them before choosing Monaco The source said Caen is expected to name a new president in Ziad Hammoud. Hammoud is a close friend of the France captain and is in charge of his image rights company Other close allies of Mbappé could also come in to hold other positions at the club It is not clear yet how much of his own money Mbappé will ultimately invest and what his ambitions for the club are Peter's Church and the city from the castle and dungeons I may be a little biased.But each time another friend posts photos of their trip to Paris on social media Until you’ve left the Paris bubble of overdone — though cool — tourist attractions you’ve not experienced the true heart of France a wonderland with charms aplenty to rival Paris’ seductions Nashville’s French sister city offers the perfect starting point for your explorations of this real France Caen is an easy two-hour train ride from Paris’ Gare Saint-Lazare making it eminently convenient to add a couple days up north in Normandy to your next Champs-Élysées shopping trip Since my move from Nashville to France over a decade ago acquiring more belongings with each subsequent move — from a tiny studio apartment down south in Aix-en-Provence to a one-bedroom furnished apartment in Pau at the base of the lush Pyrenees mountains of France’s southwest to my present comparative castle (two bedrooms The France I’ve fallen in love with lives in these places When I arrived in Caen (pronounced like “con” with an ever-so-slight G sound at the end) three years ago The famous Normandy beaches were one kilometer beyond my allowed travel radius from home Add in trying to understand Norman-accented French through masks when I was used to southern-France French and it wasn’t the best time to get to know my new town this city of just over 100,000 people in a 48-community metropolitan area of nearly 250,000 has gradually returned to normal life and claimed a spot in my heart Using the term “metropolitan” is perhaps hyperbolic when referring to the flat agricultural landscape that stretches across the Caen plain to the sea It’s not unusual to catch a tractor lumbering through city streets and many of the non-highway roads in the region only become two-lane thoroughfares after everyone slows down and hugs the ditches in order to squeeze past each other This firstborn of Nashville’s sister cities partnerships has begun the countdown to the grand events that will celebrate its millennium anniversary in May 2025 Caen was put on the map in the Middle Ages by William the Conqueror and his wife Matilda who made it the capital of the Duchy of Normandy just prior to William’s 1066 invasion of England The couple constructed a women’s abbey on the east side of town All three are treasured parts of Caen’s present-day life and regularly the sites of community events I can see the tips of the Abbaye aux Dames church built of the famous creamy limestone quarried here and I frequent its park’s lime-tree-lined avenues While the abbey buildings are now used by Normandy region administrators the church is still a parish church — one that has caught my breath on many a walk as the afternoon sun makes its old stones glow and shadows encroach around it it wasn’t until last year that I wandered with a friend up to the very front of the Norman-Romanesque-style church’s bright interior and discovered that pious Queen Matilda is buried there beneath a black marble slab My poor American mind struggles to comprehend such history that is almost literally in my backyard and part of my everyday life William and Matilda are remembered as having a true love story and true partnership in their endeavors And that’s how they’re depicted in a bronze and brass sculpture by celebrated local artist Claude Quiesse which caught me up short one day as I followed my usual walking route home from the artsy boutiques clothing shops and cafes populating centre-ville’s pedestrian streets How had I never noticed this elegance before and I’d just missed any fanfare around the sculpture’s installation at the foot of the couple’s castle — which dominates the center of town and is really more of a fort than a Versailles-style ornate edifice Tubes of metal depict the ancient power couple beside each other creating a sense of strength and forward movement as though the wind is blowing their robes and hair behind them their fortress’s commanding walls tower in the background The scene simultaneously tells an ancient story with modern threads this panoply includes students and other Caennais lounging on the lawn outside the stone walls who climb the ramparts to enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the city In the shadow of the château is one of Caen’s (and my) favorite neighborhoods for a meal out when the pedestrian street becomes a huge terrace tinkling with life when the half-timbered buildings give off cozy vibes as warm light escapes their windows the Vaugueux offers a variety of restaurants You’ll easily find something to suit your palate’s whims whether it’s delicious classic crêpes with local cider Continuing west through the pedestrian center — if it’s before the 7 p.m closing time — you can browse a wide range of independent and chain shops though coffeehouses selling the true lattés I prefer are few and a more traditional café crème must often suffice Narrow Rue Froide begins alongside the Saint-Sauveur church and is nearly worth the visit to Caen on its own Known as one of centre-ville’s oldest streets its few blocks contain a bakery that often has a long line out the door various concept stores and clothing boutiques along with plenty of other window displays that will lure you inside William’s majestic Abbaye aux Hommes is now the Caen town hall Like the other institutions William and Matilda founded in Caen this one has had many different uses throughout its long life including sheltering up to 10,000 civilians as the Allies sought to retake Normandy during the summer of 1944 Located only about 9 miles inland from the British troops’ D-Day beach landings — the Americans were busy to the west — Caen was a key objective for the early hours of the Allies’ June 6 efforts the city suffered six weeks of destructive Allied bombings before the Germans were finally pushed out that July It’s this World War II history that most often brings Americans here on their way to the famous Omaha and Utah beaches Living here is teaching me firsthand about the long scars war writes on communities Where Caen’s streets should be lined by Norman half-timbered buildings it was said that some 80% of Caen was destroyed that summer in 1944 experts have recently revised the number to 35% taking into account the high percentage of housing destroyed while other elements of the town incurred less damage The war’s effects also live in the family stories A young Uber driver told me that his great-grandfather was among the French commandos who died storming the D-Day beaches with their American The family still goes together to lay flowers on his grave The waterways that set Caen in crosshairs during the war are among its charms today The tree-lined Orne river cuts through town on its way northward The Caen canal parallels the Orne from the sea into the city providing access to the in-town marina and various shipping ports including the Ouistreham ferry port for connections to Portsmouth the bars and restaurants across the street from the marina open popular patios on its quayside The huge Sunday morning market’s booths of vegetables knickknacks and regional delicacies stretch outward from the quay across town toward the château live music or art installations breathe cultural life into the city from the marina Both the river and the canal are popular venues for watersports One of my most delightful recent discoveries is the Orne river estuary the spot where the river travels out of Caen to meet the English Channel the magic of this ecosystem where freshwater and saltwater join is new to me and though the terrain and nature that greet me along its paths are different from the Nashville version — replace deer and turtles with seals and swans — the effect is the same coastal mudflats and salt meadows provide a chance to breathe and relax feeling far from the “metropolis” and its busyness — though in reality nestled among villages that are part of the Caen la Mer urban community The estuary visitor center offers a robust calendar of programming for learning about the flora and fauna But perhaps it’s best to leave some discoveries for you to make when you come to meet the place and the people who form this special corner of France — which is there are no recent results for popular videos there are no recent results for popular commented articles Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Tuesday World Subscribers only Friedrich Merz bets on two private sector converts to revive the German economy and reform the state World Subscribers only 'A Pope in the tradition of 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Chanel's French leather workshops Culture Subscribers only The marvelous bronzes of Angkor on display at the Musée Guimet in Paris The captain of the national football team bought 80% of shares for the Stade Malherbe Caen team Kylian Mbappé speaks during a news conference after being presented to fans as a new Real Madrid player at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium ANDREA COMAS / AP France captain Kylian Mbappé has taken over as majority shareholder of Ligue 2 club Caen Mbappé's company Interconnected Ventures announced in a statement on Wednesday who came close to signing for Caen when he was younger has acquired 80% of the shares through Coalition Capital the investment entity of Interconnected Ventures replacing US investment fund Oaktree as majority shareholder No figure has been released officially but French media reports put the acquisition fee at €15-€20 million "This transaction marks a significant step in the club's strategic development and reinforces its natural ambition to remain one of the most successful clubs in French football," the club said in a statement "This acquisition will provide Caen with additional strategic resources to strengthen its sporting policy modernize its infrastructure and develop innovative projects." Mbappé's close friend Ziad Hammoud will take over as chairman of the club "We are determined to create an environment where young talent can flourish and where the club can defend its identity with strength and ambition," Hammoud said in the press release who now becomes one of the youngest owners of a professional club before he joined Monaco and then Paris Saint-Germain "You'd have to think that the time he spent at Caen in his youth left its mark on him How proud we are to see a champion like @KMbappé investing in @SMCaen," the mayor of Caen Aristide Olivier posted on social media Caen finished fifth in the top flight in 1992 and reached the League Cup final in 2005 but have played in France's second tier since 2019 Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en train de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur En cliquant sur « Continuer à lire ici » et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez mais en les utilisant à des moments différents Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article merci de contacter notre service commercial It is day 10 of the January transfer window for clubs in England and across Europe ✉️ Get in touch: livebloguk@theathletic.com Subscribe to The Athletic on an exclusive offer Aston Villa are in advanced talks to sign Tidiam Gomis from SM Caen The 18-year-old is highly rated by Villa’s recruitment staff and scouting circles He signed his first professional contract in September 2022 and made his debut the following year making him the fourth youngest player in Caen’s history The France youth international has played for every age group between under-16 and under-19 Villa will likely pay a small fee for the winger who will be viewed as one for the future much like Kosta Nedeljkovic when he signed from Crvena zvezda last season A deal has not been finalised but Villa are pushing ahead to complete an agreement Gomis has made 17 appearances in Ligue 2 this term Aston Villa Transfer DealSheet: What to expect in the January window some good news for a club that arguably doesn’t actually need it right now given how well things are going on the pitch Nottingham Forest are set to have Danilo on the bench against Luton Town in the FA Cup tomorrow The Brazilian midfielder broke his leg on the opening day of the season against Bournemouth 💬 “He is not going to start (but) hopefully all of us will get to see him It has been really good to have him back.” I reckon Danilo could be just like a new signing for Forest from here Danilo to return to Nottingham Forest squad against Luton after broken leg injury Our correspondent Mario Cortegana has sat down with Palmeiras president Leila Pereira There will be plenty more on the way but the immediately eye-catching responses came on the subject of Manchester City and Brighton’s attempts to sign 18-year-old defender Vitor Reis Pereira refused to talk about fees or values said she had not sat down with anyone from City or Brighton about a potential deal and underlined that no offers had been received 💬 “He is another of our sons from the Palmeiras academy He is extremely talented and very important for our team We intend to count on him to help us in the Club World Cup (which starts in June) At the moment there are only soundings from various clubs… no official proposal But if there is an interesting offer for Palmeiras and the player “Estevao will go to Chelsea after the World Cup the value is very important and that the player leaves after the World Cup “I want to say the information coming out is not correct There is an extremely important tournament for Palmeiras and we need Vitor.” Manchester City working on deal for Palmeiras defender Vitor Reis If you are just joining us midway through your lunchtime sandwich let’s get you up to speed on all of today’s news There will be plenty more to come on all those stories as they develop throughout the day so stay with us for the best of The Athletic It’s the theme of the day — and indeed most transfer windows — that managers don’t want to be drawn on transfer speculation when they are thrust in front of the media to preview a match as he looked ahead to Manchester City hosting Salford in the FA Cup third round tomorrow 💬 “Don’t ask me about (January) because I’m not going (to answer) All month you’re going to ask the same about all we are linked with in the media “We know we should not go to the transfer window The situation that’s happened this season with many injuries I’m not going to talk because I don’t know.” before someone then brought up Man City’s attempts to sign Omar Marmoush: I was clear in my answer; I’m not going to talk “You can say in every single press conference… I’m not going to answer one question Is the Dani Olmo registration saga definitely over things have taken a positive turn for Barcelona in the past few days with the Spanish government granting them position to register Olmo and Pau Victor in the second half of the season But even with that reprieve their situation does not seem set in stone The intervention from the Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD) the highest sports council within the Spanish government means Olmo and Victor will be available for Barcelona until a definitive ruling on their case is made It is unclear how long that could take but for now it means both players should be eligible for La Liga and the early rounds of the Champions League knockout stages Pau Victor given temporary permission to play by Spanish government You had the response of Liverpool boss Arne Slot to a host of January transfer window links earlier But he did spend a bit longer on the situation with Harvey Elliott who is due to get a shot in tomorrow’s FA Cup tie against Accrington Stanley at Anfield Elliott missed two and a half months of the season due to a broken foot and his only start so far under Slot was in last month’s Carabao Cup tie against Southampton He’s in competition with many other good players it’s not so easy to come back and be at your best immediately I see it with almost all the other players who have been out for five “That’s the balance we have to find; giving them playing time to get them back to their best level but still be able to win every game.” There is also hope that summer signing Federico Chiesa will show more of his best form from here on in You can read all that and more in James Pearce’s piece below Harvey Elliott set to feature for Liverpool in FA Cup: ‘He’s been unlucky this season’ Nothing truly says ‘Welcome to Everton’ than the 24-hour absurdity of a struggling manager hosting a press conference when he suggests it would be helpful if the fans back him prompting the search for the club’s ninth permanent manager since David Moyes departed in 2013 It seems Moyes might not be able to resist the sentimental pull of saving the club he worked so hard to turn into a respected at times over-achieving Premier League entity and preventing relegation in the last season at Goodison Park is no small task intimate knowledge of how the club and supporters work and experience to pull them from the brink This is not news that Leicester City fans will want to hear with Rob Tanner Matt Slater and Ali Rampling reporting rival clubs are expecting the Foxes to be in bother with PSR again PSR (which stands for profitability and sustainability or financial rules to keep things simple) has been a problem for Leicester before when they were charged for a breach in September They successfully fought that charge on appeal which centred on the fact Leicester had dropped out of the Premier League and into the Championship in the period under investigation But if they have another breach this time around the Premier League and EFL are both expected to be more robust with the club We should know if that is the case by Monday at the earliest but either way flying so close to the limit on the financial rules is a cautionary tale for any other clubs planning to consistently spend big Will Leicester City be charged by the Premier League for a PSR breach Here’s a European deal that has some bearing on the Premier League if you are an Arsenal fan Former Gunners academy graduate Mika Biereth is on the move with AS Monaco having agreed a fee with Sturm Graz for the forward $13.4m) price for the 21-year-old includes an additional €2m in potential add-ons and Arsenal would be due a percentage of the transfer fee That’s because they built a sell-on clause in the deal they negotiated with Sturm Graz when Biereth joined Monaco in the summer Monaco agree deal for Mika Biereth signing from Sturm Graz Not to say ‘we told you so’ but earlier this week we shared our top 10 EFL talents to watch in January and beyond One of the young stars on that list was Millwall’s Romain Esse who is reportedly wanted by Crystal Palace for his talents on the wing they had better be prepared to write a big cheque for the 19-year-old after Millwall boss Alex Neil said any move would be for “significant money.” Here’s what Neil told BBC London before their FA Cup game against Dagenham & Redbridge on Monday: he’s certainly been one of our best performers this season We don’t want to lose any of our best players but everybody understands the contract situation around Romain “If he does move he’ll move for significant money which from the club’s perspective will be brilliant business considering we could have lost him in the summer for free.” There is more on Esse and the best EFL talent in our article below EFL ones to watch in January transfer window: Rigg Martin Dubravka’s future may have dominated this morning’s press conference but Eddie Howe at least saw the lighter side of being reminded of his most embarrassing defeat as Newcastle United head coach League One Cambridge United dumped Howe’s side out of the FA Cup in the third round leaving his then-fledgling Newcastle tenure in borderline crisis Ahead of hosting League Two Bromley at the same stage of the competition on Sunday Howe was forced to reflect on that low point — which he feels in hindsight turned out to be a perverse positive; that it helped his relegation-threatened side focus on staying up He actually started chuckling as soon as someone mentioned Cambridge today 💬 “I was waiting to see how long before that came up!” which is unsurprising given Newcastle are on a run of seven consecutive wins He borderline guffawed at a quip that should Dubravka need further convincing of the need to stay he should send Sven Botman and Dan Burn — Newcastle’s monstrous centre-back pairing — along to speak with him hopefully he is still laughing come Sunday evening rather than crying after being on the wrong end of another humiliating giant-killing.. Well this spoils a fun idea – so hold off if you are halfway out the door to get a new Inter Miami shirt printed at your local sports shop Neymar got everyone excited when he teased the return of ‘MSN’ which is Messi-Suarez-Neymar to anyone not around from 2014-2017 The trio tore up La Liga and the Champions League as an attacking front line for Barcelona and Neymar's comments seemed to suggest he’d been keen to revive it at some point As Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are already playing together at Inter Miami it planted the seed of Neymar one day heading to MLS But according to Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano – and there’s a theme here as he was also at Barca at the same time as MSN – it is “impossible” due to the MLS salary cap rules Neymar joining Inter Miami ‘impossible’ due to MLS salary cap – Javier Mascherano has been speaking to Sky Deutschland about the prospect of extending Thomas Muller’s contract is out of contract in the summer of 2025 and is yet to make a decision about his future 💬 “We have already spoken once and postponed this conversation until the future but it will probably be the shortest conversation.. because Thomas doesn’t need to negotiate much He knows how this club works — from A to Z It is a great help to have a player like that in the squad.” Muller is 35 and now has a reduced playing role at Bayern He has made just four starts in the Bundesliga this season and appeared 11 times from the bench Arne Slot was of course asked about Liverpool’s reported interest in signing standout Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia — as well as Harvey Elliott’s future amid his lack of game time at Anfield this season 💬 “What I make of that is that it’s January I said after the West Ham game ‘don’t disappoint me please come up with all these clubs and all these players that have interest from us or the ones that don’t play a lot for us at the end of the window it’s clear almost all of these stories weren’t true Good news for Newcastle United this morning with England goalkeeper Nick Pope “not far away” from returning to action our correspondent Chris Waugh reports that Howe is still hopeful Martin Dubravka can be convinced to stay beyond January as Pope’s team-mate Dubravka is entering the final six months of his contract and has been heavily linked with a move to Saudi Pro League side Here is what Howe has been saying this morning: he’s part of what we’re trying to do and he’s playing well Any player who is coming out of contract in the summer we can come to some sort of agreement with him.” I was not expecting that sort of statement judging by the noises we were hearing from Newcastle at the start of the week Newcastle host League Two Bromley in the FA Cup this weekend with Odysseas Vlachodimos set to deputise in goal Nick Pope ‘not far away’ from injury return as Eddie Howe hopeful Martin Dubravka stays at Newcastle Our Liverpool correspondent James Pearce has been in with Arne Slot as he talks ahead of their low-key FA Cup third round tie against League Two side In short it sounds like good news on the fitness of Dominik Szoboszlai and Jarell Quansah As for the recent transfer speculation on Federico Chiesa Harvey Elliott and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia… Slot was giving little away You will have the quotes from Slot in here when we have them — but there is plenty to go at And if you’re now seeing Kvaradona’s name above and wondering where on earth that came from then David Ornstein’s piece below will answer your question Liverpool could consider Khvicha Kvaratskhelia transfer from Napoli The good news is we’re going to be hearing from a fair few managers today — and not because they’ve just lost or gained employment It’s Friday and generally that means preview press conference day ahead of the weekend’s matches Liverpool’s Arne Slot and Newcastle boss Eddie Howe have already been speaking this morning as well as everyone else of relevance that speaks today it sounds like Slot is playing it cool over a number of transfer links to have emerged in the last 24 hours a very happy Friday to you and welcome along for another day of transfer window chatter and football news discussion Some people suggested to me yesterday that it was a quiet one — but it felt busy enough for me and there is plenty that will spill into today as the weekend’s football starts to take some of the focus away from player recruitment It’s Michael Bailey here to steer us through the coming hours with Nancy Froston joining me soon and the rest of the team working hard in the background There is already plenty for you to catch up on below And don’t forget to email us your thoughts on what’s going on too We’ll be keeping a close eye on the livebloguk@theathletic.com inbox This year is the 81st anniversary of D-Day, and if you are looking to pay your respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, head to Caen la Mer at the heart of the landing beaches in Normandy This area is rich in Second World War history and sites of remembrance from Sword Beach and Pegasus Bridge to the many cemeteries where the Fallen are honoured You can also visit General Richter’s bunker and the underground tunnels where you will learn more about the history of the Second World War and the Battle of Normandy © Caen_la_mer_Tourisme___Les_Conteurs_(Droits_reserves_OTC) Le Grand Bunker, housed in a former German fire direction post on the Atlantic Wall in Ouistreham Explore the faithfully reconstructed infirmary ammunition depot and barracks and learn all about the daily life of the German soldiers the rangefinder post looks out over the mouth of the River Orne From here you can take in the view across the D-Day landing beaches The N°4 Commando Museum is dedicated to the Franco-British soldiers of the Kieffer and the capture of Ouistreham casino by the French commandos led by Kieffer The many authentic objects on display here have been donated by British and French veterans and their families ©Caen_la_mer_Tourisme___Les_Conteurs_(Droits_reserves_OTC) which tells the story of the 6th British Airborne Division who parachuted here Built by the Germans between 1942 and 1944 in order to defend their positions, this bunker complex and command post near Colleville-Montgomery is one of the biggest, with 18 bunkers across a 24-hectare site, complete with underground structures. The site is also the memorial of the 1st Batallion of the Suffolk Regiment, which took the site on June 6, 1944. The Hillman Fortress is also rich in history with many period objects and clothing on display Sword Beach is one of the five D-Day landing beaches and is the beach where the French landed on June 6 1944  in the form of Commando Kieffer and its 177 soldiers Here you can take a quiet moment and contemplate what unfolded here and the liberation of Ouistreham by the Franco-British which followed There are a number of tour operators offering day trips from Caen to discover the D-Day landing beaches They are all places of calm and peace which invite you to reflect and remember The British milirary cemetery at Hermanville-sur-Mer Piper Bill Millin was a British bagpipe player who was personal piper to Simon Fraser commander of the British 1 Special Service Brigade To help give his fellow soldiers strength and courage He is featured in the film The Longest Day and there is a statue of Millin near Sword Beach while his bagpipes are on display at the Pegasus Memorial Museum The statue of Bill Millin at Colleville-Montgomery © Caen_la_mer_Tourisme___Les_Conteurs_(Droits_reserves_OTC) The only museum in Normandy dedicated to the aircraft and air operations of D-Day, the D-Day Wings Museum in Bretteville-sur-Odon offers visitors the chance to climb aboard machines such as bomber turrets You can also visit the D-Day aircraft restoration workshop Thanks to augmented reality, you can relive 6 June 1944 in Ouistreham alongside the 177 French soldiers in the Kieffer Commando. Experience the action at soldatleon.com For more information, visit www.caenlamer-tourisme.com Lead photo credit : The Caen Memorial is one of many World War II sites to visit in Caen la Mer Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The banners appeared one after another — slowly a manifesto of indignation unfurling beneath bleak Normandy skies hard work and loyalty are the only things that make legends,” read one “Before you try to make a name for yourself on the international stage The ire belonged to supporters of Stade Malherbe Caen. It was directed at the club’s majority owner. Kylian Mbappe has a strong claim to the title of France’s most beloved footballer but in the Borelli Stand of Caen’s Michel d’Ornano Stadium there was not a great deal of affection to be found Troisième message de la soirée #smcaen #allomalherbe pic.twitter.com/isZ8x3bbwx — Olivier Duc (@OD761) January 3, 2025 A defeat left the club teetering above the automatic relegation zone in France’s second division the latest coming at home to Guingamp on Friday night Little wonder that grievances have crystallised further “Hi Kylian Mbappe,” read one popular post from a fan on X after the reversal at Ajaccio last weekend It’s a little club down at the bottom of the Ligue 2 table Don’t hesitate to have a look when you have five minutes Mbappe’s involvement with Caen began in July when he purchased an 80 per cent stake in the club through the investment arm of his image company That stake had belonged to the Los Angeles-based Oaktree fund Mbappe bought them out for around €15million (£12.7m; $15.7m at current rates) Reports in the French media suggested that Caen was Mbappe’s second choice — that he had initially wanted to buy Monaco there was at least an existing connection: Mbappe had almost signed for Caen in 2013 even representing them in a youth tournament before joining Monaco contributed to a genuine sense of excitement at his arrival Le saviez-vous ? Kylian Mbappé a joué plus de matchs avec Caen (1) qu’avec le Real Madrid (0) pic.twitter.com/9nkY2iXMCF — We Are Malherbe (@WeAreMalherbe) May 21, 2022 After yo-yoing between the top two divisions for the best part of two decades Caen came within a whisker of relegation to the third flight in the 2020-21 season but efforts to return to Ligue 1 had fallen short The prospect of some extra cash — and a dash of big-ticket glamour — understandably held some appeal “There is obviously a Kylian effect,” Pierre-Antoine Capton, minority shareholder and chairman of Caen’s supervisory board, told Ouest-France in early August “We want to make the club even more professional and help it progress there was excitement,” says Johan Lapoutre “There’s a huge amount of work to be done.” where it quickly became clear that Caen would be battling for survival rather than promotion They claimed one point from their first four Ligue 2 games then went on another four-game winless run from late September to late October Mitigating circumstances included an untimely injury to former France midfielder Yann M’Vila, a surprise summer signing engineered directly by Mbappe’s mother and agent, Fayza Lamari. But the lack of depth in the squad Things came to a head when manager Nicolas Seube was fired on December 29 The decision was comprehensible — Caen were on another dismal run in Ligue 2 — but its execution rankled some Seube’s association with Caen stretched back to 2001 He made more than 500 appearances for the club as a player before taking on various coaching roles eventually assuming first-team duties in November 2023 and leading Caen to within a whisker of the play-offs “It’s disrespectful,” Brahim Thiam, who played for Caen between 2005 and 2009, told France Bleu Normandie Are we forgetting the history and values of this club?” Patrice Garande, the former Caen manager, was similarly put out. Seube, he posted on X not least with those banners raised during the Clermont game “The way he was treated was not in keeping with his status at the club,” says Lapoutre “It broke the hearts of those who follow Caen.” If the Mbappe administration was expecting a new-manager bounce previously in charge of Radomiak Radom in Poland — have yielded a single goal and zero points A grand total of six Caen fans made the long trip to Corsica for the Ajaccio game another banner summed up the prevailing mood The situation is so grim that a kind of gallows humour has begun to take hold Supporters sang circus music and shouted “ole” when the Caen players completed passes in the Grenoble match a couple of hundred people in the Borelli Stand — known colloquially as the Kop — took it upon themselves to celebrate as if the team had scored a goal It was the closest they came to the real thing Those seeking crumbs of comfort might alight on a recent slew of changes behind the scenes A new managing director and a new head of recruitment have been appointed The impression is that there is at least acceptance that something needs to change will take more convincing of the merits of the Mbappe ownership “There are always positive people who think we need to be patient — that the new owners will be able to show what they can do next season,” says Lapoutre “The problem is that next season will be too late if we go down “It’s like we’re digging a way to the third division Jack Lang is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering football. Follow Jack on Twitter @jacklang OneFootball's home page Search Settings Sign In Sign InJoin🚨 Caen officially relegated to National 1 | OneFootballOneFootball This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here. please use a different one or install the app It's all over for SM Caen's hopes. Owned by Kylian Mbappé since its takeover in July 2024 the Norman club is officially relegated to National 1 after its defeat against Martigues (3-0) this Friday evening Mired in the lower ranks of the standings for many days, Caen will return to the third tier of French football for the first time since 1984 Stade Malherbe is ten points behind 16th place and can no longer mathematically catch up - Man United - OL (5-4): a European match of all records - Barça's new XXL announcement for the new Camp Nou - From tears to laughter, this young Man Utd fan is making a buzz Related NewsFayza Lamari reveals Kylian Mbappé convinced her to remain SM Caen owner Kylian Mbappe Hits Back at Robert Lewandowski in La Liga Goalscoring Race Real Madrid star Arda Güler sends message of appreciation to Kylian Mbappé after Celta Vigo Kylian Mbappe surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo to eye up all-time Real Madrid record Kylian Mbappe closing in on Real Madrid goal record Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Eberechi Eze scores as Eagles get ready to peak in FA Cup final Glasner will be content with his side’s performance against a team chasing Champions League qualificationCrystal Palace had their chances and could have nicked it late on, but a 1-1 draw... Football transfer rumours: Rashford in Man Utd exit talks; Real Madrid suffer Alexander-Arnold setback Real Madrid 'agree terms' with Carlo Ancelotti over his departure Carlo Ancelotti's future appears to be sealed after the iconic Italian manager has reached terms over his pending departure from Real Madrid.According to fresh reports from The Athletic, an agreement... Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe has become the majority owner at Ligue 2 club Caen via his Coalition Capital investment fund Coalition Capital has bought the 80 per cent of the club’s shares which had been owned by asset management company Oaktree Capital Management, which also owns 99.6 per cent of Italian club Inter Milan Coalition Capital is the investment fund of Interconnected Ventures founded by Mbappe and “committed to driving continuous innovation in sports Caen — based in the city located in Normandy, 240 km west of Paris — confirmed the transfer of funds from Oaktree to Coalition Capital on Wednesday Coalition Capital annonce la reprise des parts d’Oaktree dans le @SMCaen aux côtés de PAC Invest. #SMCaen #TeamSMC — Stade Malherbe Caen (@SMCaen) July 31, 2024 we are very excited to continue the development of Caen alongside PAC Invest (Pierre-Antoine Capton’s investment company which remains a minority shareholder of the club),” Hammoud said “Our shared vision with the club of sporting excellence and community engagement is at the heart of our approach We are determined to create an environment where young talents can flourish and where the club can defend its identity with strength and ambition.” When he was 13, Mbappe came close to joining the youth academy of Caen who tracked him for three years and held talks with his family over a move Caen finished sixth in Ligue 2 in the 2023-24 season missing out on the promotion play-offs to Ligue 1 by one point The club spent five seasons in the French top flight until relegation in 2019 and gave senior breakthroughs to players including N’Golo Kante (Aurelien Meunier – PSG/PSG via Getty Images) marks a critical juncture in the 2024-2025 Ligue 2 season as the 31st matchday kicks off with six exciting encounters Among the standout fixtures is the clash between SM Caen and FC Martigues where the stakes couldn't be higher for the bottom-placed Caen they will officially be relegated to the National division a significant blow for a club that has struggled throughout the season with a multiplex format allowing fans to follow multiple matches simultaneously The scheduled matches for this evening include AC Ajaccio facing Pau FC and Stade Lavallois going up against Rodez Aveyron Football Dunkerque currently sits in fourth place and is looking to solidify their playoff position against ninth-placed Grenoble fifth-placed Guingamp will aim to climb the standings as they visit Amiens the match against Martigues is a do-or-die scenario the team managed by Michel Der Zakarian knows that a defeat will seal their fate sending them down to the National division The pressure is palpable as they prepare to face a Martigues side that is equally desperate for points to avoid slipping into the relegation zone themselves revealing Caen's intent to fight for survival to deliver a performance that could turn their season around The starting XI for Caen features Mandréa in goal and Benrahou will look to control the game Martigues will field a strong lineup as well featuring goalkeeper Etile and a back four of Hadjem and Siby will be crucial in providing support to the forwards Mendy The match is set against a backdrop of high tension with Caen fans hoping for a miracle to stave off relegation The club's history in Ligue 2 has been marked by ups and downs and this season has been particularly challenging the atmosphere at d'Ornano Stadium is electric with supporters rallying behind their team in what could be a defining moment for the club updates will roll in from across the league Early results from the other fixtures will provide context for Caen's battle while Amiens SC pulled off a thrilling 3-2 victory over EA Guingamp Caen found themselves trailing 0-3 to Martigues at halftime Clermont Foot struggled against ESTAC Troyes Dunkerque managed a narrow 1-0 win over Grenoble Stade Lavallois also secured a 2-0 victory against Rodez showcasing their strong form as the season winds down The second half promises to be a rollercoaster with Caen needing nothing short of a miracle to turn the tide The players are aware that every moment counts and they will have to dig deep if they hope to avoid the dreaded drop and the tension is palpable as fans hold their breath hoping for a glimmer of hope in a season fraught with disappointment A loss would not only mean relegation but also raise questions about the future direction of the club Will Caen find a way to pull off a miraculous comeback or will they face the harsh reality of relegation The answers will unfold in the coming minutes as the drama of Ligue 2 continues to captivate fans across France where the players must channel their energy and determination into a performance that could save their season Only time will tell as the drama of Ligue 2 unfolds In an interview with France Bleu Yann M’Vila (34) revealed his thoughts on SM Caen’s season after they were relegated from Ligue 2 to the non-professional divisions of French football have suffered a dismal season in the second tier of French football Caen are confirmed to finish bottom of the table with it being mathematically impossible for them to finish above Clermont Foot Les Vikings are on 21 points and Les Lanciers have 29 points M’Vila signed for the Ligue 2 club in the summer transfer window after becoming a free agent the former Sunderland midfielder played for West Bromwich Albion in the EFL Championship the 34-year-old will have hoped to help the club bounce back to Ligue 1 after being relegated last season but it couldn’t have gone much worse as they suffer back-to-back relegations Summarising the Northern French club’s season A club like Caen finishing last in Ligue 2 means the players are shit GFFN | Liam Wraith The Real Madrid attacker is a co-owner of the French second-division team and became a majority owner of the club earlier this year with an 80% share after making a 15 million euro investment and paying off the club's debt are struggling and are 16th in Ligue 2 with 15 points from 17 matches They suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Clermont Foot on Friday During the match the club's ultras held up banners bashing Mbappe The banners read (transcription via ESPN): #Caen supporters have sent a warning to new owner and #RealMadrid superstar Kylian Mbappe with a banner that read: "Mbappe, SMC is not your toy." pic.twitter.com/IZi7M2pubY Kylian Mbappe has been the center of controversy in recent months The France captain hasn't played for his national side during the last few international breaks He has also faced criticism from Real Madrid fans and media due to his current form The recent banner from Caen fans is not a good sign for Mbappe in his home country has slowly started to turn his Real Madrid career around MORE: Valencia vs Real Madrid: Full Match Highlights As 10 Man Real Madrid Secure Late Win Mbappe has scored 13 goals and provided three assists in 24 appearances for Los Blancos and has already won two trophies for the Madrid giants Following the UEFA Super Cup triumph in his debut game Mbappe won the Intercontinental Cup last month A post shared by Kylian Mbappé (@k.mbappe) Kylian Mbappe And Jude Bellingham React On Social Media After Real Madrid’s Dramatic Win Against Valencia Real Madrid Transfer News: Ibrahima Konate, Vitor Reis, Alphonso Davies & More - January 4, 2025 Real Madrid Forward Vinicius Jr. Set To Miss Two Games But Will Play In The Spanish Super Cup Create an account for a 7-day trial to access this article and all of AL-Monitor For subscription inquiries, please contact subscription.support@al-monitor.com For all other inquiries, please use contactus@al-monitor.com. Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe has been strongly criticised after the "disrespectful" dismissal of Caen head coach Nicolas Seube. SM Caen, the Club Owned by the Mbappé Family, Just 5 Points from the Top in Ligue 2SM Caen, recently acquired by Kylian Mbappé's family through their company Interconnected Ventures, is just 5 points behind the leaders in Ligue 2. This acquisition has raised great expectations for a potential promotion to Ligue 1. However, Ziad Hammoud, the new president of the club, has tempered speculation, stating that there are no promises of reaching the top tier this season. Hammoud emphasized that the club's focus is on sustainable growth, avoiding hasty decisions that could compromise the institution's future. Although the team's performance has been positive, the priority is to strengthen the structure and consolidate the club in the long term. The Mbappé family's project with Caen is centered on developing young talents and creating a solid football identity. Hammoud has highlighted the importance of not succumbing to external pressure, despite the club's connection to one of the most prominent figures in world football. With a season still ahead, the goal is to continue competing at the highest level in Ligue 2, while keeping an eye on sustainable growth. The club's fans have reasons to be optimistic, though the management remains steadfast in its cautious approach. Attention will be on how SM Caen balances high expectations with the reality of a season in the French second division, with hopes that, with patience and planning, promotion to Ligue 1 can be a tangible possibility in the near future. The current head to head record for the teams are Caen 1 win(s) Haven't kept a clean sheet in 5 matches Have scored 5 goals in their last 5 matches Have conceded the most penalties this season (8) Ayoub Amraoui has created the most big chances for Martigues (3) 18 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT?Martigues won 3–0 over Caen on Fri 18 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches Caen is playing home against Martigues at Stade Michel d'Ornano on Fri FC Lorient have taken a unique approach this season to their captain’s armbands the Ligue 2 side have designed a unique armband which pays homage to a different part of the club and the port town’s history while another was created in a joint effort with Athletic Club to promote Breton and Basque culture and language For their penultimate home game against SM Caen this weekend will take to the pitch with an armband made from a fishing net that was recovered from a local port and “enhanced” with oyster shell powder from an oyster farm in Baden It’s been a brilliant season so far for Lorient and they look to be set to return to Ligue 1 at the first time of asking The club have a one-point lead over Paris FC at the top of the championship with only three games left to play They take on already relegated Caen this Saturday and hosting strugglers FC Martigues on the final day of the season GFFN | Nick Hartland It has been a week to forget for Kylian Mbappé (26) The France captain came off injured during Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League elimination at the hands of Arsenal on Wednesday and on Friday With three games remaining in the Ligue 2 season a 3-0 defeat at home to fellow strugglers Martigues was the nail in the coffin It is the first time in 41 years that the club will drop to the third division expressed through a pitch invasion post-match as well as a banner unfurled by the club’s ultras: “Management It comes less than a year after Mbappé purchased the club through his investment fund Nicolas Seube began the season as Caen manager and despite his sacking early in the campaign ended the season with the best points-per-game ratio (0.94) of any of the three managers who have inherited the post Bruno Baltazar lost all seven of the games that he took charge of whilst Michel Der Zakarian (0.75 points-per-game) has failed to save the club from its inevitable fate GFFN | Luke Entwistle Whilst the former Paris Saint-Germain striker has chosen to continue his playing career in Spain the prolific Ligue 1 goal scorer has decided to take the plunge into the boardroom with his first significant club investment Mbappé will co-own the club through his investment fund Coalition Capital with minority shareholder Pierre-Antoine Capton of PAC invest Mbappé almost joined Caen in 2012 before opting for AS Monaco's prestigious training academy Les Vikings finished 6th last season in Ligue 2 just missing out on the play-offs by one point to Paris FC The Normandy-based side will coincidently face Les Parisiens in their opening match of the 2024-2025 Ligue 2 season in August Joining Mbappé at Caen will be the head of his current image company and former BeIN Sports director of strategy and investments Ziad Hammoud we are very excited to continue the development of Stade Malherbe Caen alongside PAC Invest of sporting excellence and community engagement We are determined to create an environment where young talents can thrive and where the club can strongly and ambitiously uphold its identity." Interconnected Ventures, the company founded by French soccer star Kylian Mbappe, has acquired Ligue 2 club Stade Malherbe Caen Interconnected will acquire 80 per cent of Caen’s shares in a deal reportedly worth between €15 million (US$16.2 million) and €20 million (US$21.7 million) Interconnected chief executive Ziad Hammoud is set to become chairman of the club US asset management firm Oaktree, which took control of Italian champions Inter Milan in May has been the majority owner of second-tier Caen since 2020 at a time when the French club was in financial trouble after relegation from Ligue 1 in 2019 Mbappe nearly signed for Caen when he was a youth player and the takeover means the 25-year-old will be one of the youngest owners of a professional soccer team we are very excited to continue the development of Stade Malherbe Caen Capton added: “It is an incredible opportunity for Stade Malherbe Caen to be able to count on Coalition Capital for its development commitments and extraordinary vision of sport are unique assets for this project I thank Coalition Capital for their trust and I am very happy to be able to share this new cycle for the club with them the Stade Malherbe Caen project will live up to its history and its supporters.” Mbappe is slated to make his debut for Real Madrid in the Uefa Super Cup against Atalanta on 14th August Already a member? Log in here SM Caen has announced the appointment of Pascal Plancque as its new technical director, following the departure of Gérard Prêcheur amid growing tensions and poor performances from the team. Prêcheur's exit was effective as of January 13, 2025, after which the club looked to bolster its leadership with Plancque's experience aimed at avoiding relegation from Ligue 2. Pascal Plancque, who made his name at Nîmes, is stepping up to the challenge during this tumultuous time for the club, which currently sits at 17th place with just 15 points. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse with seven consecutive defeats, heightening the pressure not just on the players but also on the management. The Mairie de Caen has expressed concern over the performance of the team under the ownership of Kylian Mbappé. Despite shining on the field with Real Madrid, Mbappé’s investment venture through Coalition Capital, buying 80% of SM Caen last September, is already facing scrutiny. While the intent was to uplift the club, it has instead become a nightmare during this dismal start to 2025. During his first day of training, Plancque was spotted on the sidelines, observing the session led by head coach Bruno Baltazar—another figure under scrutiny due to the recent poor results. The new technical director’s primary goal will be to integrate with Baltazar and other staff to continue fostering the club's technical and operational framework from youth teams to the professional squad. According to a statement from SM Caen, "He joins the club to continue implementing the club's technical policy from U14 to professionals," emphasizing the need for structural stability and development across all age levels. The club's management seems hopeful this appointment will not only recover standing but also restore faith among angry supporters. The weeks leading up to this appointment revealed intense frustrations from fans, particularly directed toward Mbappé due to the team's abysmal performance. With each passing match, the call for change becomes louder. The supporters are well aware of the stakes, and the consecutive defeats have created alarm bells within the Caen community. What’s next for SM Caen? With Plancque now at the helm, the club struggles not just to find the right tactical shifts but also to reignite the passion among supporters who have remained loyal through thick and thin. The first challenge will be to halt the downward spiral and avoid what could be the devastating outcome of eight consecutive losses when they face their next opponent on February 1, 2025. With Plancque’s experience and Benrahou’s fresh legs, hope lingers as they prepare for what’s presumably the start of their ascent. Time will tell if this reset can turn the tides for SM Caen and restore its pride and position within Ligue 2. The current head to head record for the teams are Troyes 7 win(s) Troyes haven't lost to Caen in their last 8 meetings (6W, 2D). Haven't scored in their last 2 matches Have scored 2 goals in their last 5 matches Haven't kept a clean sheet in 9 matches 01 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT?Troyes won 3–0 over Caen on Sat 01 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 5 goals in their last 5 matches Troyes haven't lost to Caen in their last 8 meetings (6W Troyes is playing home against Caen at Stade de l'Aube on Sat Five games to go until the palpitating conclusion of Ligue 2 BKT and there's still everything to play for in the race for promotion and the battle to stay in the division This weekend's action has seen the top two continue their respective winning runs whilst Metz in third place were held by a battling Caen side in Normandy Dunkerque cured their Coupe de France hangover to get back to winning ways during Monday night's action against Guingamp Meanwhile at the bottom of the league Rodez got back to winning ways to project them up to mid-table whilst it remained tight at the bottom as Martigues and Clermont battled it out to avoid direct relegation and Troyes who currently sit on 34 points as we enter the last five games of the season But at the top of the table it's all rosy for FC Lorient who clinched their third straight victory in style as Les Merlus pumped Pau 5-0 at home during Saturday's action Lorient's star man Eli Junior Kroupi was once again on target from the penalty spot to open the scoring (11') before completing his brace in the second half when he nipped in front of the Pau defence and poked home (55') The two Juliens of Loirent added the third and the fourth Laporte on the 75th minute before Ponceau on the 80th Aiyegun Tosin then added the killer fifth in added time to complete the five-star performance Les Merlus now sit at the top of the league three points ahead of Paris FC with five games to go The Ligue 2 BKT Dauphins are right on the coattails of the league leaders after winning 2-0 over a Clermont side that could be facing the real prospect of a double relegation by the end of the season Mathieu Cafaro opened the scoring for Les Parisiens within ten minutes (8') before Moustapha Mbow doubled the lead in the second half Damien Da Silva was shown a straight red card after the hour mark  Laurent Batlles and Clermont have parted ways with Sébastien Mazeyrat coming in for the final five games of the season Perhaps further good news for Paris FC fans: Metz were held 2-2 at Stade Michel Ornano by Michel De Zakarian's Caen side Kevin Van Den Kerkhof opened the scoring (42') before Samuel Grandsir (47') equalised for the relegation-threatened hosts Metz marksman Cheikh Sabaly was on target just past the hour-mark (61') before Noé Lebreton snatched an important equaliser the battle at the bottom heated up this weekend As both Troyes and Red Star were hoping to get themselves away from danger it was a huge opportunity to boost their aspirations of staying up in the league ESTAC opened the scoring when Cyriaque Kalou Bi Irié tapped in at the back post (12') Mendy has been Sunderland’s top striker target all summer and the player himself has come out and publicly said he has ‘chosen’ to move to the Black Cats and no longer wishes to be selected for Caen He has even gone so far as to not train with the Caen first team squad as he tries to force through a move the clubs have been unable to agree a fee for the 30-year-old Caen start their Ligue 2 campaign against Paris FC this weekend and Seube says it is madness that neither Caen or Sunderland are able to use Mendy while the French second tier’s top scorer trains by himself “Alexandre Mendy will not be here [as part of the Caen squad for the first game of the season],” Seube told Quest-France “He is in individual training with the athletic trainers The situation is delicate and difficult to sort out I’d like him to be able to join the squad so that we have an extra attacking weapon “I hope that between now and the end of the summer transfer window “I’ve given my opinion on this subject and it’s not up to me I’ll keep the discussions we’ve had together to myself The idea is for us to find a win-win situation.” Sunderland and Caen are a long way apart in terms of the transfer fee for Mendy Caen want €4million whilst Sunderland have only offered a quarter of that so far MICHAEL GRAHAM Niang came through the youth ranks at Caen but left to join AC Milan in 2012 The 29-year-old left Empoli following the expiration of a short-term deal this summer, and he has been in the south of France training while looking for a club. Now, according to foot01 he is close to a return to his first professional club it should help facilitate Mendy’s departure although there would still be hurdles left to overcome in terms of agreeing a fee would be significantly easier to clear when Caen have another striker in the building and another significant wage on their books to cover While Sunderland were enjoying a two-goal performance from Eliezer Mayenda this weekend Caen were struggling without a striker at all with attacking midfielder Mickaël Le Bihan was pressed into emergency cover Caen lost their season opener 2-0 to FC Paris Mendy was in the stands for that Caen defeat but he has essentially gone on strike to force his exit from the Ligue 2 club with him training alone with physios to maintain his fitness whilst making himself unavailable for first team selection but Mendy has made it clear Sunderland is the move he wants insisting he has had 'blinders' to every other option since the Black Cats made their initial move "It’s a sporting choice and I’m really looking forward to starting this new adventure," he said he (his agent) told me about President Kyril Louis-Dreyfus his values and convictions that are the ones I share “I also watched the three seasons of the documentary ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die’ I am aware that it is a club that can bring me a lot “I am really looking forward to my medical examination to go to England with my wife and children and to discover this stadium these fans and this magnificent atmosphere.” Caen appear to have had the same striker frustrations that Sunderland have faced over the last 18 months moving a lot quicker to solve them it seems “The afternoon was tough,” Le Bihan said after Caen's defeat to FC Paris “I found myself isolated and I didn’t perform well I tried to do what I could with the ball and in the end Caen boss Nicolas Seube, who seemingly wants the Alexandre Mendy situation sorted out as much as Sunderland fans do he hinted that they were close to capturing a new striker "He has the difficult task of playing in the role that Alex [Mendy] had," Seube said I found him to be extremely efficient when he played behind Alex With Mendy adamant he is leaving to join Sunderland and the Black Cats seemingly happy to wait for him Caen relinquishing any reliance on persuading him to stay should help things along nicely The Kylian Mbappé-owned Ligue 2 side have conceded a record-setting ninth consecutive Ligue 2 defeat this Monday against Annecy Caen are bottom in the Ligue 2 standings with a ten-point deficit on Clermont a former Nottingham Forest assistant coach has reportedly been dismissed this Tuesday The outlet understands that Der Zakarian will replace Baltazar in the dugout will be tasked to try to steer Caen out of the danger zone Der Zakarian was a free agent after being dismissed by Montpellier last fall in the aftermath of a 5-0 home loss to Marseille Ouest-France understands that Der Zakarian was heading to Normandy this Tuesday The former Brest and Nantes manager is expected to make his debut as Caen head coach this Saturday at home against Pau this Saturday France (AP) — French soccer great Kylian Mbappé took his first step into club ownership on Wednesday when his company completed a takeover of second-division team Caen a company founded by the Real Madrid striker bought a majority stake in the French club based in Normandy through its investment arm “This transaction marks a significant step in the club’s strategic development and reinforces its natural ambition to remain among the historic (teams) in French soccer,” Caen said in a statement Coalition Capital replaces the previous majority shareholder Financial details of the transaction were not given by Caen but reports said Coalition Capital purchased 80% of the club for 15 million euros ($16.3 million) we are very enthusiastic about the idea of ​​continuing the development of Caen with PAC Invest,” Interconnected Ventures CEO Ziad Hammoud said “Our shared vision with the club of sporting excellence and community engagement are at the heart of our approach We are determined to create an environment where young talents can flourish.” Caen finished sixth in the second division last season Mbappé signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid in July after seven years with Paris Saint-Germain Mbappé scored in the final when France won the 2018 World Cup and he scored a hat trick in the team’s loss to Argentina in the 2022 final He wore a protective mask at this year’s European Championship after breaking his nose Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser!