This is taken from the GFFN 100, our leading 150-page FREE publication ranking the best 100 players in France, see the full list and read every profile right here.
Pau López began 2022 in the ascendancy after firmly and quickly dislodging veteran Steve Mandanda as Marseille’s number one. It could not have gone much better as he produced a solid performance and a clean sheet in Marseille’s first win away to rivals Bordeaux in more than 44 years. Granted, it may have been a Covid-depleted Bordeaux side but he and goalscorer Cengiz Ünder would be remembered as the men who succeeded where multiple league and Champions League winners, storied sides and legendary Olympien goalkeepers failed.
López continued a run of fine performances across January as Jorge Sampaoli and his men sought to consolidate a Champions League position. That performance against Bordeaux, coupled with positive results against Lille and, crucially, away at Lens bolstered Lopez’s credentials before both he and OM wavered in February.
The Olympiens exited the Coupe de France fairly early as well as suffering chastening results against Lyon and Clermont. As the Europa Conference League got underway, López found himself benched for the European sojourns – a campaign reserved for Mandanda in his final season at the Velodrome. The irregularity did not do the 28-year-old any wonders, and the strong performances that he enjoyed at the turn of the year were difficult to replicate – Denis Bouanga’s shot that the Spaniard fumbled for an early 1-0 lead for Saint-Etienne was a case in point, although OM rallied to win 4-2.
López showed glimpses of what he can do with a stirring match in the capital against PSG, where, had it not been for his efforts, a very close game might not have appeared so. That still did not manage to sway Sampaoli, who preferred to start Mandanda exclusively for the last few games of the season in a prolonged farewell from Marseille after a 15 year career.
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The new season bought better regularity and, more importantly, Champions League football. With Mandanda not the happiest number two, perhaps it was the freedom to be the undisputed first choice that allowed López to focus fully on developing his game. Even as OM stuttered and blustered out of the Champions League, the keeper bucked the trend by being – at times – the team’s best performer, culminating in an Olympien of the Month award in October. He’ll look to continue this form after the World Cup.
Mohammed Ali | GFFN