Presentation
AS Nancy Lorraine, founded in 1967, have been crowned four times champions of the French Second Division. In the meantime, the club played 27 seasons in Ligue 1, the highest level. Their best record dates back to 1997 abd 2008 when the ended fourth in the league. Two times the club could celebrate some silverware: in 1978 they won the French Cup thanks to a goal of Michel Platini. In 2006 they defeated Nice in the League Cup final. This last cup was won under Pablo Correa, in charge since 2002.

Last season
The Nancéiens finished in twelfth position last season, seven points and four places ahead of FCSM. During this transfer period, ASNL recruited Marama Vahirua of FC Lorient and Alexandre Cuvillier of Boulogne while Benjamin Gavanon returned after a year in Jaune and Bleu. Another former FCSM-player Jean Calvé, passes actually a test at Sheffield United FC.

This season
ASNL played four friendlies since the restart. They first met two lower league clubs: Toul (4-0) and La Vitréenne (3-2) before they drew against L2 team Angers. They also played a kind of tournament, the Challenge Philippe-Schuth, in which they defeated a selection of players of the UNFP before beating FC Metz (2-0) on Sunday, July 25. AS Nancy Lorraine make their official season debute against RC Lens away at the Stade Bollaert

Confrontations
Last year ASNL won the home derby against FCSM (2-1) due to two goals of Youssef Hadji while a Marvin Martin goal came to late to change the result. In February, a draw separated both teams at the end of the game at Stade Bonal. Issiar Dia unlocked the score before Stéphane Dalmat equalized in the second half.

To follow the match
The match between FC Sochaux-Montbéliard and AS Nancy Lorraine will take place at Saint-Loup sur Semouse (in Haute-Saône) on Saturday, July 31 2010 at 18:00.

A live coverage can be followed on the French version of www.fcsochaux.fr