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Strasbourg, official seat of the European parliament, the jewel of the Alsace region on the west bank of the Rhine. Important historically, geographically and politically. One of the city’s most famous sons, Arsène Wenger, as a boy, was so embedded that his first language was Low Alemannic German, not French. To use a word Wenger brought to the English football vernacular – footballistically – Strasbourg was never too much of a hub. The club reformed after liquidation as recently as 2011, having won just one French title back in 1979 when Wenger was a fringe player already embedded in coaching. In defence was the future France coach Raymond Domenech, the keen astrologist in charge when a very Gallic bust-up ravaged Les Bleus at the 2010 World Cup.
Until now, though it is more correct to say Strasbourg has become a football trading hub. As the summer transfer window SLAMMED SHUT on Monday, Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace became a rather regular destination. In 2023, RC fell into the hands of BlueCo. Name familiar? The same US-based company had bought Chelsea from a sanctioned Roman Abramovich the previous year, beginning one of those multi-club arrangements causing untold trouble this summer. Like Girona with Manchester City, there is something of a familiar look to Strasbourg’s squad, pretty large for a club in the Conference League.
