The LFP has updated its ranking of the top assist providers in Ligue 1 and, as often in recent months, it has been strict with Paris Saint-Germain. The LFP, however, was much more generous with the Lens goalkeeper.

Since last season, the LFP has decided to honor the top assist provider in Ligue 1 by awarding them the "Top Assister" trophy at the end of the season. Each matchday, the leader of the assist ranking also wears a small badge on his jersey to distinguish him from other players. Currently, it is Vitinha who wears it thanks to his six assists counted by the experts of the LFP's Competitions Commission, which meets every Monday to decide on contentious assists.

Unlike some statistical tools, the LFP does not, for example, consider a penalty won as an assist, which explains why the LFP did not award an assist to Bradley Barcola last August after his penalty won in Toulouse and converted by Ousmane Dembele.

By the way, here are the three mandatory criteria that must be combined for a pass to be considered an assist by the LFP:

During PSG's 2-1 victory in Strasbourg on February 1, Senny Mayulu opened the scoring for PSG after a pass from Bradley Barcola. But this pass was actually an unintentional rebound after a press, which was intentional, and the LFP ruled that Barcola did not do it on purpose and therefore did not award him the assist. This can be debated from a philosophical point of view, but the LFP regulation was applied, and there is no need to cry scandal.

After the 21st matchday of Ligue 1, the LFP also had to rule on several contentious cases, particularly following Sunday night's PSG vs. Marseille match (5-0). The assist from Nuno Mendes for Ousmane Dembele's first goal was logically validated, as were the assists from Ousmane Dembele for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and from Senny Mayulu for Lee Kang-in's goal. But for Ousmane Dembele's second goal, after a magnificent individual feat, Senny Mayulu was not credited with an assist.

Upon reviewing the play, Mayulu does not deliver a perfect pass, and if it ultimately reaches Dembele well, it is mainly because Leonardo Balerdi completely misses it. The LFP therefore ruled that Mayulu did not put Dembele in the best conditions and was somewhat lucky to see his pass reach its destination.

But this Monday, the LFP made another, much more contentious decision, as it decided to award an assist to Robin Risser, the RC Lens goalkeeper. The latter launched his attacker, Allan Saint-Maximin, behind in the 78th minute of the match against Rennes with a long clearance. A deliberate clearance more or less in the direction of the Rennes goal, but Saint-Maximin made a superb first touch, which many other players would have missed. He was then far from the opposing goal, with one defender in front of him, then another who came back. The new Lens winger ultimately held the ball well before unleashing a powerful shot and having a bit of luck, as the Rennes goalkeeper could have done better.

If Risser's pass is indeed the last before the goal and it was intentional, is the third criterion met? Was Saint-Maximin really put in good conditions by this pass, or did he rather turn lead into gold? The LFP ruled in favor of the Lens goalkeeper, who therefore has an assist to his name.

Far from us the idea of whining, but we will still note that in recent months, the LFP has refused two assists to Parisians on different plays, which can be similar in spirit to that of the Lens players. We think in particular of Bradley Barcola's goal last season against Le Havre, on the first matchday. Joao Neves had played a superb cross-field ball to him, and the Parisian winger then went on to score his goal like a champion, eliminating several Le Havre defenders.

The credit went more to Barcola than Neves, but Neves's pass was indeed the last before the goal, intentional, and had put Barcola in good conditions, even though, once again, the goal was mainly due to the individual exploit of the former Lyon player. Here is how the LFP justified its decision, more than two months after the fact: "On the goal in question, Bradley Barcola was not put in good conditions to score thanks to Joao Neves's pass, having been found very far from the goal, stationary along the touchline, with a Le Havre defense set in front of him."

A somewhat similar case occurred this season during PSG vs. Lens (2-0) with two goals by Barcola from two passes by Vitinha. But the LFP only awarded the first assist to the Portuguese player, presumably judging on the second that Barcola was too far from the goal when he received the ball, with again a defense set in front of him, and that it was ultimately more of an individual exploit than a team play, which can also be debated (see the two passes in question below).

A decision with no consequence for the moment for Vitinha, who remains the Top Assister in the championship, tied on assists (six) with two Lens players.

And in case of a tie, the assist providers are separated by the LFP in the following manner:

The other best-ranked Parisians are Ousmane Dembele (16th), Desire Doue (17th), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (18th), Nuno Mendes (19th), and Senny Mayulu (20th) with three assists each. Vitinha will wear the Ligue 1 Top Assister badge on the back of his jersey during the Rennes vs. PSG match on the 22nd matchday of Ligue 1 on Friday.

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