Ligue 1, there is a sizzling penultimate day in the French top league, where so far the only verdict has been the title won by PSG: predictions.
Penultimate sizzling day in Ligue 1, where – title won by PSG aside – everything is still to be decided, in the cup zone as in the relegation zone. Monaco, for example, is one step away from qualifying for the next Champions League: the Monegasques, who have returned to breathing air of high ranking after a disastrous season, have put the mortgage on second place thanks to the bombastic 4-1 success obtained a week ago against Clermont, and in the trip to Montpellier they only need a draw to detach the pass for the most important continental event.
Point that should come without any problems: the Occitans haven’t lost in six games (4 wins and two draws) but they have already won salvation long ago and can no longer reach Europe. A “comfortable” trip also for Lyon, protagonist of a resounding comeback in the second half of the season: the Gones, after changing as many as three coaches in the fall and being in last place in the standings for a long time, are now inches away from a goal that until a few months ago seemed impossible to achieve. A week ago Pierre Sage’s men snatched a very heavy victory in Lille (3-4) and by beating even bottom-of-the-table Clermont (who, however, can still hope for a playoff) they would secure seventh place.
The predictions on the other matches
A tricky trip instead for Paulo Fonseca’s Lille, called upon to defend fourth place, which from this year means Champions League preliminaries. The Dogues, shaken by the absurd knockout with Lyon, will face a Nantes side that needs at least a point to be sure of playing in the top flight again next year.
Needed to win to hope also Marseille, fresh from a nightmarish night in the Europa League in Bergamo against Atalanta (3-0), which cost them elimination from the Europa League. The Phocéens are ninth, -3 from seventh-ranked Lyon, and risk staying out of it all: victory seems within reach against second-last-place Lorient, which has been losing for six consecutive days. It can still save itself directly Metz third-last, which has to make the race on Le Havre, currently at +3 on the Grenatines: the Grenadian formation therefore goes hunting for points at the home of Patrick Vieira’s Strasbourg, safe and without concrete goals. We close with the high-tension direct clash for Europe between Rennes and Lens: eighth and sixth respectively, divided by 4 points, that of the Rossoneri and the Giallorossi is not a final crescendo. Victory, however, is most needed by the inconstant hosts.
Ligue 1: possible winners
Lyon (in Clermont-Lyon).
Monaco or draw (in Montpellier-Monaco)
Nantes or draw (in Nantes-Lille)
Marseille (in Marseille-Lorient)
Metz or draw (in Strasbourg-Metz)
The games by at least one goal per team
Montpellier-Monaco
Rennes-Lens
Ligue 1: The games by at least three goals overall
Clermont-Lyon
Marseille-Lorient