In all reality, the Ligue 1 title had been determined months in the past. Paris Saint-Germain even for his or her lofty requirements have been far and away the very best staff within the league; undefeated throughout the marketing campaign and now 19 factors above Olympique de Marseille after their Sunday night time victory in Le Classique (3-1).
It might take a monumental collapse from Luis Enrique’s squad within the last eight video games of the marketing campaign for the title to finish up wherever aside from in France’s capital metropolis. It’s merely a matter of time earlier than PSG can formally declare their thirteenth Ligue 1 championship, and if outcomes go their approach, .
Nonetheless, under Les Parisiens, there’s nonetheless a lot to play for with the chase for the remaining two podium positions and computerized qualification to the Champions League trying to be heating up properly as we enter the homestretch. Marseille’s newest defeat to PSG leaves their grip on second beneath risk from AS Monaco and OGC Good who each sit solely two factors behind.
Marseille reel from two defeats in a row
Current outcomes haven’t been type to Marseille and for the primary time beneath Roberto De Zerbi’s administration, the membership have suffered back-to-back defeats (a 1-0 loss to RC Lens on the Stade Vélodrome previous the Classique end result). It’s a dip in kind that doesn’t come at a perfect time for Les Phocéens and signifies that they’ve now misplaced 4 of their final eight video games.
This run has allowed their quick rivals to creep up the desk (albeit neither Monaco nor Good have been totally in a position to capitalise on these missteps) and eat slowly away on the respiration house that Marseille had held close to the the beginning of the brand new yr. Now any additional slip-ups for De Zerbi’s males run the chance of letting Good and Monaco overtake them.
Regardless of this, there will likely be some satisfaction in La Provence that their two quick rivals must take factors off each other when the league resumes following the worldwide break as Good has to journey to the Stade Louis II to face Monaco within the Derby de la Côte d’Azur. Whereas Marseille have a comparatively protected journey to face Stade de Reims who’ve but to attain within the league since appointing Samba Diawara as supervisor.
Don’t depend out Lyon, Lille, and Strasbourg
Good and Monaco can’t enable themselves to be totally distracted of their hunt for Marseille’s spot within the desk, as Olympique Lyonnais, Lille OSC, and RC Strasbourg Alsace lurk, two, three, and 4 factors behind them respectively. And none of those three groups could be written off from ending the season in one of many computerized qualifying spots for the Champions League.
Nonetheless, a quirk of the calendar does see some decisive-looking video games between these three contenders for a podium place, which Monaco and Good will likely be paying particular consideration to. Lyon must face Lille after which Strasbourg instantly after the worldwide break in two matches that look as if they might immediately form the European race.
This week’s Ligue 1 subplots
Montpellier HSC have resigned themselves to relegation from Ligue 1 after 16 seasons within the prime flight. The underside-placed membership are probably staring down some extent deduction following the match abandonment towards AS Saint-Étienne over the weekend.
Jean-Louis Gasset is extraordinarily pessimistic about Montpellier’s survival in Ligue 1 following the abandonment of yesterday’s recreation:
“Is it over for survival? In fact, it’s over […] Possibly I am a soccer has-been. I’m hurting and ashamed. It is over.”
Stade Brestois have ‘re-started’ talks with their head coach Eric Roy over a contract renewal. As issues stand, the supervisor who helped information them right into a historic Champions League run will go away the membership on the finish of the season.
Eric Roy has revealed that contract extension talks have re-started at Brest. Nonetheless, there are at the moment no developments in talks and an end-of-season departure stays a chance.
After 4 defeats in a row, RC Lens have managed to bounce again with two victories on the trot. The blip in outcomes following a expensive switch window has probably ended their European desires for the season.
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