After a turbulent international break, the football world returns to its daily life. The French championship resumes its rights with another nine days on the program. Who will accompany PSG on the podium? What will be the European clubs? Who will be relegated to Ligue 2? The final sprint of the 2021-2022 season begins this weekend, on the occasion of the 30th day of Ligue 1, and there will be sport at all levels. On your marks…
Big fish at the revival
Since the stampede at the Santiago-Bernabeu, Paris Saint-Germain (1st) has been sailing on sight. Well secured at the top of Ligue 1 thanks to the flagship Mbappé, the Parisian ship is however pitching on all sides. The proof with the recent shipwreck in the league on the Rock, where PSG suffered the Monegasque storm before the truce (3-0). At the time of receiving the Merlus of FC Lorient (16th), stuck in the shallows of the championship, PSG must therefore raise their heads to seek a tenth L1 title, and somewhat save their scuttled season.
Because casually, PSG has a title to regain after the coronation of Lille last year. Lille residents who are struggling to confirm this year, but who are gradually catching up. Sixth at the start of the final sprint, Losc (6th) finally sees the European places in his telescope, two small points. To land on the European scene, Lille hopes to torpedo the shipwrecked Bordelais (20th), in distress. In the wake of Lille, AS Monaco (7th) – also expected at the top at the start of the season – moves to another poorly ranked, FC Metz (19th), to stay in the game for Europe.
Saint-Etienne – OM: to each his own marathon
If this Sunday the France of sport will have its eyes riveted on the Paris marathon, the long-distance race for Saint-Etienne (18th) and Marseille (2nd) begin on Saturday. And will last much longer. That of Stéphanois has even already started in winter, with the appointment of new coach Pascal Dupraz. Under the orders of their new coach, the Greens have found their colors. Maintaining L1, which seemed impossible for ASSE, becomes possible again. Eighteenth at the start of the final sprint, Saint-Etienne is looking ahead with Lorient, Troyes and Angers who are one or two points behind. To get closer, the Greens will however have to dismiss the old enemy Marseille.
But beware, in a sold-out Cauldron which will celebrate the Green Angels’ 30th anniversary, and without its supporters, Olympique de Marseille does not come for tourism. The dolphins of PSG intend to secure their place, while the pursuers Nice and Rennes clash. Especially since the end of the OM season promises to be sustained between the clashes in the league (PSG, Lyon, Rennes, etc.), and the epic which continues in the Europa League Conference. Marseille is playing on a thread in the spring of 2022, it remains to be seen what will be at the end of this thread.
In red and black, I’ll exile my fear
This weekend, Stade Rennais (3rd) and OGC Nice (4th) face each other at Roazhon Park. Although the locals will keep their red and black jerseys well, the two teams will have a common objective: to remove the other from the race for the podium in a direct confrontation with the smell of sulphur, which is enough to frighten the defeated (if defeated it there is).
At the dawn of the final sprint, Bruno Génésio’s flamboyant Rennes started two lengths ahead of Christophe Galtier’s solid Nice. A false note from Nice would perhaps sound the death knell for the Gym’s podium dreams, two weeks after a badly digested defeat in Marseille, which hit the group and knocked the OGCN off the podium. The Niçois will not play in red and black this weekend, will they go higher than these mountains of pain?
From love to the Mosson
A little sweetness in this ruthless world that is football. This is the program for Sunday afternoon at the Stade de la Mosson, in Montpellier (11th). And if usually, it is from the feet of Téji Savanier that love springs from the side of the MHSC, this time, it will be because of the happy reunion.
As a reminder: last summer, Montpellier and Brest (13th) exchanged their coaches as M6 did for a time with mothers. Olivier Dall’Oglio will reunite with his former Brest players while Michel Der Zakarian will set foot again at La Mosson. A return necessarily full of emotions for the one who left the MHSC on very good terms, almost with regret, and who remains very appreciated by President Nicollin. A reunion all the warmer as the two clubs have almost nothing left to play for – or to fear, it depends – in this final sprint. And at worst, there will always be the wonders of Savanier.
And besides that ?
There will also be love at the Meinau stadium where RC Strasbourg (5th) receives the other Racing Club, from Lens (8th). Two institutions that share more than a common name: values, a comparable popular fervor between two audiences who appreciate each other, an attractive game, and above all renewed European ambitions.
Love, on the other hand, will be much less at the Aube stadium, since Troyes (15th) will challenge the Stade de Reims (12th) there in a sparkling Champagne derby. The statistic to know: Reims has never won with its neighbor in the 21st century. Of imperative victory, it will also be a question for Lyon (10th) at home against Angers (14th), just like for Clermont (17th) against Nantes (9th).
The full program:
The full weekend program
What game(s) will you be watching? pic.twitter.com/jId8WXcLdz
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