After nine months of competition, Ligue 1 will soon deliver its verdict. Small particularity of this penultimate day of the championship, Saturday May 14: as every year, all the kick-offs will be given simultaneously at 9 p.m. The suspense is mainly about the race for European places and the fight to maintain it. The scorers will also battle it out, from a distance.
Rennes-Marseille: the Bretons must win to continue to believe in Europe
Duel (almost) to the top! Marseille (2nd) faces Rennes (5th) at Roazhon Park. In the event of victory, the Olympians, who remain on a success (3-0) in Lorient, would definitively get rid of their rival in the race for the Champions League. The Marseille machine works wonderfully far from the Vélodrome. With 12 wins this season, OM are the league’s best away team.
39 – Marseille have won 39 away points in Ligue 1 this season (12 wins, 3 draws), the 2nd highest total in their history on the same exercise away (42 points in 2008/09). Bounce. #FCLOM pic.twitter.com/OObOppNmr0
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) May 8, 2022
Opposite, Stade Rennes promises to respond. The team coached by Bruno Genesio will want to recover from their setback against Nantes (2-1) so as not to let Monaco and Nice slip away in the race for European places. Against Marseille, the Bretons can count on their attacking duo Laborde-Terrier, particularly prolific this season (36 goals between them). But beware of the defeat which could do the business of Strasbourg (6th), in ambush two points from Rennes. Kévin Gameiro and his teammates face Clermont (16th) to take fifth place in the final moments, synonymous with qualification for the knockout phase of the Europa League conference.
Currently in third place on the podium, the road to European places promises to be easier for Monaco, which faces Brest (11th) at home. In sparkling form, the Rock players will want to continue their eight-game winning streak. But distrust will be in order: the Breton formation had trapped ASM during the first leg of the championship (2-0).
Fight for maintenance: Bordeaux and Metz in very bad shape
Ligue 2 has never been so close for the Girondins. A defeat or a draw in Lorient would mathematically condemn the Bordelais (20th) to relegation, the first since 1992. With 27 points two days from the end, David Guion’s players are aiming for a play-off place at best. Even if they came to the end of the Hakes on Saturday, they would need a succession of miracles (a victory against Brest on the 38th day while the Greens and the Messins lost their two matches) to hope to clinch this 18th place.
The @girondins become the 1st club to concede 89 goals in a season in @Ligue1UberEats from Rouen in 1977/78 (91). @PSSportsFR #SCOFCGB
– Stats Foot (@Statsdufoot) May 8, 2022
On the side of Metz (19th), the hope of remaining in Ligue 1 is also quite slim. Frederic Antonetti and his family will have to repeat the exploit of last week against Lyon (3-2). The Garnets receive Angers, 14th in the championship and whose maintenance is assured, at the sSaint-Symphorien Stadium. This is an opportunity to rack up valuable points before facing PSG in the closing match of the championship.
Saint-Etienne (31 points) is also playing a pivotal match in this final sprint. occupying the play-off place, three lengths from 17th, Lorient (34 points), the Greens can still believe in maintaining despite a new embarrassing setback in the middle of the week in Nice. But the battle promises to be tough against Stade de Reims, well established in the middle of the table and seventh best defense in Ligue 1.
Best striker : Kylian Mbappé wants to increase his lead
The 37th day of the championship could also allow the race for the top scorer trophy to settle. At the top, Kylian Mbappé, with his 24 goals on the clock, leads the dance. The PSG star could increase his lead in the standings this weekend, as the Parisians face Montpellier (13th), one of the worst defenses in Ligue 1.
But Martin Terrier and Wissam Ben Yedder keep the Parisian striker in sight. The Rennais and the Monegasque are engaged in a duel from a distance for second place in the scorers’ ranking, which they currently occupy with the same number of goals (21).