Monaco secures second place, Rennes says goodbye to Europe, Clermont relegated… The lessons of the 33rd day

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One day before the end of the season, some clubs are seeing more clearly regarding their future. PSG, already champions, lost again the evening they celebrated their title.

France Télévisions – Sports Editorial

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Mixed fortunes for Monaco, Rennes and Clermont, Sunday May 12, on the occasion of the 33rd day of Ligue 1. (AFP and MAXPPP)

The classification is becoming clearer. Seven matches took place simultaneously, Sunday May 12, for the penultimate day of Ligue 1. Titled since the end of April, PSG was able to celebrate their title at home, for Kylian Mbappé’s final match in the Parisian jersey at the Princes Park. In the race for the Champions League, Monaco has secured direct qualification, while Lille is back on the podium. Lyon and Marseille can still believe in Europe, while Clermont’s hopes of remaining are gone.

Monaco secures second place, Lille returns to the podium

After a disappointing 2022-2023 season which deprived them of European competition, the Monegasques rectified their situation and validated their direct qualification for the 2024-2025 Champions League, ensuring that they finished the season as runner-up to PSG. Victorious 2-0 in Montpellier thanks to achievements from Kassoum Ouattara (0-1, 52nd) and Youssouf Fofana (0-2, 65th). A new victory in the beautiful final sprint of ASM which has won six of its last seven matches.

If the first two places in the ranking are now locked, this is not true for the third step of the podium which Lille, Brest and Nice can still dream of. The Northerners, beaten 4-3 against Lyon after leading 2-0 at the break at the start of the week, believed they were reliving a similar scenario. Quickly ahead of Nantes thanks to a double from Jonathan David (0-2, 11th), Losc suffered most of the second half, notably conceding a goal from Matthis Abline (1-2, 54th). But Lucas Chevalier, then Vito Mannone, held on to propel the Mastiffs onto the podium, before hosting Nice, direct competitor, for the final meeting of their season.

Lyon and Marseille still in the race for Europe, Rennes out of the game

Lyon continues its rise. After a catastrophic start to the season and the shadow of a surprise relegation, OL recovered perfectly and are well on their way to playing in Europe. Currently seventh, a qualifying place if the Gones lose in the Coupe de France final, the Rhone club continued against Clermont (0-1). Returning to the level of Lens, who hung Rennes at Roazhon Park (1-1), Pierre Sage’s players can believe in sixth place, before the reception of Strasbourg for the last of this exercise with two faces.

OM knew how to put their heads back together. Swept away in Bergamo, the Olympians recovered by beating Lorient (3-1), thanks in particular to a double from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. With a match in hand to play on Wednesday in Reims, the Marseillais are three points behind the Lens-Lyon duo. Marseille will finally travel to Le Havre to end its season. Two capital trips for a club which is struggling outside its bases.

The loser of the evening in the race for Europe is Stade Rennes. Held in check by Lens on their lawn (1-1), the Bretons say goodbye to the top 7. The SRFC, however, believed to reverse the trend by scoring at the end of stoppage time, but the goal was immediately refused, ending to the European hopes of Rennes.

Clermont relegated, Nantes saved

They needed an exploit, it didn’t come. Beaten 1-0 in Lyon, the Clermontois say goodbye to Ligue 1 after three seasons in the elite. Too ineffective in front of goal all season with only 26 goals scored, Pascal Gastien’s men once again finished a match without scoring, despite 18 shots, including five on target. For its part, Lorient was provisionally in Ligue 2 for a long time, but the ax did not ultimately fall. The Merlus still have a seventh consecutive loss and will need a miracle to survive.

Metz broke down. In front thanks to a new goal from their “serial scorer” Georges Mikautadze (0-1, 54th), the Lorraines lost everything in the last moments of the match in the derby against Strasbourg after goals from Emanuel Emegha (1-1 , 89th) and Andrey Santos (2-1, 90+2nd). With three points ahead and a goal difference largely in their favor, the Messins have the margin over Lorient, but are condemned to the play-off, with their three lengths behind and a goal difference this time largely to their disadvantage against towards Le Havre, which can consider itself maintained. Beaten for the tenth time in a row at home in all competitions, Nantes officially validates its survival thanks to the Metz rout.

Paris celebrates its 12th league title with a defeat against Toulouse

The result didn’t matter for either team. Already titled, the Parisians received Toulouse already maintained and too far from European places. At the Parc des Princes, it was ultimately the ceremonial surrounding the meeting which caught the attention. The promising club “an exceptional show under the musical direction of French composer and conductor Thomas Roussel” to celebrate PSG’s 12th title in Ligue 1.

Eyes were also on Kylian Mbappé, for his last with Paris at the Parc. The whistles at 8 p.m. after the announcement of his name in the team composition gave way to songs and applause as a tifo in his honor was deployed. For his farewell, the native of Bondy in the Paris region opened the scoring (1-0, 8th), before Thijs Dallinga (1-1, 13th), Yann Gboho (1-2, 68th) and Frank Magri (1-3, 90+4th) reversed the scenario to offer Téfécé a prestigious success. As in 2023 against Clermont (2-3), the Paris celebrations were held after a defeat.


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