With stakes at all levels, the 35th day promises to be lively this weekend.
Suspense at all levels. From Friday May 12, the 35th day of Ligue 1 will be the scene of fights from the first to the last places on French lawns. From the title race between Paris, Lens and Marseille, to the risks of relegation for Troyes and Ajaccio, via the European clash between Monaco and Lille, an overview of the challenges of the weekend.
The race for the title: Lens to continue to put pressure on Paris
In this race for the title, the three teams still involved will be able to count on the support of their public. Lens (2nd, 72 points) opens the ball, Friday May 12, against Reims. If successful, the Sang et Or can protect themselves from the possible return of OM, come back to within three points of the Parisian leader and continue to put pressure on them.
Opposed to Ajaccio on Saturday May 13, PSG (1st, 78 points) is sure to keep the lead at the end of the weekend. The capital club has the opportunity to maintain its lead, even to widen it and get closer to the title in the event of poor performance from its pursuers. But if he stumbles, he might see them coming back in his rear view mirror.
Third with 70 points, Marseille, which receives Troyes on Sunday evening, must win to continue to believe in it. In the event of a Lensois setback in the opening match, OM could even recover second place directly qualifying for the Champions League. But if they were to lose, with a victory in Paris, the Olympians would mathematically write off the title.
The race for Europe: a decisive shock for the Europa League between Monaco and Lille
It is the poster that could decide the qualification for the Europa League. Monaco (4th, 64 points) receives Lille (5th, 59 points) for the penultimate match of the day, Sunday afternoon. If they win, Philippe Clement’s men would put eight points between them and the Mastiffs. On the other hand, in the event of victory in the Principality, Lille would come back to two lengths behind their opponents.
Behind, Rennes and Lyon (6th and 7th at 56 points) continue their duel from a distance with 5th place in sight. The Bretons, who receive Troyes, and the Gones, who go to Clermont, can both return to Losc level if successful, but also distance each other if one wins and the other loses.
The race to maintain: Troyes and Ajaccio at the gates of Ligue 2
After the relegation of Angers formalized at the end of April, Ligue 1 could experience two new descents this weekend. Troyes (19th, 22 points) and Ajaccio (18th, 23 points) are in a very delicate position at the start of the 35th day. With respectively eleven and twelve points behind the first non-relegation, Auxerre, any other result than a victory would condemn them definitively. The hope is all the more slim as the Aubois and the Corsicans face two teams at the top of the table, respectively Rennes and Paris.
Falling into the relegation zone at the end of the 33rd day and first relegated, Nantes is two lengths behind Auxerrois. The Canaries, who travel to Toulouse in a “remake” of the Coupe de France final, must ward off fate and their terrible dynamics (11 consecutive games without a win in L1) to try to get their heads out of the water, and, why not, from the red zone in the event of success and a favorable result between Auxerre and Brest. Because AJA (16th, 34 points) and the Bretons (15th, 35 points) clash at the same time in a shock of fear. If there is a loser, he could dive to 17th place.