In the top quartet of the championship, Paris Saint-Germain – PSG is the only one to have made a false note this weekend, against Rennes. Lille is still three points ahead.
With two days to go, Paris Saint-Germain compromised on Sunday 9th May 2021 its title chances in Rennes (1-1), Monaco got back on the podium and Marseille weakened its fifth place in Europe, in a Ligue 1 to which clings Nîmes, ultra-efficient in Metz (3-0).
Within the top quartet, only PSG punctuated its weekend with a false note by being joined late by catchy Bretons. Leader Lille are three points ahead after their 3-0 victory in Lens on Friday.
The title is moving away for Paris
The day after his extension until 2025, star striker Neymar put PSG in front with a penalty just before the break (45th + 6). But the untenable Serhou Guirassy, first upset scorer because signalled out of play (29th) than close to obtaining a penalty (35th), rose in the air on a corner for an equalizer (69th).
Lille and the title move away for Paris and, in the rearview mirror, Monaco is approaching dangerously, two points behind after its success in Reims (1-0).
AS Monaco responded to the victory on Saturday of Lyon, their tormentor last weekend, and regained the precious third qualifying place at the end of the season for the lucrative Champions League. Wissam Ben Yedder and his partners have one point more than OL.
The Monegasques quickly gained the upper hand thanks to the young Belgian Eliot Matazo (20th), author at 19 years of his first goal with the club of the principality, after a stint with his captain “WBY”.
READ ALSO: Neymar continues the adventure in Paris by extending his contract at PSG
2nd defeat for Sampaoli in Marseille
This narrow victory comes before two last complicated meetings for ASM, host of Rennes next weekend before a trip on May 23rd to Lens.
The Lensois watched Sunday their direct competitor for 5th place, Marseille, stumble 1-0 in Saint-Etienne. The Phocéens are ahead of the Sang et Or only thanks to a better goal difference.
“We have to be much closer to what we imagine to be a team that seeks to play in Europe,” commented the Argentinian Jorge Sampaoli, who arrived in March on the bench of OM and left Forez with a second defeat on the clock, the first in a month and a half.
More solid, better organized, the Greens took the advantage by Arnaud Nordin (43rd) before holding the house in particular thanks to the young goalkeeper Etienne Green, saved by a post (56th) and especially by his talent (77th, 84th).
Saint-Etienne is 11th with one point ahead of Angers, the future opponent of OM, who dominated 3-0 Dijon, a red lantern already relegated.
Nîmes resists
The descent in L2, Nîmes did everything to avoid it or at least repel it, Sunday with a bang (3-0) in Metz.
The kick from Lamine Fomba (60th), the penalty from Renaud Rippart (67th) and the coolness of Zinedine Ferhat (89th) brought together the “Crocodiles” two points from Nantes, the virtual barrage, and three from Lorient and Strasbourg, first non-relegation.
“It’s not a relief, just the satisfaction of staying alive. We took three logical points in view of the match but we have a difficult schedule, ”reacted coach Pascal Plancque, already turned towards the reception of Lyon and the trip to Rennes.
Strasbourg in danger
Another poorly classified, Strasbourg fell 3-2 at home in front of Montpellier and its triggers Gaëtan Laborde (36th, 50th) and Andy Delort (46th), a setback which puts the Alsatians in a bad position two days from the end of the Championship.
Despite a “bad luck” especially when returning from the locker room, “the boys hung on, we had plenty of actions, an incalculable number of shots … It was not playing out much”, commented the coach of the Racing, Thierry Laurey.
After a trip to Nice next weekend, its players will welcome Lorient, another team fighting for maintenance, on May 23rd.
For its part, Nice snatched a rather unexpected victory against Brest (3-2), with a goal scored in the 89th minute, outnumbered and after being led twice in the match.
The Bretons can harbour regrets and will have to avoid any further relaxation. Nantes is only three points behind.
