In the French league, the competition for the remaining Champions League qualifiers, beyond Paris Saint-Germain, tightened as Marseille and Lille played to a 1-1 draw on Sunday. With Paris Saint-Germain already securing the title, Marseille, which is in second place, failed to increase its lead over Monaco due to a costly error from goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli in the 74th minute.
As the tournament approaches its final two games, the top three teams are assured of a place in the Champions League group stage, while the fourth team is reserved a spot in the qualifying rounds. Holding a modest one-point advantage over Monaco, who triumphed 3-1 against Saint-Etienne on Saturday, Marseille faces pressure from several contenders, with Nice, Lille, and Strasbourg just a further point adrift.
During the match, Jonathan David of Lille intercepted Rulli’s mishandled pass, creating an opportunity for Matias Fernandez Pardo to level the score with a decisive shot. Earlier, Amine Gouiri had placed Marseille ahead in the 57th minute following a skillful team play that culminated in a pinpoint pass from Adrien Rabiot.
Although Paris Saint-Germain clinched the league title a month ago with several games to spare, the chase for European qualifications maintains heightened suspense. A mere five points separate Marseille in second from Lyon in seventh place.
Meanwhile, Lyon’s aspirations for European competition next season suffered a setback with a 2-1 defeat to Lens. Anass Zaroury’s stunning 30-meter strike sealed the win for Lens five minutes to time. This came shortly after Georges Mikautadze’s header equalized for Lyon, who are now six points ahead of eighth-placed Lens.
Despite holding much of the ball, Lyon was unable to capitalize and found themselves trailing when Goduine Koyalipou scored from a corner kick in the 21st minute.
Elsewhere, substitute Jim Allevinah netted his inaugural goal in the French league, guiding Angers to a 1-0 victory over Nantes and significantly boosting their chances of surviving in the top tier. Allevinah’s 52nd-minute low shot marked the first on-target attempt in a game with limited opportunities, coming in as a substitute for the injured Zinedine Ferhat after 20 minutes.
This win propels Angers to 14th in the standings, one point ahead of Nantes, and two above the relegation playoff threat faced by Le Havre, who similarly claimed a crucial 2-1 win at Auxerre to distance themselves from the danger zone.
Paris Saint-Germain encountered back-to-back Ligue 1 defeats for the first time in over two years following a 2-1 loss to Strasbourg on Saturday. With the fixture nestled between two legs of a Champions League semifinal against Arsenal, PSG’s head coach Luis Enrique opted for massive squad rotation, altering ten spots in the starting lineup. They are scheduled to defend their 1-0 advantage in the upcoming second leg at Parc des Princes against the Gunners.
In the other fixtures, Brest emerged victorious with a 1-0 win over Montpellier, who remains rooted at the bottom of the table.