The battle for the remaining Champions League spots in Ligue 1 remains intense following Marseille’s 1-1 draw at Lille on Sunday, a result that left the race wide open with just two rounds of matches remaining.
With Paris Saint-Germain having already clinched the title last month, attention has shifted to the high-stakes contest for European qualification.
Marseille, currently in second place, missed a golden opportunity to put daylight between themselves and third-placed Monaco after a costly mistake from goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli in the 74th minute allowed Lille to equalize.
Amine Gouiri had earlier given Marseille the lead in the 57th minute, finishing off a superb team move with an assist from Adrien Rabiot.
But their control of the match was undone when Rulli’s attempted short pass inside his own box was intercepted by Lille striker Jonathan David, who nodded the ball into the path of Matias Fernandez Pardo. The forward made no mistake, calmly firing past Rulli to level the game.
Marseille now hold a narrow one-point lead over Monaco, who had beaten Saint-Etienne 3-1 on Saturday. A further point behind are Nice, Lille, and Strasbourg, making the fight for the top three positions incredibly tight.
The top three teams gain direct entry into the Champions League group stage, while the fourth-placed team must navigate the qualifying rounds.
Only five points separate second-placed Marseille from seventh-placed Lyon, making every remaining fixture crucial in determining next season’s European lineup.
Lyon’s own hopes of qualifying for Europe suffered a major setback as they lost 2-1 at home to Lens. Despite dominating possession, Lyon were left to rue missed chances and defensive lapses. Goduine Koyalipou opened the scoring for Lens in the 21st minute, heading home after a corner.
Though Georges Mikautadze equalized for Lyon in the second half, Anass Zaroury’s thunderous 30-meter strike in the 85th minute sealed the win for the visitors and pushed Lyon further away from European contention.
Elsewhere, the relegation battle saw a significant shift as Angers claimed a critical 1-0 victory over Nantes. Gabon international Jim Allevinah, coming off the bench in the first half to replace the injured Zinedine Ferhat, scored his first goal in Ligue 1 with a precise low shot in the 52nd minute — the game’s only effort on target.
The result lifted Angers to 14th in the table, one point ahead of Nantes and two clear of Le Havre, who boosted their survival hopes with a 2-1 win over Auxerre.
In a surprising twist, PSG’s form has stuttered despite already securing the title. The champions fell 2-1 to Strasbourg on Saturday, marking their first back-to-back league defeats in over two years.
Manager Luis Enrique rotated his squad heavily ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal second leg against Arsenal at the Parc des Princes, where PSG will defend a 1-0 lead.
As Ligue 1 enters its final fortnight, the tension is palpable both at the top and bottom of the table, with Champions League dreams and survival on the line.
