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.
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 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.