The dream of winning the UEFA Champions League is still a fantasy for Paris Saint-Germain, the team that has dominated French football for the past decade. Eliminated by Marseille from the French Cup at the beginning of February, PSG also bid farewell to the Champions League. The French champions never stood a chance against German champions FC Bayern Munchen, losing both games without scoring.
In Ligue 1, however, PSG has no rivals. The lead over second-placed Marseille is now ten points! PSG has won four in a row ahead of this weekend’s clash with Rennes at the Parc des Princes. Rennes is without a win in two games, losing at home to Marseille and drawing away to Auxerre. Rennes last won in Paris on 12 May 2018. Since then, Rennes has visited the French capital on three more occasions, from where they returned empty-handed. For Rennes, the chances of a Champions League place in the autumn are looking increasingly slim.
Marseille (2nd place – 56 points), Lens (3rd place – 54 points) and Monaco (4th place – 51 points) are duelling it out from distance in this round. OM plays away to strong Reims – 8th place, and Lens will be visited by Angers – last place, with a slim chance to save themselves from relegation. Monaco, who has only managed a draw in the last three rounds, will play Ajaccio in Corsica – 18th place – five defeats in the last six rounds.
Brest, first above the relegation line, in 16th place with 23 points, will play this weekend at Troyes, second last in the Ligue 1 standings with only 20 points, a team that still has a chance to play next season in the top flight of French football despite the fact that in the last ten rounds it has only won two points.
An interesting match at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg, where the host team, 15th place – 23 points, will welcome Auxerre, 17th place – also 23 points. Seven Strasbourg wins, eight Auxerre wins and four draws is the record of the head-to-head meetings between the two sides.
Two former champions of France, Lyon and Nantes meet this round in an interesting duel. Nantes have just one win in their last ten away trips to Lyon.
A game with no particular stakes at the Stade de la Mosson between Montpellier – 13th place with 33 points and Clermont – 12th with 34 points.
