Welcome back. Round 31 of Ligue 1 is dominated by the derby between Paris Saint-Germain and Racing Club de Lens at the Parc des Princes. The top two teams from Ligue 1 will go head-to-head. Leading by six points, PSG can take an almost decisive option in the fight for the title. A win for the visitors would liven up the battle for first place with seven rounds to go.
In the first game of the season between the two sides at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens won 3-1. It was the third consecutive game without defeat for Lens in matches against PSG, after draws, both 1-1, last season. Lens are coming off four consecutive Ligue 1 wins, while PSG seem to have recovered from their two home defeats to Rennes (0-2) and Lyon (0-1). In the last round, the Parisians beat Nice 2-0 and ended their impressive 12-game unbeaten run in the Ligue 1!
If Lens fail to win at the Parc des Princes, Marseille and Monaco, the main contenders in the battle for second place, the last place that guarantees a place in the UEFA Champions League group stage next season, could take advantage. With only two points behind Lens, Marseille are the big favourites in their home match against Troyes, a team in 18th place, relegation-eligible, and which has gathered only three points (three draws) in the last 13 rounds!
Unbeaten in three rounds, two wins and a draw, Monaco will play at home against 10th place Lorient, 45 points, and which in the last three rounds has scored two draws and one defeat.
Fifth-placed Lille are in pole position in the battle for the last European spot, a place that Rennes, Lyon and Reims are still aiming for. After a surprising 1-0 defeat at Angers, the first defeat after five unbeaten rounds, Lille return to Pierre Mauroy in a match against 13th place Montpellier.
Angers are doomed to relegate despite having collected four points in the last two rounds. In 20th place with just 14 points after 30 games, Angers are 14 points off the top spot that saves from relegation to Ligue 2. This round they will play away at Clermont.
Ajaccio, in 19th place with 21 points, are still adrift. The Corsicans are on a five-game losing streak, eight in the last nine rounds, and this round they play away to 17th-place Strasbourg, coming off two straight defeats. A win for Strasbourg coupled with Troyes’ defeat at Marseille, would turn the fight to avoid relegation into an equation with only one unknown and four teams battling to avoid the last place that relegates: Nantes, Auxerre, Brest and Strasbourg.
