Lille, Rennes and Monaco face decision day | OneFootball

LOSC Lille, Stade Rennais FC and AS Monaco go into the final night of the season battling it out for two European places. The trio are separated by a single point, meaning it could be a nerve-shredding evening.

ESTAC Troyes – LOSC Lille Saturday at 21:00 CET (1900 GMT)

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Lille are in pole position in this particular battle, after coming from behind to beat FC Nantes 2-1 at home last weekend to climb up to fourth. It is the highest they have been in the table since August, but now they know a win away to already-relegated Troyes at the Stade de l’Aube will secure them a place in next season’s UEFA Europa League.

“We are fourth now but we have to win the last match if we want to be in Europe,” said coach Paulo Fonseca, whose work in his first season in France earned him a nomination for the Ligue 1 Coach of the Year award.

Qualifying for the Europa League would be a fine achievement for Lille, who reached the last 16 of the Champions League last season before failing to make it into any European competition in this campaign.

LOSC LILLE - FC NANTES (2-1) / Highlights (LOSC - FCN) 2022/2023

Lille have already beaten Troyes twice this season, defeating Patrick Kisnorbo’s team 2-0 in the Coupe de France in early January and then winning 5-1 in the league a week later. However, while they are unbeaten at home since August, they have been far less reliable on their travels. LOSC have not won any of their last four away games and have claimed just a single victory in seven on the road.

This game could turn out to be Jonathan David’s last as a Lille player. The Canadian international striker has scored 24 Ligue 1 Uber Eats goals this season and is understood to be on the shopping list for some of Europe’s big names in the upcoming transfer window.

Troyes will be looking to end a miserable run of 20 league games without a win.

Possible teams

Troyes: Gallon; Kohon, Palmer-Brown, Porozo; Baldé, Chavalerin (c), Kouamé, Larouci; Lopes, Ugbo, Dong

Lille: Chevalier; Diakité, Fonte (c), Alexsandro, Weah ; Baleba, André; Ounas, Cabella, Bamba; David

Stade Brestois 29 – Stade Rennais FC Saturday at 21:00 CET (1900 GMT)

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A Brittany derby to end the season for Brest and Rennes as the regional rivals clash at the Stade Francis-Le Blé. While the pressure will be off the home side, Rennes head west with all to play for. Bruno Genesio’s side are currently fifth, and if they hold that position they will be guaranteed a sixth successive season in European football.

Fifth means a place in the Europa Conference League, but Rennes are also just a point behind Lille with a better goal difference than both them and Monaco. That means they can snatch fourth place with a win if Lille slip up at the same time. However, if they fail to win, they could end up finishing sixth and missing out on Europe altogether, which would represent a backwards step.

“I can’t see Lille slipping up at Troyes. Monaco are at home, but anything is possible on the final day. I think we have the most difficult match,” said Rennes coach Genesio on Thursday. “We know that with a victory we will be in Europe. We have our destiny in our own hands.”

Rennes had a rocky ride in the months following the World Cup, the loss of star striker Martin Terrier to a serious knee injury not helping as they lost 10 times in 19 games. That was before they won their last three on the bounce, including a 2-0 success last weekend at home to Monaco. They have scored 11 goals and conceded none in that time.

Genesio’s side will be without Steve Mandanda after the veteran goalkeeper came off with a calf injury late on against Monaco. Opponents Brest secured their survival a couple of weeks ago and are in fine form – a 2-1 win away at Olympique de Marseille last time out was their third victory in a row. They have lost just once in 10 and have won five on the bounce at home.

Possible teams

Brest: Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet (c), Brassier, Duverne ; Belkebla, Lees-Melou, Magnetti ; Pereira Lage, Mounié, Le Douaron

Rennes: Alemdar; Traoré (c), Omari, Theate, Meling; Santamaria; Doku, Majer, Bourigeaud, Gouiri; Toko-Ekambi

STADE RENNAIS FC - AS MONACO (2-0) / Highlights (SRFC - ASM) 2022/2023

AS Monaco – Toulouse FC Saturday at 21:00 CET (1900 GMT)

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Monaco’s recent collapse has been spectacular. They were third in the table, a point above RC Lens, after beating Brest 2-1 away on February 19. A few days later they were eliminated from the Europa League in the knockout round play-offs on penalties by Bayer Leverkusen.

The rot then set in domestically as Philippe Clément’s side collected just one point from the next nine available. The principality club have won just four of their last 13 matches, losing six. The loss of form has been acute in recent weeks, with only one win in six and defeats in their last two matches.

As a consequence, Monaco are now 16 points behind Lens, who will finish second and will be in next season’s Champions League group stage. Clément’s team will kick off on Saturday in sixth place and in danger of missing out on European qualification altogether. However, they will finish fourth if they win while both Lille and Rennes drop points. If they win and one of the teams above them drops points, they will take fifth. Their inferior goal difference means a draw will only secure fifth should Rennes lose at the same time.

“We must show what we can do against Toulouse, not by all playing as individuals but by playing as a team, just like we did in our last meeting,” said Clément, referring to a 2-0 win in Toulouse in November. “That was one of our best performances of the season. We have to prove that we can do that again.”

He added: “We have no control over what is happening elsewhere. However, we want to prove to our supporters that we are better than we have been in recent weeks.”

Coupe de France winners Toulouse, who could still finish as high as 12th, have not won in five games since that night at the Stade de France. They have drawn their last four matches.

Possible teams

Monaco: Nübel; Vanderson, Maripán, Disasi, Caio Henrique; Diatta, Camara, Fofana, Golovin; Embolo, Ben Yedder (c)

Toulouse: Dupé; Desler, Rouault, Nicolaisen, Suazo ; Dejaegere (c), Spierings, Van den Boomen; Aboukhlal, Dallinga, Ratão

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