Tops
The Champions League anthem will resonate well at the Stade Louis II, for the ASM centenary season. After six years of waiting, the Principality club qualified for the final phase of the C1, mathematically ensuring its second place in the ranking. Very well underway before this penultimate day, the ASM finished the work on the Montpellier pitch (0-2). The two Monegasque goals, signed Ouattara and Fofana in the second half, rewarded the domination of Adi Hutter’s men, superior in all respects against the demobilized Héraultais and deprived of Savanier. Runner-up to PSG, Monaco will end this 2023-24 financial year without any pressure against Nantes next Sunday.
We left him in tears on Thursday evening, dejected after OM’s rout on Atalanta’s pitch in the Europa League (3-0). Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang quickly found his smile again. And its effectiveness. Associated with Moumbagna on the front of the Marseille attack, the Gabonese international precipitated the fall of Lorient (3-1), scoring another double. Author of the opening score with a header, he then relieved his team in the second half, by converting a penalty with composure. With now sixteen goals on the clock, the 34-year-old has become the oldest Marseille player to exceed fifteen goals in a season in Ligue 1 (Opta).
He was expected and he responded. For his last match at the Parc des Princes in the Paris Saint-Germain jersey, Kylian Mbappé – who wore the captain’s armband – opened the scoring in the 8th minute of play, following a long through ball and a duel won against Guillaume Restes. The Parisian undoubtedly thought he had done the hardest part. But that was without counting on the self-sacrifice and confidence of Toulouse FC who were able to overthrow PSG to achieve a prestigious victory (1-3). And thus spoil the “der” of “KM7”.
Also read: Ligue 1: the multiplex film
Flops
No miracle for Clermont, officially relegated. Three years after discovering the elite, the Auvergne club let slip its tiny hopes of remaining, conceding a fatal defeat against Lyon (0-1). Mangala scored the only goal of the match at the start of the second half, in the heart of a static defense. Like its very difficult season, Pascal Gastien’s team did not do poorly in the game, but paid dearly for its lack of efficiency in both surfaces. Stuck in last place in the standings since the sixteenth day, the red lantern from Clermont will say goodbye to Ligue 1 on the Lorient pitch. Merlus are well on their way to supporting him in Ligue 2 next season.
After its elimination in the Champions League semi-finals against Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain had to react. And even more so at home, against Toulouse FC, with the presentation of the Ligue 1 trophy and Kylian Mbappé’s last meeting at the Parc des Princes. But Luis Enrique’s players – who had chosen to rotate a lot – were not up to par, particularly in terms of commitment and intensity. After “KM7” opened the score, they quickly conceded the equalizer (13th). Before conceding two other goals in the second half (68th and 90th 4). A setback which (a little) “spoiled” the party.
FC Metz may have some regrets. By opening the score in the second half through Georges Mikautadze (54th), with a splendid left-footed strike, the Garnets had an excellent result in the race to maintain and could hope to escape the red zone during the final day of the championship. But RC Strasbourg Alsace, who played without the slightest pressure this Sunday evening, did not give up and turned the match around in the space of three minutes: first thanks to Emanuel Emegha (89th), then by Andrey Santos ( 90th 1). A defeat which hurts FC Metz, more barrage than ever. Maintenance is still (very) far from assured.