Ligue 1: a suspenseful end to the season in the title race!

We had not seen such a title race in Ligue 1 for 9 years and the 2011-2012 season with Montpellier and PSG. But this time, it is not two, not three, but four teams likely to win the French championship. First of all, there is LOSC with 69 points who after 32 days are leaders with 3 points ahead of the second namely Paris Saint-Germain. With 65 points and 64 points, AS Monaco and Olympique Lyonnais follow the leading duo. So there are 6 days left to know the outcome of this crazy season. 

10 years later… The Dogues at the top of the French roof?

LOSC would like to emulate its famous 2010-2011 season. Champion of France with 76 points so 8 points ahead of its runner-up at the time, OM. This season, Lille face important competitors in the title race. Nevertheless, they are lucky to be able to have the keys in their hands. Indeed, by winning the last 6 games, they will be champions. This is not easy when you look at their timing. The Northerners will have two very important trips, to Lyon next weekend and to Lens in 3 weeks during the derby. The European Cup could have failed them with the fatigue of the accumulation of matches, but Lille no longer have this problem since their elimination against AJAX, 2 months ago. Note the very good move of Christophe Galtier's men on April 3 during their 1-0 victory against PSG which is undoubtedly the most dangerous competitor. If the Dogues are doing so well this season, it is thanks to a very solid defense. With a very good Maignan in goal and players like Botman or Fonte who sublimate, they have conceded only 19 goals, the best defense of the elite ahead of PSG. They have conceded more than one goal in just 3 games this season in Ligue 1. However, we must not forget the attack that also radiates. The quartet Yilmaz, Bamba, Yazici and David compiled 33 goals and 18 assists. You will understand, after 32 days, it is not at all a surprise to see the LOSC at the top of the podium and it will not let go of the pace, because the 3 pursuers are hungry.

Parisians in an unusual situation

Champion in the last 3 seasons, PSG has been crushing the French championship since the arrival of Qatari investors and has only let slip the title twice, in 2017 against Monaco and in 2012 against Montpellier. And this year, PSG is not really comfortable and already has 8 defeats in the league, a record under the Qatari era. The defeats against Monaco and Lille have put them in an uncomfortable situation. The Parisians did not take advantage of these direct confrontations to distance them. At 3 points from the North, Pochettino's players have 6 games to pile up the most points and hope for counter-performances from the leader. Despite a fairly lenient calendar for this end of the season, the Parisians are the only ones still engaged in a European competition. The sequence of matches may therefore be lacking. In addition, the main objective of the club is obviously to lift the first Champions League in history. It is certain that a failure in the league would still be frowned upon for a club like PSG. This season, PSG is less flamboyant than previous seasons. The latter lose more and above all face for once important rivals. The quality of the squad is not the problem, especially when we see Mbappé top scorer of the championship, the star Neymar or Moise Kean with 12 goals. Indeed, the major concern is fatigue related to the accumulation of matches and travel. Argentinian Pochettino is forced to set up in "turnover". Note that the latter replaced Tuchel at the winter break.

The Monegasque surprise?

Monaco made a very big comeback in this Ligue 1 ranking after a half-hearted first half of the season. They now complete the podium with only 1 point behind PSG and 4 on LOSC. Niko Kovac's men are full of confidence with 38 points from the last 15 including 39 goals. That's more than any other Ligue 1 club. In addition, the club of the Rock has only one defeat on its counter since December 16. The Monegasques can come and play spoilers in the title race like their stratospheric season in 2016-2017 with their 95 points. The club of the principality does not have an obvious calendar, with the reception of Lyon in 2 weeks and the trip to Bollaert at the end of the championship. The Croatian coach can count on his young and very promising team as well as a very prolific attacking duo. Indeed, the duo Ben Yedder / Volland has a total of 31 goals and 11 assists. They are respectively 2nd and 4th top scorer in Ligue 1. Monaco is the second attack in the league with 67 goals, behind PSG with 71. If the offense works very well, the same cannot be said for the defense. With 37 goals conceded, it is more than half of the Ligue 1 clubs.

The year or never listed in Lyon?

Olympique Lyonnais have not won a France championship since their epic run from 2001 to 2008 with 7 consecutive titles. A record in the history of French football. Since then, the Gones finish very regularly on the podium but do not manage to obtain this national title. After 32 rounds, OL are 4th, 5 points behind LOSC. At the end of the season, Lyon has a card to play, especially on the 34th and 35th matchdays. In the space of a week, they will face Lille and Monaco. An opportunity for Jean-Michel Aulas' club to create surprise and surprise everyone. They will also have to make a clean sheet in the other matches. It is also the year or never for Lyon who have not played in the European Cup this season and who could lose important players such as Memphis Depay and Houssem Aouar at the end of the season. This season, Rudi Garcia's men are solid defensively, good in the middle and effective in attack. It's a pretty complete squad on all lines. Memphis is the man of the season with 16 goals and 9 assists. Alongside him, Toko Ekambi (12 goals 5 assists) and Kadewere (10 goals 3 assists) had an excellent season. Interest, suspense, play. That's all our beloved France championship needed to restore its image. Between the pandemic that prematurely whistled the end of last season, the fiasco of Mediapro's TV rights that were supposed to give value to the championship, and the failure of French clubs in the European Cup this season except PSG, it is difficult for Ligue 1 to establish itself as an essential championship in the eyes of Europe.