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The climax of the Ligue 1 season has plenty to get excited about, despite PSG having been crowned champions last weekend thanks to a 1-1 draw in Strasbourg.
Lionel Messi got the goal that clinched the Parisians a record 11th title, with the Argentine magician set to play his last professional club game in France – and perhaps even Europe – against Clermont.
Meanwhile, there is a thrilling battle to secure European football. Lille, Rennes and Monaco are all separated by a single point, while Lyon still stand an outside chance of breaking into the top five should a series of miraculous results fall in their favour.
There is interest at the bottom of the table, too. Three teams are cut adrift and relegated, while Auxerre and Nantes both go into the final weekend of the season seeking a victory that might just be enough to save them.
All the matches kick off at 8pm UK time on Saturday, ensuring that no team has an advantage.
Last season, the final matches of the season wracked up a total of 37 goals, and fans will be hoping for similar entertainment this time around after an engrossing campaign filled with drama.
Saturday’s Ligue 1 Final Day Boosts
Ajaccio v Marseille
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Kick off: 20:00
It’s hard to overstate how bad things are at Ajaccio currently. The Corsican side are in dreadful form, look absolutely fed up, are hit by injuries and fought with their fans in their previous home game, which ended in a 5-0 defeat against Rennes. They have not scored in their last six and have been shut out in 13 of their last 16.
OM are not in good form either – they have lost three of their last four – but have picked up 12 away wins in 18. With little depth to their first-team squad, the scope for rotation is limited, so a relatively strong side is likely.
Ajaccio have trailed at half-time in four of their last five, conceding 12 goals in the process. Backing Marseille to lead at half-time and full-time at 1.9 looks good value, but OM simply to win at 1.33 is the tip.
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Brest v Rennes
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Kick off: 20:00
Brest’s win over Marseille last weekend shows that they have certainly not got their heads on holiday yet, while they have won their last five at home, albeit in low-scoring matches. Having confirmed that key winger Franck Honorat will not play due to a lingering issue, it suggests that Brest’s recent intensity might finally slacken off.
Rennes do not have such a luxury. They need to win this derby match to secure European football next season, and they carry strong momentum into this match after four wins in five, not conceding in three. Having won four of their last five against Brest, expect that run to continue for a team that should simply be hungrier of the win.
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Lorient v Strasbourg
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Kick off: 20:00
Expect an open and entertaining game in Lorient, where Strasbourg are the visitors in an encounter that means little to either side. This match, though, is a sell out, so there will be a weight of expectation for the hosts to finish what’s been a good season with a strong performance. After a frustrating 2-0 loss in Clermont last weekend, expected them to get back on the goal trail, with Regis Le Bris’ side having found their scoring touch in the four weeks prior to that game.
Strasbourg, meanwhile, are safe after last weekend’s draw with PSG. Racing have lost only one of their last seven and head coach Frederic Antonetti said on Thursday that it’s too late in the season to start rotating. That means a strong team should play, including in-form striker Habib Diallo, who has 20 goals for the season. Both teams should net here.
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Monaco v Toulouse
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Kick off: 20:00
Monaco should have enough quality in their squad to finish a difficult season on a high against a Toulouse side that is liable to rotate heavily. Philippe Clement is poised to lose his job in the summer but will want to win a European spot before then – and so will the players. Monaco may have lost four of their last six, but three of those defeats have come away from home.
Toulouse are liable to rotate heavily, with a string of players having said their goodbyes to the fans last weekend after a 1-1 home draw against Auxerre. Prior to that, they had drawn three matches in succession 0-0. They have switched off since winning the Coupe de France and not really stand a chance against a side they have lost the last three against.
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Nantes v Angers
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Kick off: 20:00
Nantes’ fate is out of their hands after a poor run of recent form that has seen them lose five of their last six, but against the bottom side, they should have too much quality in this game. There was an improved display last weekend in Lille, despite a 2-1 loss, while the squad has been shown videos of their draw against Juventus in the spring before their form collapsed in a bid to restore belief. This is a team that should be too good to go down.
Angers, meanwhile, are destined for relegation. They have achieved their meagre goal of winning 18 points – thereby avoiding the ignominy of being the worst Ligue 1 team ever – and can start to think about next season. They have lost 14 of 18 away games this season, are beset by injury problems to key players and look weak going into this match even before rotation is considered.
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Back the boosted Ligue 1 5-fold this Saturday @ 6/1
Nice v Lyon
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Kick off: 20:00
Look for Lyon to adopt an attacking approach in this game. Even if European qualification is unlikely, Alexandre Lacazette can still beat Kylian Mbappe to the Ligue 1 top scorer award, with the ex-Arsenal man 1.83 to score anytime having netted in 13 of his last 15 league games.
Indeed, OL’s results have been at their best when they have cut loose, with seven wins in their last nine – a run started by an away win at PSG. Their last eight games have all seen at least three goals, while Nice showed that they have started to relax last weekend, too, coming from two down to win in Montpellier.
OL should be favoured to win this match given Nice register significant injury problems, but goals look the outstanding value.
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PSG v Clermont
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Kick off: 20:00
While it’s uncertain the send off that Lionel Messi will be given at PSG, there is little doubt that he will want to finish on a high. The all-time Ligue 1 record for assists in a season is only two away for the Argentine, while Kylian Mbappe’s desire to finish the season as the top scorer in the league should ensure an attacking approach from the home team.
Clermont will not come into this match to roll over and should be considered dangerous underdogs given they have won seven of their last eight matches.
Historically, PSG have blown Pascal Gastien’s sides away. Indeed, they have won all three previous league meetings by at least four goals as they match up well with the opposing coach’s style. Expect a comfortable home win to finish the Messi era in Paris.
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Reims v Montpellier
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Kick off: 20:00
The defensive solidarity that was once Reims’ strength this season has gone, with just one cleansheet in their last eight games. Will Still’s men are now looking tired and doubtless are eagerly anticipating their summer break. Their last three games have all seen at least three goals, and against an attack-minded Montpellier side, that trend should continue.
Six of the last eight the visitors have played have seen over 2.5 goals, with the highlights a 5-4 loss in Lyon and a 3-2 defeat at home against Nice last weekend. With nothing on the line, expect Montpellier to adopt a similarly freewheeling approach here.
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Troyes v Lille
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Kick off: 20:00
Troyes may not finish bottom of the league, but they have been by far the worst Ligue 1 team in 2023. They have lost 15 of their last 20 fixtures, conceding at least two goals in 15 of those games. ESTAC have rarely shown pride or a willingness to fight for head coach Partick Kisnorbo, who only appears to be in the job because the leaders of the club are unwilling to admit their mistake of sacking Bruno Irles when they were 13th.
Lille need to win this game to secure European football, and quite frankly, if they cannot, they do not deserve to be playing on such a stage. Paulo Fonseca’s side have wavered a little in recent weeks, particularly away from home, where they are winless in four, but against a demoralised opponent, they should come through.
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Back the 9-fold Ligue 1 accumulator this Saturday @ 33/1
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