Race for Champions League spots in France is wide open
The race for the remaining Champions League places behind Paris Saint-Germain remains wide open in the French league after Marseille drew 1-1 at Lille.
With two rounds left and PSG already crowned champions, second-placed Marseille missed the chance to open up a three-point gap on Monaco after goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli's blunder in the 74th minute on Sunday (Monday AEST).
The top three teams qualify for the group stage of the Champions League, with the fourth team getting a spot in the qualifying rounds.
Marseille have a one-point lead over Monaco, who won 3-1 at Saint-Etienne on Saturday, with a trio of chasing teams - Nice, Lille and Strasbourg - one point further back.
The race is on — only 2 points between 2nd and 5th! 🔥🏁 pic.twitter.com/adbczV1Vcb
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) May 4, 2025
Lille striker Jonathan David intercepted Rulli's attempted pass inside the box and headed the ball towards Matias Fernandez Pardo, who shot past the goalkeeper into the back of the net.
Amine Gouiri had put Marseille in front in the 57th minute from Adrien Rabiot's assist.
PSG secured the French league title last month with six matches to spare, but the fight for the Champions League places has not been lacking suspense. Just five points separate second-placed Marseille from seventh-placed Lyon.
Lyon's hopes of European soccer next season took a blow as the seven-time French champions lost 2-1 against Lens.
Anass Zaroury scored the winner with a superb 30-metre strike into the top corner five minutes from time, soon after Georges Mikautadze levelled for the hosts with a header.
The result left Lyon outside of the European places, six points above eighth-placed Lens.
Lyon enjoyed much of the possession but lacked a cutting edge and went behind when Goduine Koyalipou scored after a corner in the 21st minute.
Substitute Jim Allevinah scored his first goal for Angers in the French league as his club won 1-0 at Nantes to leapfrog their rivals and take a big step towards survival in the top division.
In a match of few chances for both squads, Allevinah scored with a low strike in the 52nd minute. It was the first shot on target in the match.
Allevinah, a Gabon international, came on after 20 minutes as a replacement for the injured Zinedine Ferhat.
Angers moved to 14th place in the standings, one point above Nantes and two points above Le Havre, currently in the relegation playoff spot.
Le Havre won 2-1 at Auxerre to move four points above the drop zone.
In the day's other match, Brest beat last-placed Montpellier 1-0.
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