PSG rests, others chase Champions League spot
With Paris Saint-Germain given the weekend off to prepare for its trip to Liverpool in the Champions League, there will be no top-of-the-table clash against Lens this weekend.
The French league controversially postponed the 1st vs. 2nd encounter following a request from PSG. Initially set for April 11, it fell between PSG’s two quarterfinal legs against Liverpool and will now be played on May 13.
Victory would have allowed Lens — which opposed the change — to close the gap to one point on leader PSG, which has played one less game.
Instead, the focus this weekend will be on the battle for third place, which secures automatic entry into the Champions League next season, while the team in fourth enters qualifying. It promises to be an exciting race to the line with Lille, Marseille, Monaco, Lyon and Rennes all in contention.
Third-placed Lille and seventh-placed Rennes are separated by three points with six rounds left.
Key matchups: Fourth-placed Marseille and fifth-place Monaco are level on points. Marseille needs to bounce back from last weekend’s loss to Monaco with a home win over rock-bottom Metz.
Monaco is on a seven-game winning streak in the league as it heads to face Paris FC. Both games are on Friday.
Rennes hosts Angers on Saturday while Lille goes to midtable Toulouse on Sunday. Sixth-place Lyon bids to end a nine-match winless run in all competitions when it hosts Lorient on Sunday.
The goals have dried up for Lyon with only three scored in the past six games.
