The Ligue 1 title is PSG's but the last automatic Champions League place is not yet decided
PARIS (AP) — French attention turns to who gets the last automatic place for next season’s Champions League now that Paris Saint-Germain has secured its 14th Ligue 1 title with a victory over second-place Lens . The last round in the top domestic league sets up a three-way contest involving Lille, Lyon and Rennes to finish third and join PSG and Lens in the European competition. The fourth-place team will go into qualifying for the Champions League.
It promises to be close, with third-place Lille one point ahead of Lyon and two clear of fifth-place Rennes. At the bottom of the standings, Nice and Auxerre are vying to stay up and are level on points, with Le Havre one point above them. Nantes and last-place Metz have been relegated.
The team finishing 16th — Auxerre, Nice or Le Havre — must navigate a tricky promotion-relegation playoff against the third-place team in Ligue 2. All the matches are on Sunday. Key matchups Lille and Nice fans have a close bond, and Lille could do Nice a big favor with a home win against Auxerre.
Nice is favorite to beat Metz at home but Rennes has a difficult away game at Marseille, which will move into fifth on goal difference if it wins. Marseille coach Habib Beye was Rennes coach when it beat Marseille on the opening day of the season. He may have to beat his former club to save his job amid a chaotic season for Marseille.
Lyon also has a challenging game at home to Lens — although Lens coach Pierre Sage may rest key players ahead of the French Cup final against Nice on May 22. PSG is away at Paris FC in the third capital city derby of the season. PSG won in the league but was knocked out of the French Cup by Paris FC in January.