The first objective is almost achieved. After crushing Le Havre (4-0) at the start of the month, PSG is preparing to host AS Saint-Étienne at the PSG Campus in Poissy (Yvelines) this Saturday (2:30 p.m.) for the 17th day of D1 Arkema. In the event of a victory, Jocelyn Prêcheur’s players will validate their ticket for the playoffs, a new feature implemented by the FFF for the first time this season. They will allow, through a Final with the first four of the championship, to distribute, on the one hand, the title of champion, and on the other hand, the qualifying places for the Champions League for the season next.
Seventh, 6 points behind Montpellier, fourth, but with a late match to play against Paris FC, Saint-Etienne seems an opponent within reach of the Parisiennes. Even if he remains on two victories, and has not yet given up on the idea of participating in the playoffs. After PSG, the Saint-Etienne club will face Olympique Lyonnais in April, the undisputed leader and already qualified. But a good number of OL players and Sonia Bompastor’s staff still express their annoyance at this new rule.
This could be considered, according to them, as an injustice in the event of premature exit once the playoffs arrive. At the PSG Campus, a completely different state of mind reigns. In the championship, the Parisiennes have only managed to break the Rhone supremacy once, in 2021, and see this new formula as an opportunity to overthrow OL in the space of two matches. The playoffs, which will award the title and qualifying places in the Champions League, will begin with the semi-finals on May 12 and end on May 19.
