Even if the defeat in the surprise draw of PSG against Le Havre 3-3 at the Parc des Princes on Saturday evening mathematically offers Monaco the slightest probability of the title, the Rocher team will above all want to consolidate its direct access to the Champions League , reserved for the 2nd and 3rd in Ligue 1, against OL at Groupama stadium this Sunday evening (7 p.m.).
As such, the Lyon – Monaco this Sunday evening (7 p.m.) is worth its weight in popcorn. Monaco, 2nd, is obviously aiming for direct access to the Champions League, reserved for 2nd and 3rd in Ligue 1, in which it has not taken part since 2018. A completely different result than a victory would offer the title to PSG but, above all, could allow the pursuers (Brest and Lille) to still hope for runner-up status.
As for OL, transfigured while they were in last place in Ligue 1 in mid-December, they are fighting to hold on to 7th place, which could prove to qualify for the Europa Conference League in the event of PSG’s victory in the final. of the Coupe de France – against OL, in Lille on May 25.
Before going to Lyon, Monaco is 5 points ahead of Brest, 3rd, thanks to its success in Brittany last week (2-0). But it is above all Lille, 4th at 6 points, and only potential barrier in the Champions League, that Monaco intends to keep at bay.
Six points ahead of twelve remaining to be distributed, this may seem comfortable. But for ten years, Monaco has experienced so many disappointments in the preliminary round or in the play-offs for access to the group stage of the C1, against Valencia in 2015, in Donetsk in 2021, or in Eindhoven in 2022, that it is out of the question for the club’s management to expose themselves to such Russian roulette next August.
“It’s going to be a high-stakes, complicated match against a strong, fit and well-organized opponent,” says the young Monegasque Maghnes Akliouche. “Having taken six points against two direct competitors (Brest and Lille), that means that we are on the right track,” continues Krepin Diatta. We are a team. We want to do things together, that’s the most important thing. But we must not say that it is already done. »
Like the Senegalese, Youssouf Fofana has never experienced C1 in the Principality. The French international therefore warned after the victory over Lille 1-0 on Wednesday: “I speak with knowledge of the facts, because of my years spent here. We must give everything until this place is secure.”
With eight matches without defeat – six wins, two draws – Adi Hütter, the ASM coach, notes that his team is experiencing “a good run”. And this, despite the lack of realism from Wissam Ben Yedder, nine matches without scoring, and despite the absences of Golovine, Ben Seghir and Singo.
⚽ Since D26, we are the 2nd best attack in Ligue 1 🔥
Here are the statistics to know before #OLASM ⤵
— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) April 27, 2024
However, Hütter does not lose sight of the fact that OL are in 3rd place in the return match rankings – behind PSG and Monaco. Before this setback at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, Ol remained on five games without defeat. Also, it is indeed a shock at the top that will be in question at the Groupama stadium on Sunday evening.
