With Marseille champions and Grenoble, Boulogne and Le Mans already relegated, the only issues to be tied up on the final day of the French season on Saturday involve European qualification.
Lille and Lyon currently sit second and third in the table respectively and they can make sure of a top-three finish, and with it a place in next season’s Champions League, by winning their final matches.
Lille face a challenging trip to Lorient and while a point would probably suffice due to their two-point lead and superior goal difference over fourth-placed Auxerre, they will be keen to finish second to secure direct qualification for the Champions League.
“Lorient are a team who play good football, who don’t give an inch and who have some pretty strong individuals,” said Lille centre-back Adil Rami. “It won’t be a gift for us.”
Lille will be without defender Mathieu Debuchy after he dislocated his shoulder scoring the winning goal against Marseille last weekend.
Lyon, beaten by Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of this season’s Champions League, moved into the top three with a comprehensive 3-0 win at home to Monaco on Wednesday and welcome third-bottom Le Mans to Stade Gerland on Saturday.
“We have to believe in second place,” said striker Bafetimbi Gomis.
“We’re still under pressure because we already wanted to finish with a win over Le Mans.”
The match will be the last in a Lyon shirt for 30-year-old France international winger Sidney Govou, who is set to leave the club after 14 years and seven championship medals with Les Gones.
Kim Kallstrom is likely to miss out for Lyon after hurting his ankle against Monaco, while Francois Clerc, Maxime Gonalons and Cesar Delgado remain unavailable.
Should either Lille or Lyon slip up, Auxerre will be waiting to pounce and they approach their match at Sochaux knowing victory is the only way they can squeeze into the Champions League after a season that has defied expectations.
The teams finishing fourth and fifth will go into the second-tier Europa League and Montpellier currently occupy fifth ahead of their trip to French Cup winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Montpellier have a two-point lead over deposed champions Bordeaux, in sixth place, but realistically need to beat PSG because, in the event of a Bordeaux win at Lens, a draw would not be enough for Montpellier due to Bordeaux’s better goal difference.
“The club will try to put together a very competitive team to get back in the Champions League, I have confidence in them,” said Bordeaux right-back Matthieu Chalme on Bordeaux’s summer recruitment plans.
“Bordeaux are an attractive club, and it would be even better if we are at least in the Europa League.”
Marseille, who this season ended their 18-year wait for the Ligue 1 title, finish their campaign at home to bottom club Grenoble.
Rennes’ 19-year-old midfielder Yann M’Vila will look to finish his season on a high when his side visit Boulogne, after he was surprisingly included in Raymond Domenech’s provisional France squad for the World Cup.
His club-mate Jimmy Briand also made the list following his stirring return to form after seven months out with a serious knee injury, while Toulouse striker Andre-Pierre Gignac will want to bring his season to a goalscoring conclusion at home to Monaco after he, too, was called up by Domenech.
Fixtures
Saturday (all 1900GMT)
Boulogne v Rennes, Lens v Bordeaux, Lorient v Lille, Lyon v Le Mans, Marseille v Grenoble, Nancy v Valenciennes, Nice v Saint-Etienne, Paris Saint-Germain v Montpellier, Sochaux v Auxerre, Toulouse v Monaco
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