Monaco and Brest chase Champions League spot

PARIS: four-way fight to qualify for next season’s Champions League from Ligue 1 edges closer to its finale this weekend, while several teams are still scrapping to avoid relegation.

Paris Saint-germain have already been crowned champions and have the week off domestic duty, leaving other clubs to take the spotlight.

Brest guaranteed themselves a place in Europe next season for the first time in their history with a remarkable 5-4 victory over Rennes last Sunday.

The Breton club are also on the brink of qualifying for the Champions League.

The top three teams in Ligue 1 secure places in thechampionsleaguegroupstage,withthefourthplaced club heading into the qualifying rounds.

Brest sit third, two points behind Monaco and one clear of Lille, heading into Saturday’s home match against Nantes.

“Last season we secured survival with three games let. Today we have qualified for Europe. It’s remarkable,” Brest coach Eric Roy said ater victory in the Britany derby.

Fith-placed Nice are still in the hunt too, though, following a four-match unbeaten streak, siting a further four points behind although do not play this weekend.

Monaco could secure at least a top-four finish with a home win over botom club Clermont, while Lille welcome in-form Lyon to the Stade Pierre-mauroy on Monday.

Lyon were facing a humiliating fight just to beat relegation this season when they were rooted to the foot of the table with just seven points from 14 games.

But Pierre Sage has turned their fortunes around since replacing Fabio Grosso as coach and the seven-time French champions are now eyeing a return to European competition for the first time since reaching the Europa League quarter-finals two years ago.

“We will try to grab as many points as possible to achieve this goal,” Sage said ater the Monaco win. “My players are able to take setbacks in games and recover to regain the lead.”

Lille can take a big step towards the Champions League themselves, but Lyon were on a five-match winning run in the league away from home until a loss at PSG last month. The batle to avoid the drop remains wide open heading into the last three rounds of matches, with just seven points separating botom side Clermont from 14th-placed Nantes.