Everything is open in the French Ligue 1, except the fight for the title. PSG have already been crowned, and the others will try to achieve their ambitions in the final three rounds. The battle for Europe, but also for survival, is in full swing. Bottom dwellers Clermont have not yet been written off, but this Saturday they face a difficult visit to Monaco. The Monégasques also need a win to stay in second place. Third-placed Brest have the endangered Nantes as their opponent, while Metz and Havre are also under pressure to win and move away from the danger zone.With three rounds to go in the campaign, Monaco are in the best starting position in terms of “winning” the runner-up position. Still, it’s far from a done deal. They need to keep their composure in the upcoming clash in which they will challenge Clermont, as the rival does not lack motivation to survive in the league.It is true that the guests are in a very unenviable situation, from which it will not be easy to find a way out. In the last round, Clermont easily defeated Reims at home 4-1 and it was one of the best performances of the team in the past few months. After that success, the club is four points behind from the 16th place, which leads to the playoffs. In addition, Clermont do not have an easy schedule, because after Monaco they will challenge Lyon at home in the regional derby, followed by a showdown with Lorient.✨ 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙙𝙖𝙮 ✨We face @ClermontFoot in @Ligue1_ENG in our quest to secure @ChampionsLeague qualification ⭐️#ASMCF63 pic.twitter.com/bOtG1l6Imc— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) May 4, 2024 At the same time, the team from the Principality must not hand over points to the opponent. At the moment, Monaco must fend off the attacks of third-placed Brest, who are two points away, and fourth-placed Lille, who are three steps away in the fight for second place in the table.After the previous defeat in Lyon of 3-2, with which Monaco ended the streak of four victories in a row, i.e. eight matches in the league without failure, the players of coach Adi Hutter are facing an imperative.Monaco enter the duel without the injured Golovin, Jakobs and Zakaria, while the guests are missing Allevinah, Berkani, Gonalons, Konate and Mabrouk. The Monégasques are undefeated in seven past clashes with Clermont, and have won this season’s match 4-2.During April, Brest had a rather demanding schedule. They had massive objections to the refereeing after the 4-3 defeat in Lyon, and then they failed to cope with Monaco where they were defeated 2-0. In the last duel, however, they were victorious in one of the derbies of Brittany, as they defeated Rennes away with a score of 5-4. Now another derby awaits, another regional match-up, as Nantes are fighting for survival in Ligue 1.📰 Retrouvez en .PDF, le journal officiel des Rouge & Blanc édité à l’occasion du match Brest – Nantes ! 🔴⚪⚔ #SB29FCN ↪ https://t.co/8DIB7xFJ4O pic.twitter.com/ggvHO4gzku— Stade Brestois 29 (@SB29) May 4, 2024 Nine goals were seen at Roazhon Park last week, and there is no doubt that it was one of the most dramatic and exciting matches of the season on the French top-flight stage. Coach Eric Roy’s Pirates, thanks to the victory, have regained the strategic third place, which they will try to keep, although they are threatened by the ever-improving Lille. If Brest manage to finish in third position, we will see this club with one of the smallest budgets in Ligue 1 in the main stage of the new Champions League format.In any case, the Canaries will not travel to Brest relaxed. They have to do their best – not only because fans have a hard time forgiving failures in matches against local rivals, but because they want to take an important step towards survival. Three points currently separate coach Antoine Kombouaré’s team from sixteenth place.LIGUE 1 – MATCHDAYFriday Toulouse – Montpellier 1-2 (1-1)/Dallinga 34 – Savanier 27, Fayad 81/Lens – Lorient 2-0 (0-0)/Wahi 57, Da Costa 81/Saturday 16:00: (2.40) Le Havre (3.30) Strasbourg (3.25)18:00: (1.32) Monaco (5.70) Clermont (8.50)20:00: (3.70) Metz (3.50) Rennes (2.15)22:00: (1.75) Brest (3.50) Nantes (5.00)Monday 22:00: (1.95) Lille (3.60) Olympique Lyon (4.20)DELAYED UNTIL MAY 15Nice – PSGReims – Olympique Marseille***odds are subject to change***
