Monaco drop points, Champions League race rivals close
Monaco have dropped points in the race to qualify directly for next season's Champions League after drawing at Ligue 1 strugglers Le Havre 1-1.
Monaco moved above Marseille and into second place on goal difference, but direct rivals Lyon in fourth, Nice in fifth and sixth-placed Strasbourg all won on Saturday to move one point behind Monaco with three matches left.
The top three qualify automatically and the team finishing fourth enter qualifying. Marseille need to beat mid-table Brest on Sunday to reclaim second spot.
Lyon blew Rennes apart in the first half on the way to a 4-1 win.
Lyon completes two months undefeated at home 🦁🏠 pic.twitter.com/f8a7wG8uPZ
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) April 26, 2025
Belgium forward Malick Fofana scored a brilliant goal, cutting in from the left and curling the ball into the top right corner from 20 metres out.
Veteran captain Corentin Tolisso curled one into the bottom right corner from outside the penalty area and Alexandre Lacazette blasted a shot into the top right following a rapid counterattack.
Rennes replied early in the second half through 17-year-old striker Mohamed Kader Meïté before Lyon's fourth goal from Georges Mikautadze, which was the best of the night.
Midfielder Rayan Cherki swapped passes inside the penalty area with Mikautadze and then, despite having almost no space, flicked the ball up to the Georgia winger, who controlled it on his chest before adroitly volleying in.
The draw boosted Le Havre's chances of staying up after fellow relegation battlers Saint-Etienne earlier lost at Strasbourg 3-1.
Le Havre were in 16th place and the relegation-promotion playoff spot, one point above Saint-Etienne.
Lorient were promoted from the second tier after beating last-placed Caen 4-0.
Saint-Etienne's defeat left the 10-time former champions in deep trouble.
Strasbourg's scorers were left wing back Diego Moreira, striker Emanuel Emegha, and right wing back Dilane Bakwa, who finished a move skilfully started by Guéla Doué, the older brother of Paris Saint-Germain star Désiré Doué.
Georgia winger Zuriko Davitashvili equalised for Saint-Etienne.
On Friday, French champions PSG lost 3-1 at home to Nice to end their chances of finishing the league unbeaten.
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