Another Ligue 1 season and another Paris Saint-Germain triumph or so it seems as Christophe Galtier’s team of megastars homes in on an eighth league triumph in 10 seasons.
Only Lille and AS Monaco have managed the wrestle the French title away from Paris over the past decade, and it doesn’t look like anyone is ready to step up this season with a spectacular set of Ligue 1 2023 results good enough to shake Les Parisiens.
Kylian Mbappe scored a 90th minute winner to give PSG a fourth consecutive win, beating Brest 2-1, and the champions are breaking away since they’re now 10 points clear of second placed Marseille.
That’s not to say head coach Galtier isn’t under pressure by the way, as his team’s exit from the Champions League at the first knockout phase is not to the club’s owners’ liking.
But let’s leave him to worry about that and take a look at the other battles raging down the top flight league table.
The top three
Three French teams will qualify for the 2023-24 Champions League and the latest Ligue 1 2023 betting odds reckon the two clubs occupying second and third will stay there and join PSG among Europe’s elite next season.
Marseille are in decent shape in second despite drawing at home to Strasbourg last weekend, while surprise package Lens continue to impress in third.
Lois Openda scored a five-minute hat-trick as Les Sang et Or hammered Clermont Foot on Sunday. His first on the half hour was a fine shot from a tight angle, and then two more clinical finishes on 34 and 35 to seal the points.
That took Openda onto 10 goals for the campaign and kept Lens in that priceless third place.
AS Monaco are in danger of slipping away, losing at home to Reims to make it just a single point from the last three games.
Lille’s Jonathan David scored a hat-trick against Lyon to make in 19 for the campaign and draw up alongside Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.
We’ve talked about Canada star David a lot here at SBOTOP and he’s a real talent. But former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette scored a late brace to earn Lyon a 3-3 draw and keep Lille in sixth place, five points behind Monaco in fourth and eight behind Lens in third.
But Lille are just about still in the hunt for a top three place as are Rennes, who stayed fifth after playing out a frustrating 0-0 draw away to battling Auxerre.
Europa League
In addition to Monaco, Rennes, and Lille, three more teams realistically have chances to grab a Europa League place.
Seventh-placed Nice are the biggest name in the second chasing pack. And with 18 points from the last eight games, they are the team in form.
With the experience of skipper Dante in defence and keeper Kasper Schmeichel to lead the team, Nice will be a tough opponent in the run-in and they have their eyes on at least matching their fifth-place finish of last season.
Nice are four points behind fifth placed Rennes on 43 alongside Reims and Lorient. Will Still’s Reims are on the charge too with four wins and a draw from the last five games and are certain to improve on their 12th place from the 2021/22 campaign.
And they put down a marker at the weekend with a 1-0 victory away to Monaco, as Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun scored the winner early in the second half.
Lorient only just survived relegation last term, but under the guidance of head coach Regis Le Bris they are a different prospect this season, beating Troyes 2-0 to stay in the hunt for Europe.
Lyon, in 10th, will still push for a place. But seven points behind Rennes and with four teams to outrun, they have a lot of work to do.
The fight for survival
Unfortunately for Angers, we can pretty much say they are doomed, sitting rock bottom, 13 from safety on 10 points and 10 behind their nearest rivals.
19th placed Troyes have just picked up a single point in five games and are in real trouble, but it is three from five for the drop with Troyes, Ajaccio, Auxerre, Brest, and Strasbourg separated by just three points.
Auxerre, on 23 points alongside Brest and Strasbourg, have some momentum with two wins and three draws from the last five and they look best placed to climb away from trouble.
Coupe de France holders, Nantes, are in 14th on 29 points and should be able to avoid being dragged into the scrap for survival.
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