Matchday 21: What to Watch in Ligue 1 this weekend
PSG vs Olympique de Marseille
Le Classique is back for a third time this season, and will have everything to live up to on Sunday evening (20:45 CET) after two dramatic encounters already this season. Les Parisiens sit at the top of the table just two points ahead of Lens, whilst Marseille are still trailing behind in third place.
Roberto De Zerbi's men avoided a crisis with a convincing win over Stade Rennais in the Coupe de France (3-0) following a draw to Paris FC (2-2) after Les Olympiens were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League earlier this month. "They are the best team in the world at the moment," Roberto De Zerbi said last Wednesday ahead of the clash against the capital side. OM were 90 seconds away from winning the Trophée des Champions, before a last minute strike from Gonçalo Ramos saw a blistering 2-2 draw go to penalties in Kuwait last month.
Luis Enrique's side, with all their experience of shootouts at the European level, pulled through to take their revenge after Marseille won the first Ligue 1 Classique clash in September with a 1-0 win at the Vélodrome. It was the first time in 14 years that Marseille had won a Classique in their home stadium in Ligue 1, the wait was certainly worth it. At the Parc, Enrique's men will be hoping to keep their slender lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table, and atone for their defeat to OM earlier in September (1-0).
Nice vs Monaco
OGC Nice will welcome Monaco to the Allianz Riviera on Sunday afternoon for the final Côte d'Azur clash of the season, with Les Aiglons still looking for their first home win of the calendar year under Claude Puel. Nice had started the month with a 2-2 draw at home to Brest, and have shown some signs of encouragement since their bad run of form before the turn of the year.
Meanwhile Monaco got back to winning ways with an emphatic win over Rennes at the weekend, but will be looking to pick themselves back up after being knocked out of the Coupe de France in midweek against Strasbourg.
Brest vs Lorient
Lorient have been one of the feel-good stories of the season so far, managing to compete in their return to Ligue 1 McDonald's and sitting ninth in the table and only three points off Rennes in a UEFA Conference League spot. Olivier Pantaloni's side have won three of their last five games, and are currently on an unbeaten run of 12 matches after advancing to the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France last Wednesday.
Eric Roy's Brest side fell to 12th last weekend, marking a run where Les Pirates have only won one in their previous four outings since the turn of the year. Yet they have previous form in this derby, not having lost any of their last three top flight meetings with Lorient. Can Les Merlus stop that run this weekend?
Lens vs Rennes
Pierre Sage's side can provisionally re-take top spot in the Ligue 1 McDonald's on Saturday if they win over a Rennes side out of sorts. It will also be the second time that Sage will meet Rennes boss Habib Beye, with whom he worked with at Ligue 2 BKT side Red Star just three years ago. Les Sang & Or have managed to shake off a disappointing result to Marseille two weeks ago (3-1), and still sit just two points behind PSG off the summit of the table. With Marseille travelling to the Parc des Princes on Sunday, it could be the perfect moment to take advantage for Sage.
Nantes vs Lyon
After a run of five straight wins, Paulo Fonseca's Lyon side are right back into the picture in the race for Champions League qualification - and potentially more. Les Gones have won their last two away games in Ligue 1, scoring a combined eight goals over that period. They will face a Nantes side who have only won one of their last six games in Ligue 1.
READ MORE:
>>Who is Aaron Anselmino, Strasbourg’s new defensive signing?
