Matchday 25: What to watch in Ligue 1 this Weekend
Matchday 25 in Ligue 1 arrives with key storylines across every section of the table. Paris Saint-Germain aim to extend their lead at the summit, Marseille and Lille continue their Champions League push, while Auxerre battle to escape the relegation zone.
With 10 rounds remaining after this weekend, every point is going to matter. Here are the five biggest things to watch across Ligue 1 this weekend.
1. PSG vs Monaco – Another chapter in a familiar clash
Friday night’s curtain-raiser sees Paris Saint-Germain host Monaco at the Parc des Princes, the third meeting between the two sides in less than a month.
PSG come into the match four points clear at the top of Ligue 1, having beaten Le Havre 1-0 last weekend. Luis Enrique’s side have been formidable in Paris, winning nine of their last 10 league matches and scoring 11 goals across their last three home games without reply.
Defensively, things have tightened too. PSG have kept three clean sheets in their last four Ligue 1 matches, another sign of their growing control domestically.
Monaco, meanwhile, are quietly rebuilding momentum. Sébastien Pocognoli’s team have won three consecutive Ligue 1 matches, including a dramatic 3-2 comeback win away to Lens.
The Principality club are now just three points behind the European places, meaning an upset in Paris could dramatically reshape the race for continental qualification.
One detail adds intrigue: Monaco already beat PSG 1-0 earlier this season at Stade Louis II.
2. Toulouse seek league response against Marseille
Just days after their Coupe de France quarter-final meeting, Toulouse and Marseille meet again, this time in Ligue 1 at the Stadium de Toulouse.
Toulouse’s league form has stalled. Carles Martínez’s side are winless in five Ligue 1 matches, scoring only once or twice during that stretch after a productive first half of the campaign.
Yet they remain solid at home. Toulouse are unbeaten in four consecutive home matches across all competitions, conceding only twice in that period.
Marseille arrive with Champions League ambitions firmly in focus. The club currently sit fourth in Ligue 1, occupying a qualification spot, and last weekend’s dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Lyon showed their resilience.
However, Habib Beye is still chasing his first Ligue 1 away victory as Marseille manager, with OM failing to score in their previous two league trips.
History favours Marseille in this fixture: they are unbeaten in eight competitive matches away to Toulouse.
3. Lille look to strengthen their European bid
Lille’s late-season push for Europe continues on Sunday when they host Lorient at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Bruno Génésio’s side appear to have rediscovered their rhythm after a difficult start to 2026. Lille have won three consecutive matches in all competitions without conceding a goal, including a narrow 1-0 victory over Nantes last weekend.
The stakes are clear. Lille sit three points behind Marseille in the race for Champions League qualification, while Monaco trail them by the same margin in seventh.
Against Lorient, recent history strongly favours the hosts. Lille have won their last four home league matches against Les Merlus, scoring heavily in the process.
Lorient, though, remain difficult opponents. Olivier Pantaloni’s side have lost only once in their last 13 Ligue 1 matches, even if several of those results have been draws.
4. Lyon aim to halt a rare losing streak
After weeks as Ligue 1’s form team, Lyon suddenly face pressure again.
Paulo Fonseca’s side have lost their last two league matches, including the thrilling 3-2 defeat against Marseille. A third consecutive defeat would mark Fonseca’s worst domestic run since taking charge in January 2025.
Fortunately for Lyon, they return to a venue where they have been dominant. Les Gones have won five straight Ligue 1 matches at Groupama Stadium.
The visitors, Paris FC, arrive with renewed confidence under Antoine Kombouaré, who secured victory in his first match as head coach with a 1-0 win over Nice.
While Paris FC sit 14th, they are nine points clear of automatic relegation, meaning the pressure is arguably greater on Lyon as they fight to secure Champions League qualification.
5. Auxerre fighting for survival against Strasbourg
At the other end of the table, Auxerre host Strasbourg in a match with huge implications in the relegation battle.
Christophe Pélissier’s side currently occupy the relegation play-off position, but they remain within reach of safety.
Encouragingly, Auxerre have lost only one of their last five Ligue 1 matches, and a recent 2-2 draw away to Lorient showed improved attacking output after a long scoring drought earlier in the winter.
However, scoring remains the major issue. Auxerre are the lowest-scoring team in Ligue 1 this season with just 19 goals.
Strasbourg, meanwhile, continue to chase European qualification under Gary O’Neil. Their midweek Coupe de France victory over Reims marked their 20th win in all competitions this season, their best tally since the 1996–97 campaign.
Yet league consistency remains elusive, with just three wins in their last 12 Ligue 1 matches.
READ MORE:
>> Monaco go to PSG in search of "revenge"
