the race to maintain is completely relaunched

Ligue 1 has the reputation of being the league of talents. It is also the league of suspense. This 36th day has considerably changed the lines. Nîmes, which we believed to be out of the game, returned to the race after his victory in Metz (3-0). Nantes continues to come back with this third victory in a row. Lorient is still in danger despite the recent good results, while Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Brest and even Reims probably thought they were protected by their previous results. It is not so. The bottom of the table, Dijon excepted, has tightened and the last days are likely to create a stir, one last time.

Nîmes, 19th, 35 points:

The crestfallen faces of the Nîmes spoke volumes after their draw at home against Reims (2-2) a week ago. They probably thought that the equalizer conceded in the last ten minutes had definitely condemned them to relegation. Except that their authoritarian victory in Metz this Sunday (3-0) changed the situation. Coming back to 2 points from Nantes, 3 from Lorient and Strasbourg, the Crocos still harbor hope, because in front of them, there will be direct confrontations, starting with a Strasbourg-Lorient or even a Reims-Bordeaux on the 38th day. . The schedule with the reception of OL and then a trip to Rennes is not favorable to them, but, with the success in Moselle, they have earned the right to always believe in it. It’s already that. To save yourself, you will have to take at least 4 points out of the 6 remaining ones.

Nantes, 18th, 37 points:

We buried the Canaries after their three-game losing streak in April. Overtaken by Lorient in the standings, they still found the resources to catch the wheel of the Merlus and have just won three consecutive victories, including two against Strasbourg and Brest, direct competitors. They are only one at a small point to escape the place of barrage. Simon has regained his legs, Blas is more decisive than ever, Coulibaly finally scores, in short the sighted people are again green and the beautiful victory against Bordeaux this weekend (3-0) will boost their morale to the max. Especially since the schedule is rather favorable to them with a trip to Dijon, the red lantern which has already abdicated for a long time, and the reception of Montpellier. If there is one team that can benefit from the direct confrontations of its competitors, it is FC Nantes.

Lorient, 17th, 38 points:

After a first part of the season ended in 19th place, 5 points from the first non-relegation, the promoted makes a very strong second half of the championship. Gradually, the Hakes nibbled their delay, even leaving the red zone, in particular thanks to victories against competitors in maintenance like Bordeaux and Brest. If the formation of Christophe Pélissier always concedes too many goals (penultimate defense of L1), it can count on an excellent Terem Moffi (12 goals in 2021) and on the fact that it holds its destiny in hand. On the last two matches, Lorient receives FC Metz who has not put one foot in front of the other for a few weeks, and will play a sort of final in La Meinau against Strasbourg on the 38th day. The two teams are currently tied on points.

Strasbourg, 16th, 38 points:

Racing plays to scare each other. While it seemed protected for several weeks thanks to a series of good results until the end of the winter, Strasbourg is no longer moving forward. Only one victory over the last eight matches and the whole club is shaking. Because the red zone is fast approaching with the comebacks of Lorient and Nantes in particular. The Alsatians show a lot of irregularities in the same match. The performances against Bordeaux, Nîmes, Nantes or even Montpellier are there to testify, reviving in the passage of the direct competitors like the players of Kombouaré. At the end of his career at the club (he arrives at the end of his contract in June), Laurey no longer seems to have much control over his group. Next weekend in Nice will be delicate and it will probably be necessary to play its maintenance in a final against Lorient in a better dynamic.

Bordeaux, 15th, 39 points:

It is undoubtedly the worst season for the Girondins for a long time. Mired in the calamitous management of its King Street shareholder who is throwing in the towel, a locker room cracked everywhere, a coach who is waiting for the end of his contract after having made a lot of mistakes, the club with the scapular multiplies the problems . However, there had never been any question of maintaining it until January, then, like a pressure cooker, everything exploded. 2 victories and a draw in the last 16 matches have blown up the last dikes which protected Bordeaux from the bottom of the standings. With only two points ahead of the Nantes play-off, nothing is certain yet, especially as Lens will play its European future at Matmut Atlantique before a probably decisive trip to Reims on the 38th day.

Brest, 14th, 40 points:

A bit like Strasbourg, Stade Brestois got into trouble on its own. Stuck in the middle of the standings since the start of the season, the Bretons have never looked too much in their rearview mirror, only the current bad series, a victory over the last 8 matches, forcing them to observe the dangerous reality in the face. They are only three points ahead of the 18th and the momentum of the moment does not inspire confidence, as evidenced by the spanking received against the Canaries at Francis-Le Blé (4-1) and the defeat at the very end. meeting against ten Nice (3-2). The timing is not really favorable to them either. We will have to go to Montpellier before finishing the season at home against PSG. If there are still a few people between the Brest residents and the danger zone, mistrust is in order.

Reims, 13th, 42 points:

The Champenois also seemed safe after correcting the situation following a bad start to the season. But here too the momentum is not good with two small successes over the last 15 meetings. The Stade de Reims does not win often, but does not lose much either, linking mainly to draws, hence this impression of stagnation and this low ranking which is approaching. The departure already formalized at the end of the season of David Guion must have played a little in the heads. With 42 units on the clock, there is no danger in the remainder. One point should be enough to save Reims heads, but if we look at the calendar, it’s far from done. Because after the defeat against Monaco this weekend (1-0), it follows with a trip to Paris and then the reception of Bordeaux, in a match that could well take on the appearance of a final for these two teams.