With four games to go, the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season is yet to determine its winner. Lille, PSG, and Monaco are still in the title race after this week's results, but things could change after next weekend due to each team's upcoming commitments.
Added to the battle to become champions, teams from the lower part of the table are eager to solve their problems and keep themselves in the French top-flight. Apart from Dijon, who have sealed their relegation to Ligue 2, teams such as Nimes, Nantes, Lorient, and Bordeaux will give their all for a new chance in Ligue 1 after what has been quite a disappointing season for all of them.
Without further ado, let's have a look at what went down in the top-tier of French football this weekend.
Top five teams in Ligue 1 until April 25
Lille kept the top spot in the league thanks to a brace by Burak Yilmaz, who solved the game against Lyon with a late goal. Earlier in the weekend, PSG kept the pressure on the league leaders with their 3-1 win over Metz, while Monaco cemented their case as third by winning their fifth game in a row, this time against Angers.
Ligue 1's Top 3 scorers
Kylian Mbappé extended his lead at the top of the goalscoring charts with his brace against Metz. Memphis Depay failed to score for the second game in a row, which opened the gate for Wissam Ben Yedder to level his 18 goals for second place. Monaco's striker has scored four goals in his last four games, which have seen him rise through the ranks in recent weeks.
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Ligue 1 - Top headlines
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Matchday 34 makes history as one of the most prolific in front of goal - The last weekend in the French top-flight will go down in history as one where teams were quite accurate in front of goal, as there were 38 goals scored during the weekend. This is the highest amount for any matchday since MD 38 of the 2007-08 season, when 43 goals were scored.
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Ben Yedder: Monaco's ace in the hole - Striker Wissam Ben Yedder was key to help Monaco win one more clash, and he did that while scoring his 5th goal coming from the bench. Ben Yedder's goal cemented his place as the most prolific scorer coming from the bench not only in the French league, but also in the top 5 European leagues.
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Lyon match woeful record in 3-2 defeat to Lille - Lyon seemed to have Lille in their pockets with their 2-0 lead after 35 minutes, but that changed after Lille's surge with three goals in 45 minutes. This marked the third time in history in which Lyon were not able to hold on to a two-goal lead while playing at home, and the first one since 2012. With this result, it seems rather unlikely now to see Lyon lifting the title, as they are now six points behind Lille with only 12 left to battle for.
Top matches to watch in Ligue 1 from April 30-May 2, 2021
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PSG vs Lens - If Pochettino's men want to keep their title hopes alive, then dropping points against the 5th-placed Lens is not an option. The reverse fixture this season ended in a one-nil win for Lens, which makes us think that Neymar, Mbappé, and Co. will not have it easy to claim all the points to themselves.
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Lille vs Nice - Les Dogues have somehow survived some late scares to keep the top of the table, but Nice will not make it easy for them this time around. Three of the last six games between these teams have ended in similar one-all draws, and given each team's needs, we might anticipate a close match between them once more.
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Monaco vs Lyon - The most recent game between these teams concluded in a two-nil win for Monaco, and one more result of the sort could see the red and white side effectively in the title race. As for Lyon, their top priority now will be to secure a spot in the next UEFA Champions League, something they could accomplish if they get at least one point from their trip to Stade Louis II.
Keep track of all the activity in Ligue 1 by clicking on our dedicated website here.
