PARIS — The Ligue 1 title race is nearing its conclusion and Paris Saint-Germain could be crowned champion against Brest if second-placed Lens drops points against Nantes.
PSG leads Lens by six points and both teams have three games remaining, including their showdown in Lens on Wednesday. That match was rescheduled from April 11 to aid PSG's quest for a second straight Champions League title.
Title Race Scenarios
PSG reached the Champions League final on Wednesday after eliminating Bayern Munich. A PSG victory or Lens slip-up against Nantes would seal the Ligue 1 crown.
Next-to-last Nantes will be relegated to Ligue 2 unless it beats Lens on Friday. All other games are scheduled for Sunday.
Race for Third Place
The battle for third place and an automatic Champions League spot is shaping up as a two-way contest between Lyon and Lille, who are separated by two points.
Third-placed Lyon travels to mid-table Toulouse with forwards Endrick, Afonso Moreira and Roman Yaremchuk all in good form.
Fourth-placed Lille has a tougher assignment at Monaco, which sits in sixth place and is strong at home.
Fifth-placed Rennes needs Lyon and Lille to slip up to maintain its slim chances of finishing third.
Rennes Update
Rennes hosts a Paris FC side that has been rejuvenated since coach Antoine Kombouaré took charge, losing only once in nine games to move well clear of relegation trouble.
Winger Mousa Al-Tamari scored a brilliant angled volley last Sunday and is in a rich vein of form.
Rennes teammate Esteban Lepaul is the league's top scorer and needs one goal to reach 20 in a comeback season after being released by Lyon a few years ago.
English forward Mason Greenwood is stuck on 15 league goals having not scored since March 7.
Lens Squad News
Lens will be missing five regulars against Nantes:
- Rest: Florian Thauvin and Allan Saint-Maximin (precautionary)
- Suspended: Mamadou Sangaré (midfielder), Saud Abdulhamid (right back), Adrien Thomasson (midfielder)
- Injured: Achraf Hakimi (hamstring)
Coach Pierre Sage confirmed the rested players are taking precautions ahead of the run-in.
Relegation Battle
At the bottom, Auxerre hosts Nice with both sides fighting to avoid relegation.
Auxerre is in 16th place, which represents the relegation-promotion playoff spot. However, Auxerre can move into 15th on goal difference with a victory over Nice.