Ligue 1 Preview Gameweek 32

The Ligue 1 sides return after the international break in the final stretch to the end of the season.

Monaco v Bordeaux Date 01/04/2016 – Venue – Stade Louis II – Kick Off 19:30 (UK Time)

The first game of the weekend is between Monaco and Bordeaux at the Stade Louis II. The hosts are looking to hold onto their Champions League spot in the final seven games whereas the visitors shockingly trying to avoid a relegation battle. Monaco are 2^nd in the table and hold a five-point lead over Nice who are in the hunt of a spot amongst Europe’s elite. Nabil Dirar completes his suspension in this game, but the real blow for Monaco is that Joao Moutinho could miss out with an ankle injury.

After going five games without a win, Bordeaux have dropped to 14^th in the league and are now just six points above the bottom three. The international break should have given Les Girondins a chance to regroup but failure to do so could leave them fighting for their Ligue 1 status come the end of the campaign. Lamine Sane serves the final match of his suspension on Friday while Clement Chantome could still be sidelined with a muscular injury.

Paris Saint-Germain v Nice Date 02/04/2016 – Venue – Parc des Princes – Kick Off 16:00 (UK Time)

Nice’s quest for Champions League football faces a difficult obstacle on Saturday as Les Aiglons travel to the Parc des Princes to face PSG. Les Parisians however, are not enjoying their best run of form as they have won just once in their last four outings, losing to Lyon and Monaco and drawing with Montpellier. PSG have only struggled since their title was almost a certainty, losing their only two games of the season. Javier Pastore and Marco Verratti remain the only likely absentees for the champions.

The visitors have won their last three matches, conceding just one goal and finding the net seven times. If they can get a result against Les Parisians, a strong finish to the season could be on the cards. Mahamane Traore has been ruled out for Nice with a hamstring injury and Mathieu Bodmer’s calf problem could still keep him out of action.

Gazélec Ajaccio v Saint-Étienne Date 02/04/2016 – Venue – Stade Ange Casanova – Kick Off 19:00 (UK Time)

Relegation is still a huge possibility for 18^th place Gazélec although they can have hope as they remain level on points with Reims who are safe as things stand. After their heavy defeat to Nice, they face another tough test against a Saint-Étienne side that won their first game in six attempts before the international break. Gazélec did manage a surprise victory over Caen in the game before last so they may prove difficult to beat at the Stade Ange Casanova once again. Amos Youga and Alexandre Coeff may not feature for the hosts; both of whom are recovering from thigh problems.

Saint-Étienne remain one point outside of the European spots in 7^th, but the 3-0 victory over Montpellier in the last game should give them confidence in the final run-in. A low goal difference could well prove to be Les Verts’ downfall in their chase of a place in the top six. Gazélec are fighting for their lives in the bottom three so this match isn’t ideal for Saint-Étienne, nevertheless it’s a game they will have to take maximum points from if they are to stand a chance of meeting their season objective. Romain Hamouma could still be a big miss for the visitors as he could still be out with a calf injury.

Guingamp v Montpellier Date 02/04/2016 – Venue – Stade du Roudourou – Kick Off 19:00 (UK Time)

A relegation clash takes place at the Stade du Roudourou when Guingamp welcome Montpellier, with the sides 15^th and 16^th respectively. The hosts have the edge in the battle as they currently sit five points above the bottom three with impressive wins over Saint-Étienne and Reims. Providing the results elsewhere go their way, a victory for Guingamp could be another to secure Ligue 1 football for another season. They are without some influential players however; Sloan Privat and Lionel Mathis will miss the match through injury.

Montpellier have failed to score in their last three games and their impressive result against PSG was closely followed by defeats to Nice and Saint-Étienne. Fortunately for Montpellier they have the best goal difference of any team around the danger zone and this could come in handy in May. La Paillade will be without the suspended Daniel Congre and Casimir Ninga for the trip to Guingamp.

Rennes v Reims Date 02/04/2016 – Venue – Roazhon Park – Kick Off 19:00 (UK Time)

The encounter at Roazhon Park is hugely significant for very different reasons. Rennes are looking to bolster their push for a place in European football next season, while Reims are struggling near the bottom of the table. The visitors are 17^th, level on points with Gazélec in the danger zone and after losing on home turf to Guingamp, things aren’t looking bright for Reims. Prince Oniangue could be close to returning following a hamstring injury and this would be a big boost for Reims.

Rennes are looking the strongest side in the league at the moment and if they continue where they left off a spot in the top six isn’t in doubt. Rolland Courbis’ side have taken ten points from the last possible 12 which has took them to 5^th; the most recent match was a 5-2 thrashing at Marseille proving they can compete with the top sides. Pedro Mendes is suspended for Saturday’s game, but there are no further concerns over the Rennes side.

Toulouse v Caen Date 02/04/2016 – Venue – Stadium Municipal – Kick Off 19:00 (UK Time)

A similar situation involves Toulouse and Caen at the Stadium Municipal, where the hosts are needing something close to a miracle to avoid relegation whereas the visitors are trying to hang on to a place in the top six. Toulouse are currently seven points adrift of safety, so with seven games left it is looking unlikely they will survive, but not impossible. Les Pitchouns showed they are capable with the 4-0 victory over Bordeaux, but this was followed by a narrow loss to Lille. Somalia remains the only absentee for Toulouse as he picked up a hamstring injury during the international break.

Towards the other end of the table, Caen are sitting 6^th and recovered from the loss to Gazélec with a win against Troyes. While there are teams below them in pursuit of their spot, Caen are still in touch with the sides pushing for a place in the Champions League. It’s a game the visitors should be winning but with Toulouse scrapping for their top flight status, it will be a difficult game. A loss for Caen is Vincent Bessat who is struggling with a calf injury; the midfielder has been involved in 30 games this season.

Troyes v Angers Date 02/04/2016 – Venue – Stade de l’Aube – Kick Off 20:00 (UK Time)

The two newly promoted sides meet in what could be the last time for a couple of seasons. After moving up to Ligue 1 both sides would have set the same objective of survival but Angers excelled and are now surprise contenders for a place in the top six. They were in and around the European spots for the majority of the season but a dip in form has seen them fall to 10^th, although the last game was an emphatic win against Lorient to give them hope of a higher finish. Cheikh N’Doye remains the only notable absentee for Angers as he serves the final game of his suspension.

Troyes on the other hand have not enjoyed their first season back in Ligue 1 as they have been rooted to the bottom of the table for months. As a result of their poor form, their expected relegation could be confirmed this weekend with a loss to Angers. A few of the Troyes players have been ruled out with injuries; Thiago Xavier and Babacar Gueye may be out of action, while defenders Mouhamadou Dabo and Anele Ngcongca look likely to miss out too.

Nantes v Lille Date 03/04/2016 – Venue – Stade de la Beaujoire – Kick Off 13:00 (UK Time)

Two more teams in pursuit of a place in the top six are Nantes and Lille and they meet at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Sunday’s first match. The outcome of Lille’s season could well be a surprising one as Les Dogues have spent the entirety of the season in the bottom half of the table. Three consecutive wins have propelled them to 9^th in the league standings and they are now just three points short of a place in the top six. Sofiane Boufal and Adama Soumaoro are reportedly suspended for the trip to Nantes.

Les Canaris have had an enjoyable campaign and they are still in with a shout of making the top six. In 8^th place, just two points separate them from Caen who are holding on to the last European spot so it is all to play for. Nantes performed well to beat Angers in their previous home game, but the last match was a 2-0 defeat at Lyon. Yacine Bammou is still suspended for the hosts, while Koffi Djidji’s ankle problem and Adryan’s thigh issue could also keep them on the sideline.

Bastia v Marseille Date 03/04/2016 – Venue – Stade Armand Cesari – Kick Off 16:00 (UK Time)

A mid-table clash between Bastia and Marseille goes underway at the Stade Armand Cesari, with the sides heading into this game 11^th and 12^th respectively. The visitors’ hopes of making the top six are gradually diminishing at Les Olympiens have failed to win in their last seven outings. Marseille’s last game was a shocking 5-2 home defeat to Rennes, seeing them fall seven points short of the European places. They could still be without Karim Rekik and Benjamin Mendy who have been battling injuries.

The hosts have had a decent season, neither overachieving nor underachieving, but a win against Marseille would set them up for a strong finish to the campaign. Bastia managed to win three successive games but have since gone four games without a victory. They will look to take advantage of an out-of-sorts Marseille team on Sunday evening. With no recent injury concerns or suspensions, Francois Ciccolini can name his strongest side.

Lorient v Lyon Date 03/04/2016 – Venue – Stade du Moustoir – Kick Off 20:00 (UK Time)

The final match of the weekend is at the Stade du Moustoir where Lyon travel to Lorient in the hope of piling more pressure on Monaco. Les Gones were hoping to close the gap on Monaco’s Champions League place, but Leonardo Jardim’s side pulled off a surprise victory at the Parc des Princes to dash those hopes. Lyon remain 4^th and continue to chase Nice and Monaco with positive results, but all they can do is rack up the points and hope their rivals slip up in the final seven games. Rafael and Maxime Gonalons remain the only absentees for Lyon as they are suspended.

Lorient are still not safe from the threat of relegation as they sit 13^th, just six points above the drop zone. Les Merlus will be looking to get over the 5-1 defeat to Angers fairly quickly but they face a big challenge against European giants Lyon. Raphael Guerreiro may be forced to sit out once again since his knee sprain may not have fully recovered.