AS Saint-Étienne is struggling to avoid direct relegation to Ligue 2. A team has already recorded its promotion in Ligue 1, while Montpellier takes its downhill in Ligue 2. Eirik Horneland’s men have to fight for League One. The Greens are 17th with 1 point late on Le Havre, barrage operator, and 3 points late on Angers, first non-relegable. The ASSE has 3 games to reverse the trend and hang the dams. On the 32nd day, ASSE will receive Monaco in the Chaudron, while Le Havre will visit Auxerre. Angers will go to Nantes for a derby that could allow the Canaris to sail off the red zone.

The penultimate day of Ligue 1 will offer a multiplex. The Greens will face Reims at Auguste Delaune, while Le Havre welcomes Marseille and Angers will receive Strasbourg. For the 34th day, Saint-Étienne will receive Toulouse in the Chaudron, while Angers will go to Lyon and Le Havre will go to Strasbourg.

If the ASSE is to take points, it must also take advantage of false steps from its competitors to hope to avoid a direct descent in Ligue 2. The Greens have the advantage of having 2 receptions compared to Le Havre and Angers who will travel twice during the last 3 days.

Le Havre’s draw against Monaco formalized Montpellier’s relegation to Ligue 2. Before his match against Reims, the MHSC had 13 points behind the barragist Normans, an impossible delay to fill. The Hérault club is even sure to finish in the final place in the standings after its 0-0 draw against the Rémois.

A few minutes later, FC Lorient validated his return to the elite after a year in the antechamber. The Merlus, winners of Caen (4-0), benefited from the defeat of Metz at Pau (2-1) to validate their climb to Ligue 1. The Lorrains, 3rd, count 7 points late on the Bretons 2 days from the end.

On the 33rd day, the Paris FC will also be able to validate its rise in the elite. The Francilians, who will face Martigues, will have to make a better result than Metz against Rodez.