What if this weekend was decisive? The French football championship could well switch after the duel at the top of Ligue 1, Saturday April 15 (at 9 p.m.), between the current leader, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and his dolphin the Lens Racing Club. For good reason: with eight rounds remaining in the season, only six points separate the two rivals.

For Benjamin Nivet, ex-midfielder of ESTAC Troyes now a consultant for Prime Video, this match is “a turning point in the quest for the title. “In the event of victory on Saturday at the Parc des Princes, the Parisians would be almost certain to end the season crowned with an eleventh national crown – the eighth in ten years. A success for the Northerners, on the other hand, would relaunch the race for first place.

The Sang et Or, however, do not proclaim their ambitions too loudly. In a press conference, their coach Franch Haise insisted: it will above all be a “turning point” if Kylian Mbappé and his teammates win. “That will mean they will be nine points ahead of us. They already have eight in Marseille. In short, the last doubts will be removed.

Still, his troops have the opportunity to become the pet peeve of the Parisians; they who had made them taste their first defeat of the season (3-1) on January 1. Since then, the championship has been far from being a calm river for the defending champion, who has seen his lead in the standings melt recently, following the defeats conceded against Lyon and Rennes.

The timid victory of Christophe Galtier’s men against OGC Nice (2-0), on April 8, did not completely reassure the state of form of the workforce. “We feel that for two or three games, the two defeats, and the average match in Nice, the Parisian collective is in pain”, sums up Benjamin Nivet. For three days, the capital club has also been disturbed by a controversy surrounding its coach, accused of discriminatory remarks by a former leader of the Aiglons.

“Lens handles weak times better”

Time for RC Lens to catch up? Because the Sang et Or, they are surfing on a very good dynamic. The northern club left the turbulent zone crossed in February, which had seen them chain four games without a win.

“They had a little less good, but in the game it was always interesting, tempers Benjamin Nivet. There, they found this efficiency in both surfaces, which meant that they chained four wins in a row. A lost time, the device brought by Franck Haise based on three centrals and two pistons as well as an offensive pressing, is back.

Up front, Loïs Openda is in good shape again, with a total of six goals scored in the last four games. The Belgian striker will no doubt be keen to repeat his performance from the first leg, where he scored the second goal after a lightning counter-attack.

Rather comfortable against the big teams of Ligue 1, the Lensois have also strengthened their game: “Before it was a team all fired up, which was always carried forward, notes the consultant. This season they have rebalanced. They take significantly fewer goals, counter-attacks. And they handle weak times better. “With only 22 goals conceded, RC Lens can boast of having the best defense in the championship.

Led by midfielder Seko Fofana, essential in major events, the Northerners could also undermine an often desperate Parisian defense. In addition to the disappointing performances of Sergio Ramos and Marquinhos, the Ile-de-France residents will still have to compose without Kimpembe (achilles tendon) and Mukiele (hamstrings). Marco Verratti added to the list of injured (hamstrings).

A “lesser evil in their season”

The Lensois know, however, that this match may be their last chance to stay in contact with PSG. After this Saturday, the last seven days of the championship will be without any major obstacle on the road to the title for the Parisians, who will face in particular the last four teams of the current classification. The Sang et Or, on the other hand, will have a lot to do, starting next week with the reception of Monaco, for the time being 4th.

Eliminated from the Coupe de France and the Champions League, the Parisians are only betting on the championship to save their season. A “lesser evil” which, according to Benjamin Nivet, should be a source of motivation: “At PSG, there are very high level players, capable of bouncing back after a defeat. They are competitors, and want to get this title. »

In the event of defeat, the consequences could be numerous for the Ile-de-France residents, starting with the ousting of coach Christophe Galtier. The club’s flagship striker, Kylian Mbappé, who is going through a period of scarcity – no goals scored in the last three games – could seize this confrontation at the top of Ligue 1 to revive himself. That’s the bet that Benjamin Nivet takes: “In big games, it’s often the great players who make the difference. »