Autumn champion after the defeat of Nice this weekend, Paris Saint-Germain did not manage to celebrate this unofficial title with a victory, Sunday December 17 evening, at the end of the 16th day of Ligue 1. Hooked by Lille (1-1), the Parisians especially missed the opportunity to widen their lead at the top of a championship where Marseille continued its comeback while pushing Clermont (2-1), and where Brest seriously established itself in a spoilsport role after his victory in Nantes (2-0).
Already assured of ending the year at the top of the championship, PSG’s Spanish coach, Luis Enrique, once again tested new things on Sunday in Lille, sometimes asking his players to play with three defenders, sometimes with four with Warren Zaire-Emery landing at right back. At kick-off, he decided to do without Achraf Hakimi and Milan Skriniar, preferring Danilo in defense and four midfielders.
These tactical experiments did not really bear fruit throughout a generally boring match, in a packed Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Finally, it was again Kylian Mbappé who broke the deadlock in the match. The Parisian striker seemed grumpy, as he had been midweek in Dortmund, where he exposed his frustration at seeing his teammates try to maintain the draw to ensure their qualification for the round of 16 of the Champions League, rather than attacking to win.
Mbappé converted, with complete control, a penalty (1-0, 66th) caused by Lucas Hernandez, cut down by Bafodé Diakité. But Paris lacked control, and paid for it at the end of the match, when Lille went on the attack. Coming into play in the 82nd minute, defeated by Tenas during their first duel (90 2), the Canadian Jonathan David confirmed his return to form by beating Donnarumma’s replacement, suspended, on his second attempt (1-1 , 90 4), forcing the Parisians to a draw. With 37 points, the latter are 5 points ahead of Nice, beaten on Saturday in Le Havre (3-1), and 7 ahead of Monaco, surprised on Friday by Lyon (1-0).
“We played a very complete match for 80 minutes and in the last ten minutes we lost control a little,” regretted the Parisian coach.
LOSC confirmed that it was one of the best French teams of the moment by standing up to the leader. Fourth (27 points), the northern club extended its series of matches without defeat in the league to ten.
At the Vélodrome, Olympique de Marseille did not fail against the red lantern from Clermont, but it showed two very different faces. First ultra-dominant and authors of an almost perfect first period with a goal from Amir Murillo (1-0, 26th) then the first goal from Amine Harit this season (2-0, 42nd), the Marseillais are completely extinguished during the second act and suffered until the end.
First, Clermont landed a little higher on the pitch and gradually became emboldened, with a few strikes without much danger. Then in the 58th minute, the Auvergnats brought down OM via a header from Jim Allevinah from a corner (2-1), for the first goal conceded by Marseille in L1 at the Vélodrome since August 12. Behind, Gattuso’s men trembled but they remained solid enough to keep their precious goal ahead and move up to sixth place in the standings with 26 points.
“In the second half we suffered, but we have an excuse,” said Marseille coach Gennaro Gattuso. Thursday after Brighton [in the Europa League], we went to bed at 5:30 a.m. The team slept at the Commanderie [the OM training center] and when you lose so much energy, especially after a hard blow like the one suffered at Brighton [1-0 defeat], this kind of thing can happen. »
Thanks to goals from Hugo Magnetti (49th) and Steve Mounié (57th) and several saves from goalkeeper Marco Bizot against Nantes, Brest achieved a fourth success (2-0) in five days. The Bretons could secure their place in the top 5 mid-championship by beating Lorient on Wednesday for the 17th day.
In Nantes (11th with 18 points), the figures are less positive, with one victory − against Nice − in five matches. The Jocelyn Gourvennec effect already seems to be fading for his third match on the Canaries bench. Before the match, a tribute was paid to Maxime, the 31-year-old Loire Brigade supporter who was fatally stabbed on the sidelines of the match against Nice on December 2, on the eve of a meeting on violence in football at the sports ministry .
The match between Rennes (13th) and Toulouse (15th), both qualified for the Europa League play-offs this week but who are having a sluggish season in Ligue 1, resulted in a goalless draw, with both clubs visibly tired by the Europe. The players can thank their goalkeeper: firstly the Rennais after a very good save from Steve Mandanda (77th). Guillaume Restes, the Toulouse goalkeeper, responded at the end of the match by also saving his teammates (90 3).
In Lorient (17th just behind Lyon), where the fog almost caused the meeting to be postponed, it is still just as gray. The Bretons were beaten (2-1) by Strasbourg (9th) thanks in particular to a superb goal from former Lorient player Kevin Gameiro (48th): a pure strike following a beautiful chest delivery from Emanuel Emegha . The merlus find themselves 17th and relegated with 12 points, one more than Clermont and one less than Lyon.
There was also fog in Metz (14th, 16 pts) where the Saint-Symphorien stadium was covered in thick clouds during the second half: Montpellier, 14 points before the match, made a great effort there (1- 0) moving away from the relegation zone, 12th, and slowly moving up the rankings before welcoming Marseille on Wednesday for the last day before the winter break.