Paris (AFP)

Rennes crosses France on Friday to challenge Nice (8:45 p.m.) and consolidate its podium against Aiglons undefeated in six games, during a 21st day of Ligue 1 where Marseille, runner-up of Paris SG, will aim for a ninth victory in ten games on Saturday.

Julien Stéphan, the Bretons' coach, always has in mind the first leg at Roazhon Park, lost by his men in the last moments at the beginning of September (2-1): "It never makes you happy, especially in this way", said he repeated Wednesday at a press conference, two days before his trip to Nice.

However, the dynamics are different for Rennais compared to the fall. Strong third in L1 (36 points), the Bretons have lost only one championship match since the end of November and are impressed by their thoroughness.

Nice is not far from being able to say the same, with its 11th place (28 pts) but especially a series of six games without defeat since December 4, on the rubble of a shipwreck in Saint-Etienne (4-1) .

"We are going to enter a fairly critical time of the season, we will have to be ready, learn from the mistakes we may have made," insisted coach Patrick Vieira, aware that a victory would give him a nice provisional 5th place.

A little higher in the ranking, the weekend promises to be enticing for Marseille (2nd, 41 pts) with the arrival of Angers on Saturday at the Vélodrome stadium (5.30 p.m.): this match may allow the Marseille club to line up a 9th success in his last ten league matches.

Paris SG, just qualified for the final of the Coupe de la Ligue and leader of the classification with 49 points, will close the day Sunday evening in Lille (9 p.m.), precisely where it had sunk last year with a humiliating defeat ( 5-1 last April).

Program for the 21st day of Ligue 1 which will be played on Friday 24, Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 January:

Friday January 24:

(8:45 p.m.) Nice - Rennes

Saturday January 25:

(5.30 p.m.) Marseille - Angers

(8 p.m.) Saint-Etienne - Nîmes

Brest - Amiens

Reims - Metz

Montpellier - Dijon

Monaco - Strasbourg

Sunday January 26:

(3:00 p.m.) Lyon - Toulouse

(5:00 p.m.) Nantes - Bordeaux

(9:00 p.m.) Lille - Paris SG

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