Before Nantes-Monaco (17:05) and Lorient-Marseille (20:45), the 30th matchday may have revived OL's hopes.
Desperate by the elimination in the semi-finals of the Coupe de France in Nantes on Wednesday (1-0), Lyon have remobilized to chain a second success in a row in Ligue 1.
After Paris SG (1-0), they dominated Stade Rennais after a stunning second half, and point at the end of the weekend in 7th place, with chances still intact to hang the 5th, synonymous with qualification for the Conference Europa League.
"You always have to believe in sport and in life," said coach Laurent Blanc, so satisfied with his team's second half that he did not make the slightest change.
This success allows the Rhodaniens to return to three lengths of their opponents of the evening, sixth. And the defeat of the 5th, Lille, in Angers on Saturday (1-0), gives them even more reasons to believe.
In the fight for maintenance, Ajaccio and Troyes have, for their part, fewer and fewer arguments on which to rely for their end of the season.
The Corsicans (19th) were largely dominated against a direct competitor, Auxerre (15th): the two teams are now separated by eight points.
Estac also lost at home, against Clermont (2-0), and stagnates in 18th place, ahead of Ajaccio and Angers and behind Strasbourg, beaten Friday by Lens (2-1).
Auxerrois Birama Touré has just scored on the field of AC Ajaccio, April 9, 2023 © Pascal POCHARD-CASABIANCA / AFP
In 16th place, Brest almost made a superb operation, but Reims equalized on penalty at the end of the match (1-1). And in mid-table, Toulouse doubled Montpellier by winning 2-1 in the Hérault.
L1 is still dominated by Paris SG, winner 2-0 in Nice on Saturday night.
© 2023 AFP