The player: Golovin, ultra-decisive
Inconsistent since the start of the season, Monaco is trying to find its rhythm and ends the exercise in a cannonball. With a 5th success in a row against Nice (1-0) on Wednesday, the Monegasques are now neck and neck for the podium, tied on points (56) with Strasbourg and Rennes.
A series that also coincides with the return to form of Aleksandr Golovin. Injured at the end of 2021, the Russian waited until March 20 and the match against PSG (3-0) to find a starting place in Javier Clemente’s organization.
Decisive in the victories against Troyes and Rennes with an assist each time, Golovine found the net in the Riviera derby by taking over a cross from Vanderson badly cleared by Benitez. He had not scored in Ligue 1 since October 3, 2021 against Bordeaux and allows Monaco to be in a good position to play Europe.
The match: Marseille-Nantes, stunning
Stunning against Nantes (3-2), OM repelled the coronation of PSG and above all consolidated their second place. Despite possession of the ball (76%) and shots (19-4) largely in their favour, Marseille got scared when they returned to the break led by realistic Nantes players.
But Payet, thanks to two penalties and Harit, receiving a cross from Gerson put OM back on the road to victory, the third in a row at home. The Marseillais, also qualified for the semi-finals of the Europa League Conference, are now six points ahead of a trio of competitors: Rennes, Strasbourg and Monaco.
The number: Terrier makes his hole
Once again a scorer, the Rennais Martin Terrier has crossed the 20-goal mark in Ligue 1 this season. An important milestone that he is the second from Stade Rennes to progress to the 21st century, after Alexander Frei, who achieved this performance in two consecutive years (2003/2004, 2004/2005). There are therefore five matches left for the French to do better than the illustrious Swiss scorer
The perf’: Strasbourg, still in the race
Racing, which was skating with two draws in a row, again passed the second on Wednesday by beating Rennes (2-1), a direct competitor for qualification in the Champions League. This oh so important victory allows Julien Stéphan’s men to regain 4th place in Monaco, who had temporarily seized it at 7 p.m. by bringing down Nice, but also to return to level with Rennes, 3rd with 56 points.
Counter-performance: Lyon
When nothing goes… OL, eliminated a week ago from the Europa League, thought they had partially raised their heads against Bordeaux this weekend (6-1 victory). But on Wednesday, Peter Bosz’s men relapsed in Brest (2-1), showing a glaring lack of realism, like their striker Moussa Dembélé. And a possible European qualification is getting further and further away.
The flop: Montpellier drags its feet
The second half of the MHSC season remains an enigma. While the Héraultais were in 5th place during the winter break, they gradually tumbled to 11th place with only 3 wins in 2022. For the trip to Lens on Wednesday, coach Olivier Dall’Oglio had promised change in the eleven. But without Savanier, Cozza and Wahi, Montpellier fell again (2-0).
The statement: “Tonight, I understood a lot of things… Don’t ask me questions”
In a press conference after Metz’s defeat at Lorient (1-0), Messins coach Frédéric Antonetti was in a rage. He made only a brief passage in front of the journalists, not wishing to answer questions and remaining very enigmatic in his remarks. Perhaps an allusion to the arbitration, which invalidated a goal by Nicolas De Préville for a hand fault thanks to the VAR?