Nice runner-up to PSG at the break, Lyon leaves the red zone

With the return of a Ligue 1 to eighteen clubs, the winter break always arrives at Christmas, of course, but the curtain dropping of the mid-championship comes early since the first leg now ends at the end of the 17^e daytime.

Already mathematically assured of the honorary title of autumn champion, Paris Saint-Germain calmly closed the exercise, Wednesday December 20, by beating Metz at the Parc des Princes thanks in particular to a double from Kylian Mbappé, on his 25th birthday . On the podium, Nice is ahead of Monaco while Brest comes in a surprising fourth.

At the bottom of the ranking, Lyon is breathing easier after its success over Nantes which allows it to no longer be relegated or play-off for the first time this season, leaving in its wake Toulouse, Lorient and Clermont, all beaten on Wednesday evening.

Nice ends in style

Two goals in two minutes: Terem Moffi offered Nice against Lens (2-0) a fifth consecutive victory at home where the Aiglons finished this first half of the season undefeated (6 wins, 3 draws), and second in the standings behind PSG. If this victory took a long time to take shape, it nevertheless still showed a force full of mastery on the part of Francesco Farioli’s men. After an unconvincing first period, the Aiglons made their opponents fold with two banderillas signed by Moffi, scorer of six goals this season.

This success “is of great value, compared to the level of our opponent, and three days after our defeat in Le Havre. These 35 points are deserved and valued” by being undefeated at home, appreciated the Italian coach of OGC Nice

Lens sees, on the other hand, its superb series of eleven matches without defeat (7 wins, 4 draws) in the championship come to an end on the Côte d’Azur. Seventh with already nine points behind their evening opponents, Franck Haise and his players are stagnating below the qualifying places for Europe.

For his part, Monaco, third, remains on the lookout, two points behind Nice thanks to a double from Wissam Ben Yedder against his former club Toulouse (2-1). With his palm outstretched in apology towards the corner which so acclaimed him during his six years in Toulouse (2010-2016), at the start of his professional career, Ben Yedder did not celebrate his two goals. The international striker, however, had reason to be jubilant after being relegated to the bench during the last four ASM matches and openly criticized by his coach Adi Hütter for his lack of success. This time he was lined up from the start and was able to seize his chance to finish this phase going to second place in the scorers’ ranking, with eight goals scored.

For Toulouse, tired by his participation in the Europa League, the winter break will do good before resuming on January 3 with the Champions Trophy against Paris Saint-Germain. The Haut-Garonnais club, which has not won in L1 since the 1^er October, finds himself for the first time in the position of barrage, at the 16^e place.

Mbappé evening at the Parc des Princes

THE Paris Saint Germain maintained its five-point lead over Nice at the top of Ligue 1 by beating Metz (3-1), Kylian Mbappé offering himself a double for his 25^e birthday. The Parisian striker is at the top of the scorers’ rankings with 18 goals scored in 17 days.

Another gift for the captain of the Blues: his little brother Ethan Mbappé, only 16 years old, played his first professional minutes under the Parisian colors. With the added bonus of passes between the two brothers under the eyes of their parents.

“He loves it, but I love it even more, recognized Kylian Mbappé in a video broadcast on X by the Parisian club. As a big brother, this is extremely pleasing. I didn’t think I would live a special day like that, but really, I will remember this match. »

Brest, power four

Four goals for one and the same man, and a completely unexpected fourth place: Brest experienced, on Wednesday, an ideal evening facing Lorientais completely overwhelmed and now penultimate in the ranking. “When we prepare for a match, when we imagine scenarios, we always dream of this kind of slightly perfect evening. Moreover, in a derby, a match which is even more close to the hearts of the supporters”said Eric Roy, the Brest coach, after his 4-0 victory acquired thanks to the quadruplet of the Malian playmaker, Kamory Doumbia, all in the first period!

Despite this fourth place in line with the quality of the game offered by the Finistériens, Roy wants to be measured for the future. “We don’t forget that a few months ago, we were in a perilous and very difficult maintenance operation. That’s why you have to have a lot of humility and know that in football, everything goes very quickly”he stressed.

Lyon ends the year with a bang

Olympique Lyonnais beaten down Nantes (1-0) Wednesday evening, signing a third victory in a row which allows him just before the break to leave the red zone. Under the leadership of Pierre Sage, fourth coach of the season, the Rhone residents scored through their captain, Alexandre Lacazette, a new scorer who scored his fourth goal in three matches. Last on December 10 at the end of the 15^e day, they complete the first leg in fifteenth place.

“I don’t know if I will be affected by the recovery or not. I can just say that I will be at Olympique Lyonnais but I don’t know in what role”declared the interim coach of Lyon, after the success against the still feverish Nantes

“I unpinned it in the locker room. It is not possible, at the very least, not to share the points here in Lyon.”lamented Jocelyn Gourvennec, the coach of Nantes who is in thirteenth position in the standings.

Marseille and Lille slowed down, Clermont last

Montpellier put a stop to Marseille Olympic, who remained on a streak of four consecutive victories in the league, obtaining a 1-1 draw on Wednesday at home. Khalil Fayad opened the scoring with a header in the 14th^e minute for the Héraultais then Jordan Veretout equalized for the Olympians at the start of the second half. With 27 points, OM remains sixth, in ambush for next season’s European places, while Montpellier stagnates in twelfth place.

HAS Strasbourgthe famous Christmas market relocated to the La Meinau stadium for an evening where the Alsatians were celebrating by bringing down Lille, yet undefeated for ten days (2-1). Lille, who had just stood up to Paris SG (1-1), this time did not show much imagination after having scored quickly on an own goal from Abakar Sylla. The Alsatians then came back thanks, again, to an own goal from Leny Yoro before Junior Mwanga scored the winning goal. Racing thus confirms its improvement by achieving a third success in a row which allows Patrick Vieira’s men to finish the first leg in an honest ninth place.

THE Rennais Stadium won his first away match of the season at Clermont (3-1), thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Désiré Doué and Ludovic Blas. With this victory, Rennes, who remained on three defeats and a draw, moved up to tenth place while the Auvergnats, who have not won for a month and a home success over Lorient, remain last in the ranking and more threatened than ever from relegation, three years after moving up to the elite.

Finally, with his victory against the Haven (1-0), the Reims stadium returned to success, a “positive evening” for coach Will Still who would however have “loved” fire “fourth or fifth” mid-championship. The Reimois finished this first part of the season in eighth place, in contact with the four teams ahead of them (Lille, Marseille and Lens).