What: French Ligue 1
Who: Lille vs Saint-Etienne
When: Sunday, 26th May, 2013, at 20:00 UK Time
Where: Grand Stade Lille Metropole, Lille, France
Late Charge Gives Lille Champions League Hope
For Lille this game represents the final chance to secure European qualification. A win will guarantee fourth place at least and a spot in the Europa League. Third would be secured if Lyon lose to Rennes and with it Lille would qualify for UEFA’s top competition for the third season in a row.
It has been a strange season for Lille, who were inconsistent for the first half of the campaign, struggling in mid-table, before coming on strong in 2013. They have lost just two of their last 14 games, timing their run to perfection, in part thanks to Dmitri Payet’s superb form. But Salomon Kalou has also been vital, netting 11 times since the turn of the year after scoring just twice in the first half of the season.
The season could yet end without European football though if Lille’s result is bettered by Nice, who play lowly Ajaccio. Rudi Garcia’s side have really paid for not having a reliable goalscoring forward, relying instead on the contributions from wide stars Kalou and Payet. Regardless of the way this season ends, that is the area the coach will look to improve on over the summer in preparation for the next campaign.
Les Verts Look To Pip Rivals Lyon To Top Three Spot
Saint-Etienne have nothing to lose coming into this clash. Defeat would still leave them with Europa League qualification thanks to their victory in the final of the Coupe de la Ligue, but Christophe Galtier’s men are dreaming of pipping fierce local rivals Lyon to the final Champions League spot.
It has been a superb 2013 for Les Verts, capped by the cup win, and until a fortnight ago they still had not lost a Ligue 1 game this calendar year. As things stand, Lorient remain the only side to have beaten Galtier’s side in 2013 (in both the cup and league). Saint-Etienne will hope to finish the season on a high, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, likely to be off this summer, will look to sign off in style after a superb campaign which saw him named the best African player in Ligue 1 this season. Galtier, joint manager of the year along with Carlo Ancelotti of Paris Saint-Germain, signed a new contract this week, to delight the Saint-Etienne hierarchy.
With a superior goal difference to Lyon, Saint-Etienne know their rivals only need to draw to give them the chance to go third. Such a wonderful season for Les Verts will get so much better if they can round it off with their first win at Lille since promotion back in 2004.
Recent form
Lille:
Toulouse 4-2 Lille (04/05; Ligue 1)
Lille 3-0 Reims (10/05; Ligue 1)
Montpellier 0-0 Lille (18/05; Ligue 1)
Saint-Etienne:
Saint-Etienne 0-0 Bordeaux (03/05; Ligue 1)
Lorient 3-1 Saint-Etienne (12/05; Ligue 1)
Saint-Etienne 2-0 Marseille (18/05; Ligue 1)
Key absences
Lille: Ryan Mendes
Saint-Etienne: Max Gradel; Jeremy Clement
Players to watch
Lille – Dmitri Payet: The skilful Payet will relish taking on his former team. After a frustrating start to life at Lille, he has really settled and this has been a superb campaign for the 26-year-old. He has netted 12 times and set up another 12, helping to fill the sizeable shoes vacated by Eden Hazard last summer. Payet has been the one player to come out of Lille’s season with plenty of credit and without him they would not be near the Champions League spots.
Saint-Etienne – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: The obvious threat, Aubameyang is likely to play in Saint-Etienne colours for the last time this Sunday. With 19 goals in Ligue 1, he is the first Saint-Etienne player to reach that figure since Michel Platini 30 years ago. The Gabon hitman has attracted attention from across the continent and that will only increase if he fires his side into the top three. He has formed a superb tandem with Brazilian forward Brandao this season and his pace and finishing ability could be the difference between these sides.
Match Predicition
These sides have already met three times this season and they have all been close encounters. On the first day of the season Saint-Etienne lost at home to Lille, but they got their revenge in the Coupe de la Ligue semi-finals, winning on penalties after a 0-0 draw. In the Coupe de France, Les Verts also had the upper hand, winning 3-2 in the last 16.
The first goal could be vital – Saint-Etienne are yet to lose a game in which they have scored the first goal this season and boast a superb defence marshalled by custodian Stephane Ruffier. Josuha Guilavogui has enjoyed a superb campaign in central midfield for Saint-Etienne and he will lock horns with Rio Mavuba in what could be a tightly contested battle in the centre of the pitch.
Two of the best sides in 2013 in Ligue 1, this is a game which is likely to be settled by the odd goal. There may be few chances and so it will be down to who is more clinical with their few opportunities in front of goal. With the pressure off their shoulders having already secured Europa League football, expect that to give Saint-Etienne the impetus to claim a vital win. Lille 1-2 Saint-Etienne.
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