The number: 103
In a final madness, Marseille snatched the draw against Metz (1-1) thanks to a penalty from Arkadiusz Milik, scored after more than 13 minutes in added time! This last goal of the 2020/2021 season is the latest goal scored in a Ligue 1 game since Opta analyzed the competition in 2006/07 (103 minutes and 16 seconds).
The coach: Christophe Galtier (Lille)
Rewarded with his third trophy for best coach in Ligue 1 just over an hour from the start of the last day, Christophe Galtier ended the season in style with a victory against Angers (2-0), synonymous with title of champion of France for Lille.
–
This is the first national coronation for the 54-year-old coach, who rebounded at Losc at the end of 2017, after having coached Saint-Etienne for a little less than eight years (2009-2017). His future, however, should not be written in the North next season.
The counter-performance: Lyon did not have the right
The Lyonnais could consider themselves happy to still be able, on the morning of this 38th day of Ligue 1, to hope to play in the Champions League next season. Winter champions but authors of a much less glorious second part of the season, the Rhone residents were only one point behind AS Monaco, 3rd, this Sunday morning. ASM, in great shape since the start of the calendar year (two defeats in their last 23 matches in Ligue 1), even helped OL this Sunday evening, by doing better than a draw (0- 0) in Lens.
But, undoubtedly paralyzed by the stake, the Lyonnais stopped playing. However, they led 1-0 (Toko-Ekambi, 14th) then 2-1 (Toko-Ekambi, 43rd) at the break. Everything then led to believe that OL were going to do it. But the Nice, authors of a complicated season, had the honesty to play the game to the end … and too bad for the rivalry with the Monegasques. Thus, Kamara (2-2, 50th) then Saliba (2-3, 57th) gave the advantage to Gym. A double stab for the men of Rudi Garcia, far too feverish to hope to take three points. Enough, on the other hand, to stay at the foot of the podium and miss the qualification in C1 for the second year in a row: a first for 23 years.
–
The goal: Benjamin Bourigeaud (Rennes)
Renowned for the power put into his strikes, Benjamin Bourigeaud once again distinguished himself this Sunday evening against Nîmes. In the 51st minute, when Rennes led only 1-0 against Nîmes already relegated, the midfielder sent a 20-meter missile into the goals of Baptiste Reynet. A great way to end the season, and especially to send Rennes (6th) in the Europa League Conference.
The phrase
“To finish like this was a goal that we set for ourselves with this reorganized team. I really liked the state of mind of my players and that is what we will have to cultivate next season in Ligue 2. It has been a difficult season, but we are a young club, a new dynamic will take shape. “
–
David Linarès, the coach of the Dijon red lantern, satisfied after the success of the DFCO in the Chaudron Stéphanois (1-0).
The player
With his 27th goal scored on Sunday night in Brest (2-0), Kylian Mbappé finished top scorer in Ligue 1 for the third consecutive season.
–
The young Parisian striker thus becomes the first player to achieve this performance since Jean-Pierre Papin (5 between 1987/88 and 1991/92).
It is also the 12th time that a player from Paris is top scorer at the end of an exercise (Kylian Mbappé and Zlatan Ibrahimovic 3 times each, Carlos Bianchi, Pauleta and Edinson Cavani 2 times each), equaling the record of Marseille in matter.
Disappointment
Nantes tried everything but failed to escape the terrible dams that await them on Thursday against Toulouse. And this despite an impressive series of four victories (Strasbourg, Brest, Bordeaux and Dijon) over the last five days!
The Canaries fell at Beaujoire against Montpellier, for the last of the former Nantes house, Michel Der Zakarian, on the Hérault bench. The meeting was decided on several facts of the game: a penalty from Delort rejected by Laffont but taken up in a second time by Laborde (30th) and another… refused by the VAR to the Nantes people in the quarter of an hour, just after the second goal of the MHSC, which allowed Delort to catch up (76th).
The Nantes reaction signed Kolo Muani (33rd) was therefore not enough … Antoine Kombouaré’s men finished the season with 40 points, the highest total for a team finishing 18th since Sochaux in 2013/14 (40 pts, relegated ).
–
