Relegation threat forces teams to pull up socks

Only a point separates PSG and high flying Bordeaux who have won six straight matches but coach Elie Baup will probably be happy to finish the season in third and grab a qualifying spot in next seasons Champions League.

Lyon in fourth have seen their season go a bit pear-shaped after hanging on to second spot for most of the season but although they face relatively easy matches against Bastia at home on Thursday and Montpellier next week, they will have to hope that either PSG or Bordeaux slip up or settle for a UEFA Cup spot.

The scramble at the bottom is equally intriguing as illustrious clubs such as Marseille and Cup finalists Nantes clamour with the likes of Nancy, Rennes and Metz to avoid the embarrassment of going down.

One of the crunch games is at Marseille’s Velodrome where they host Tony Cascarino and his Nancy team-mates before he leaves for Paris-based Red Star at the end of the season.

Nancy popped their heads above the relegation waters last week when they dramatically beat Nantes with a 90th-minute penalty after Cascarino had given them the lead with a first-half header.

Marseille could only manage a draw at Auxerre leaving them just three points above the relegation zone and they will not want to go to Sedan on the last day of the season needing a result after losing the title last year on the corresponding fixture.

Nantes who host surprise packages Sedan will be trying to put Sunday’s French Cup final out of their mind as they are holding one of the unlucky relegation straws.

They are a point from safety but would probably concede the French Cup they won last season to the highly popular amateurs from Calais at the Stade de France were they to be guaranteed safety.

If Nantes are still in contention, they will visit fellow relegation candidates Le Havre in their final match.

Metz and Rennes have also been dragged into the dog fight at the bottom but only a disaster will see them playing second division football next season. Rennes, who were the surprise team of last year and played UEFA Cup football this season, will want to be careful when they visit Auxerre before hosting Metz a week later.

Rennes are only three points above Nantes and will want to ensure their safety and ease their nerves before the visit of Metz.

Auxerre will still have the services of coach Guy Roux, who announced on Tuesday that he will step down at the end of the season after a record-breaking 39 years at the helm of the French first division club. It marks the end of the longest period in continued service for a coach at a single top level European club.

Roux, 61, who will stay at the club in a back-room capacity, became coach at the Burgundy club when the modest outfit was in the French equivalent of the sixth division, it is now eight in the top flight.

Meanwhile, Metz host Troyes and a win at the Saint-Symphorien stadium will guarantee their safety.