Lille tries to hold off PSG in tight French title race

Posted May 20, 2021 7:00 am

By JEROME PUGMIRE

Lille's Burak Yilmaz (17), looks towards the referee as he appeals for a penalty during the French League One soccer match between Lille and Saint-Etienne in Lille, France, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Michel Springler) The Associated Press

MONACO (AP) - Lille has no intention of looking back on Angers with any regret this Sunday as an enthralling French league campaign reaches the final round.

Lille has a slender one-point lead over defending champion Paris Saint-Germain, which narrowed the gap last weekend to keep the pressure on. Third-place Monaco is an outside contender as it trails Lille by three points. It needs both its rivals to lose and win by a large enough margin to overtake Lille on goal difference.

Lille could have made things easier but drew last weekend to give PSG a glimmer of hope.

But as Lille's players trudged down the tunnel after a 0-0 home draw with Saint-Etienne last weekend, veteran Turkey striker Burak Yilmaz issued a strong rallying cry to his teammates.

'œWe will be champions, you are dogs of the fight,'ť he shouted in English. 'œWe will be champions next week, you will see!"

They were aptly chosen words from Yilmaz, considering Lille's nickname is 'œLes Dogues'ť (The Mastiffs).

The outcome of an intense title race, which has achieved the rare feat of resonating beyond France, will be known around 11 p.m. on Sunday.

Lille and PSG are both away from home, and PSG may just have the tougher match.

Lille can guarantee a sixth French title and first in 10 years with a win at 12th-place Angers, which is safe from relegation and has nothing to play for.

PSG is at 16th-place Brest - which is fighting to stay up - and must better Lille's result to avoid losing the title for the first time since Monaco won it in 2017.

Brest is only one point ahead of Nantes in 18th and the promotion-relegation playoff spot.

Nantes, which is led by former PSG coach Antoine Kombouare, has made a superb late push to stay up against the odds.

Nantes is aiming for a fifth straight win when it hosts a Montpellier side which has nothing to play for, aside from giving coach Michel Der Zakarian a good sendoff in his last game in charge.

So Brest can ill afford to drop points against PSG, which is chasing a record-equaling 10th French crown to join Saint-Etienne and Marseille.

Monaco still has a shot at a ninth title, but only just as it has to make up three points and an inferior goal difference of six compared to Lille.

If Monaco loses then Lyon could overtake the principality side and sneak into third for the Champions League qualifying slot.

Lyon is at home to Nice in what could be star forward Memphis Depay's last game ahead of a touted move to Spanish giant Barcelona next season.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PSG's Kylian Mbappe, centre, celebrates after he scores his sides second goal with PSG's Neymar, left, and PSG's Julian Draxler, right, during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Reims at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The Associated Press

Lille's Burak Yilmaz, center, reacts with teammates after scoring during their French League One soccer match between Lille and Nice in Villeneuve d'Ascq, northern France, Saturday May 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) The Associated Press

PSG's Kylian Mbappe, right, and PSG's Ander Herrera celebrate their sides third goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Reims at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The Associated Press

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