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Four teams in with a realistic shout of the title in France and it's PSG up first away to Metz this afternoon.
Monaco are away to Angers on Sunday afternoon before Little Lille take on Lyon in the blockbuster evening kick off.
Lille drew 1-1 at home to Lyon in November and have won nine of their last ten away matches, including beating PSG.
The only blemish in these ten games was a 0-0 away to Monaco in March.
Feels like that this is the make or break weekend for Little Lille, a place I have fond memories of
Four teams in with a realistic shout of the title in France and it's PSG up first away to Metz this afternoon.
Monaco are away to Angers on Sunday afternoon before Little Lille take on Lyon in the blockbuster evening kick off.
Lille drew 1-1 at home to Lyon in November and have won nine of their last ten away matches, including beating PSG.
The only blemish in these ten games was a 0-0 away to Monaco in March.
Feels like that this is the make or break weekend for Little Lille, a place I have fond memories of
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Sadly you just know that at the end of the season PSG will be clinching it for the umpteenth time
We need to send all our positive energy towards Lille
Do it for football Lille
Do it for football Lille
I've just had my betfair account suspended without warning and they are saying I've closed the account when I never did, its reopen now but I never closed the account at all
| 2020/21 | P | GD | Pts |
| Lille | 34 | 35 | 73 |
| Paris SG | 34 | 51 | 72 |
| Monaco | 34 | 33 | 71 |
The next round of action is on Saturday when PSG take on Lens (5th) at home before Lille entertain Nice (9th).
PSG up first and they've taken the lead, Neymar in the 33rd minute at home to Lens ....
Appreciate the updates Angoose. I don't follow French footy as a rule, but this thread has made it interesting.
2-0 to PSG on 59', but Lens have got one back on 61'.
Plenty time left .....
Plenty time left .....
An early lead for Little Lille, just thirteen minutes on the clock 
1-0 at HT, not a single goal attempt by Nice, the dream continues
i had 50 euros on lille to win ligue 1 at 28 early in the season so have my fingers crossed here
Nice down to 10 men
going to lay Lille in the match odds now, just a small one
going to lay Lille in the match odds now, just a small one
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The weekend ended with a quite remarkable match, Monaco losing 3-2 at home to ten man Lyon.
Monaco had equalized with a 86th minute penalty only for Lyon to snatch a winner three minutes later.
However, it was not finished there, the referee proceeding to hand out four red cards after the final whistle, two per side.
Next up for Lille is an away match with Lens on Friday.
PSG travel to Manchester for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tomorrow before traveling to Rennes on league duty on Sunday.
The weekend ended with a quite remarkable match, Monaco losing 3-2 at home to ten man Lyon.
Monaco had equalized with a 86th minute penalty only for Lyon to snatch a winner three minutes later.
However, it was not finished there, the referee proceeding to hand out four red cards after the final whistle, two per side.
Next up for Lille is an away match with Lens on Friday.
PSG travel to Manchester for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tomorrow before traveling to Rennes on league duty on Sunday.
Yeah don't like Derby matches esp the bitterness Lens will be feeling, they'll try and derail them out of spite 
this might be the closest thing France has to a proper derby
up there with Lyon St Etienne and PSG Marseille
we might be getting PSG v Paris FC next year though
up there with Lyon St Etienne and PSG Marseille
we might be getting PSG v Paris FC next year though
lot of muggs watching Leichester Newcastle instead of this 
real minnows Lille
were playing semi pro only a few years ago
were playing semi pro only a few years ago
Looking good, St Etienne at home then Angers away for Lille after tonight
It was, but he's fine because its a black power salute
Dodgy penalty awarded to PSG deep in to time added on in the first half, Neymar scores and its 1-0 to the visitors.
Lille finish the weekend three points clear with two matches remaining, a little bit of wriggle room
PSG 2-0 up at half-time (Neymar + Mbappe) with Reims reduced to ten men, home and hosed for them.
Little Lille 0-0 at home, and without a shot on target.
Three point lead reduced to one as it stands.
Little Lille 0-0 at home, and without a shot on target.
Three point lead reduced to one as it stands.
There will be twists and turns 
There may even be a VAR controversy or two
There may even be a VAR controversy or two
Lille should be happy with a draw here, still in their hands final game then
Win that instead
Win that instead
Nervy stuff.
Away from home to Angers next week which is likely a good thing.
11 wins and a draw from their last twelve away matches, including a 1-0 win at PSG and a 3-2 win from 2-0 down away to Lyon.
Come on Lille, you can do it
PSG away to Brest.
Away from home to Angers next week which is likely a good thing.
11 wins and a draw from their last twelve away matches, including a 1-0 win at PSG and a 3-2 win from 2-0 down away to Lyon.
Come on Lille, you can do it
PSG away to Brest.
St Etienne keeper made a great save near the end, flicking the ball on to the post from a free kick
They needed 4 points and that's 1 of them
They should beat Angers
They should beat Angers
It took an injury time penalty (thankfully) for Marseille to beat Angers last night, who put up a good fight. Let's hope Lille calm their nerves for this one.
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Top two qualify for Champions League, third has to go through qualification.
Fourth and fifth go to Europa League, sixth will join Spurs in the Conference.
So, we have arrived, with under thirty minutes to kick off.
Little Lille have their fate in their own hands, win away to Angers (12th place), and the title is theirs.
A draw will suffice as long as PSG do not win away to Brest (16th place, and potential to be relegated).
A Lille defeat and a PSG draw would give the title to PSG on goal difference.
It is also possible that the top 3 could all finish on 80 points so there will be drama.
Strap yourself in and enjoy the ride to the finishing line
Top two qualify for Champions League, third has to go through qualification.
Fourth and fifth go to Europa League, sixth will join Spurs in the Conference.
So, we have arrived, with under thirty minutes to kick off.
Little Lille have their fate in their own hands, win away to Angers (12th place), and the title is theirs.
A draw will suffice as long as PSG do not win away to Brest (16th place, and potential to be relegated).
A Lille defeat and a PSG draw would give the title to PSG on goal difference.
It is also possible that the top 3 could all finish on 80 points so there will be drama.
Strap yourself in and enjoy the ride to the finishing line
lol imagine watching this when could watch Cittadella Venezia instead
Games also in play in Italy and Juventus are in the Champions |League as it stands.
Plenty of time for that to chance though.
Plenty of time for that to chance though.
Juventus over the hill and far away, 3-0 up at half-time.
Up to Napoli to sort themselves out to deny Juve a Champions League slot.
Up to Napoli to sort themselves out to deny Juve a Champions League slot.
PSG missed a penalty but picked up an own goal to lead 1-0 at half time.
Lille home record : 10 wins, 7 draws, 2 defeats
Lille away record : 14 wins, 4 draws, 1 defeat
Lille away record : 14 wins, 4 draws, 1 defeat
I have big treble on liverpool, lille & psg. Guess psg will concede late on...
Napoli blew it and allowed Juventus to scrape in to the CL 
Well done Lille, that's how to close out a title, minimum of fuss, no need for A-G-G-U-E-R-R-R-R-R-O-O-O-O-O moments
It is a remarkable transformation. Three years ago, Lille were almost relegated, only surviving after winning three of their final four matches. Now, they have pipped the might of Paris St-Germain to the French title.
They have done it on less than a quarter of PSG's budget, and amid the uncertainty of a mid-season takeover. They can thank an astute, underrated manager in Christophe Galtier, some smart signings - and a few of PSG's own discarded youth products.
But while Lille celebrate, PSG have been left to wonder how the Ligue 1 crown has been wrestled away from them.
Thomas Tuchel was plotting Paris St-Germain's path to the Champions League final 12 months ago. A year on, and he's there again with Chelsea, less than six months after being sacked by PSG - who will be watching him enviously next Saturday without even the consolation of the Ligue 1 title.
Tuchel's sacking on 24 December - after PSG had beaten Strasbourg 4-0 to head into the winter break a point off top spot - said everything about the German's fractured relationship with sporting director Leonardo.
The upshot was Mauricio Pochettino returned to top-level European football, but PSG failed to win the French championship for only the second time in nine seasons.
This is a very different PSG who lost out on the title to Montpellier in 2011-12. Nine years ago, the Qatar Sports Investments project in the French capital had only two league titles to their name; since, they have matured into a continental juggernaut unused to being bullied in their own playground.
The fact they have been must - to a large extent - be laid at the door of the coronavirus pandemic. Yes, PSG have the sort of strength in depth that only the most financially well-muscled clubs can boast, but even their squad has been stretched wafer-thin.
They lost the delayed 2019-20 Champions League final in August, 48 hours after the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season had kicked off.
"For me, and there's a lot of us that feel this, it's not a new season," said Kylian Mbappe in October. "It's as if last season were still going on. For me, it's the 60th match of the season, and not the ninth of the new campaign."
That said, Mbappe has just enjoyed his most prolific season yet and - tired or not - is talking about playing for France at the Olympics after Euro 2020.
Mbappe's exploits in front of goal would bode well for Pochettino's ambitions for 2021-22, but, with 12 months left on his contract, the striker is still considering whether to join Neymar in signing an extension. Everyone is fully aware what it would mean if he decided against that.
Having had only a few months to work with the squad, Pochettino remains in credit, especially as he guided PSG to the Champions League semi-finals and won a major domestic trophy.
But whether Mbappe commits or not, the Argentine will be expected to deliver big at home and abroad in the new campaign.
"Lille will make a good champion if they win it. But with eight defeats, if we lose the title, we're the only ones responsible," said Mbappe late in the season.
He is right. Lille should not have been able to compete on an even playing field. Their squad cost 147 euros (£126.5m), while PSG's cost 640m euros (£551m). But he also unwittingly struck upon another reason for PSG to blame themselves: Lille's success was fashioned to a great extent in the dethroned champions' own youth academy.
No fewer than four former PSG players played key roles in the Lille squad - goalkeeper Mike Maignan, midfielder Boubakary Soumare, and forwards Jonathan Ikone and Timothy Weah.
Maignan in particular has been a standout performer. Former Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Ham United centre-back Jose Fonte - now 37 - held together a backline with the hugely promising Sven Botman, Gabriel's replacement.
A new front two clicked as well. Burak Yilmaz, the 35-year-old Turkey striker - barring a spell in China - had not played for a club outside his own country before joining Lille last summer as a replacement for Loic Remy, but worked superbly in attack, scoring 16 goals in Ligue 1.
He provided the experience to support Jonathan David, the Canada forward signed from Belgian club Gent before the start of the season. David was brought in to fill the gap left by Victor Osimhen's departure to Napoli, and his 13 league goals were crucial to Lille's title success.
Lille used just 21 players to claim their fifth top-flight title, fewer than any other side in the division. Given they also reached the knockout stages of the Europa League, it's all the more remarkable, and adds to the credit that manager Galtier fully deserves.
Galtier established himself in coaching as an assistant, working alongside Alain Perrin at Portsmouth, Lyon and Saint-Etienne among others. When Saint-Etienne sacked Perrin in 2009, Galtier got his chance as a manager, and has proved an adept leader.
After moulding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang into a world-class striker and achieving relative success on the tightest of budgets, he picked up the mess left by Marcelo Bielsa at Lille in December 2017 - taking over with the club in serious relegation danger.
Galtier kept them up, then took Lille to second and fourth-place finishes over the next two seasons. This time around, amid the upheaval of new owners coming in halfway through the season, the manager masterminded one of football's most unexpected title triumphs. On Sunday, he was named Ligue 1's manager of the year for an unprecedented third time.
He is expected to leave Lille this summer - with underperforming heavyweights Lyon and Ineos-backed Nice the favourites to land him. Yet Galtier's name is never mentioned when big jobs outside France come up.
Given what he has done with significantly smaller budgets and - on paper - less talented players, the days of Galtier passing under the radar of major clubs across the continent are surely numbered.
They have done it on less than a quarter of PSG's budget, and amid the uncertainty of a mid-season takeover. They can thank an astute, underrated manager in Christophe Galtier, some smart signings - and a few of PSG's own discarded youth products.
But while Lille celebrate, PSG have been left to wonder how the Ligue 1 crown has been wrestled away from them.
Thomas Tuchel was plotting Paris St-Germain's path to the Champions League final 12 months ago. A year on, and he's there again with Chelsea, less than six months after being sacked by PSG - who will be watching him enviously next Saturday without even the consolation of the Ligue 1 title.
Tuchel's sacking on 24 December - after PSG had beaten Strasbourg 4-0 to head into the winter break a point off top spot - said everything about the German's fractured relationship with sporting director Leonardo.
The upshot was Mauricio Pochettino returned to top-level European football, but PSG failed to win the French championship for only the second time in nine seasons.
This is a very different PSG who lost out on the title to Montpellier in 2011-12. Nine years ago, the Qatar Sports Investments project in the French capital had only two league titles to their name; since, they have matured into a continental juggernaut unused to being bullied in their own playground.
The fact they have been must - to a large extent - be laid at the door of the coronavirus pandemic. Yes, PSG have the sort of strength in depth that only the most financially well-muscled clubs can boast, but even their squad has been stretched wafer-thin.
They lost the delayed 2019-20 Champions League final in August, 48 hours after the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season had kicked off.
"For me, and there's a lot of us that feel this, it's not a new season," said Kylian Mbappe in October. "It's as if last season were still going on. For me, it's the 60th match of the season, and not the ninth of the new campaign."
That said, Mbappe has just enjoyed his most prolific season yet and - tired or not - is talking about playing for France at the Olympics after Euro 2020.
Mbappe's exploits in front of goal would bode well for Pochettino's ambitions for 2021-22, but, with 12 months left on his contract, the striker is still considering whether to join Neymar in signing an extension. Everyone is fully aware what it would mean if he decided against that.
Having had only a few months to work with the squad, Pochettino remains in credit, especially as he guided PSG to the Champions League semi-finals and won a major domestic trophy.
But whether Mbappe commits or not, the Argentine will be expected to deliver big at home and abroad in the new campaign.
"Lille will make a good champion if they win it. But with eight defeats, if we lose the title, we're the only ones responsible," said Mbappe late in the season.
He is right. Lille should not have been able to compete on an even playing field. Their squad cost 147 euros (£126.5m), while PSG's cost 640m euros (£551m). But he also unwittingly struck upon another reason for PSG to blame themselves: Lille's success was fashioned to a great extent in the dethroned champions' own youth academy.
No fewer than four former PSG players played key roles in the Lille squad - goalkeeper Mike Maignan, midfielder Boubakary Soumare, and forwards Jonathan Ikone and Timothy Weah.
Maignan in particular has been a standout performer. Former Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Ham United centre-back Jose Fonte - now 37 - held together a backline with the hugely promising Sven Botman, Gabriel's replacement.
A new front two clicked as well. Burak Yilmaz, the 35-year-old Turkey striker - barring a spell in China - had not played for a club outside his own country before joining Lille last summer as a replacement for Loic Remy, but worked superbly in attack, scoring 16 goals in Ligue 1.
He provided the experience to support Jonathan David, the Canada forward signed from Belgian club Gent before the start of the season. David was brought in to fill the gap left by Victor Osimhen's departure to Napoli, and his 13 league goals were crucial to Lille's title success.
Lille used just 21 players to claim their fifth top-flight title, fewer than any other side in the division. Given they also reached the knockout stages of the Europa League, it's all the more remarkable, and adds to the credit that manager Galtier fully deserves.
Galtier established himself in coaching as an assistant, working alongside Alain Perrin at Portsmouth, Lyon and Saint-Etienne among others. When Saint-Etienne sacked Perrin in 2009, Galtier got his chance as a manager, and has proved an adept leader.
After moulding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang into a world-class striker and achieving relative success on the tightest of budgets, he picked up the mess left by Marcelo Bielsa at Lille in December 2017 - taking over with the club in serious relegation danger.
Galtier kept them up, then took Lille to second and fourth-place finishes over the next two seasons. This time around, amid the upheaval of new owners coming in halfway through the season, the manager masterminded one of football's most unexpected title triumphs. On Sunday, he was named Ligue 1's manager of the year for an unprecedented third time.
He is expected to leave Lille this summer - with underperforming heavyweights Lyon and Ineos-backed Nice the favourites to land him. Yet Galtier's name is never mentioned when big jobs outside France come up.
Given what he has done with significantly smaller budgets and - on paper - less talented players, the days of Galtier passing under the radar of major clubs across the continent are surely numbered.
I get that this was a big surprise
but Lille aren't minnows
they won Ligue 1 about 10 years ago and have a fantastic new stadium
they are probably the fourth biggest club in France
but Lille aren't minnows
they won Ligue 1 about 10 years ago and have a fantastic new stadium
they are probably the fourth biggest club in France
One of the interesting aspects in that article is the cheap shot aimed at Marcelo Bielsa.
Bielsa's season at Marseille (2014-15) was fascinating
looked like they might win the league for a long time, and then fell apart badly in the home stretch
looked like they might win the league for a long time, and then fell apart badly in the home stretch
Lille Olympique Sporting Club, commonly called LOSC, also referred to as LOSC Lille, Lille OSC or simply Lille, is a French professional football club based in Lille in Hauts-de-France. They are the current champions of Ligue 1. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football.
Lille has played its home matches since 2012 at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in nearby Villeneuve d'Ascq, which replaced the club's previous home of Stade Lille-Metropole in the same community.
Lille was founded as a result of a merger between Olympique Lillois and SC Fives. Both clubs were founding members of the French Division 1 and Lillois was the league's inaugural champions.
Under the Lille emblem, the club has won four league titles (in 1946, 1954, and 2011, and 2021) and six Coupe de France titles.
Lille's most successful period was the decade from 1946 to 1956 when the team was led by managers George Berry and André Cheuva.
Lille has a long-standing rivalry with nearby club RC Lens, with whom they contest the Derby du Nord. Since December 2020, the club has been owned by Merlyn Partners SCSp, a Luxembourg based investment fund.
Lille has played its home matches since 2012 at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in nearby Villeneuve d'Ascq, which replaced the club's previous home of Stade Lille-Metropole in the same community.
Lille was founded as a result of a merger between Olympique Lillois and SC Fives. Both clubs were founding members of the French Division 1 and Lillois was the league's inaugural champions.
Under the Lille emblem, the club has won four league titles (in 1946, 1954, and 2011, and 2021) and six Coupe de France titles.
Lille's most successful period was the decade from 1946 to 1956 when the team was led by managers George Berry and André Cheuva.
Lille has a long-standing rivalry with nearby club RC Lens, with whom they contest the Derby du Nord. Since December 2020, the club has been owned by Merlyn Partners SCSp, a Luxembourg based investment fund.
A quality thread angoose some good write ups, and very informative. Congratulations to Lille, or as you like to say Little Lille 
Many years ago, I was working on a software project as part of a team.
I was living in Paris at the time, some of the team were based in London and some in Brussels.
After the project was successfully put live, there was a celebratory meal at a very fancy restaurant in Lille.
The event became known as "The Meal in Lille"
The restaurant specialized in fish and I didn't fancy anything on the menu.
I managed to get one of my colleagues, who was a smooth talking Frenchman, to agree to get me a steak from a restaurant down the street.
A nice wee town and within realistic commuting distance of Paris thanks to the frequency of trains.
I was living in Paris at the time, some of the team were based in London and some in Brussels.
After the project was successfully put live, there was a celebratory meal at a very fancy restaurant in Lille.
The event became known as "The Meal in Lille"
The restaurant specialized in fish and I didn't fancy anything on the menu.
I managed to get one of my colleagues, who was a smooth talking Frenchman, to agree to get me a steak from a restaurant down the street.
A nice wee town and within realistic commuting distance of Paris thanks to the frequency of trains.
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