Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot, Kasper Schmeichel, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are among a cluster of stars, some of whom are former world champions, that are set to play final games for their present employers before switching clubs this summer. Argentina’s World Cup winning captain Messi will be the star attraction when French top flight champions Paris Saint Germain host Clermont Foot as he features in his final Ligue One game before moving to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal or former club FC Barcelona.
Messi won the domestic league title in each of his two seasons in the French capital but he never really won the hearts of PSG aficionados because he was unable to deliver the Holy Grail that is Uefa Champions League success. Many feel he reserved his best for Argentina with whom he was unplayable at Qatar 2022. A not too dissimilar tale can be retold of Spain’s World Cup winning centre back Ramos, whose 24 months in Paris have been blighted by injuries.
The top three positions in Ligue One are already decided. Runners up Racing Lens, for whom Belgian striker Lois Openda has been a revelation, will test their Champions League credentials at Auxerre while third placed Olympique Marseille aim to bounce back from last week’s humiliating home defeat to Stade Brest when they travel to already relegated Ajaccio. Olympique Lyon’s veteran forward Alexander Lacazette has earmarked the trip to Nice to try to overhaul Kylian Mbappe Lottin in the race for the Ligue One Golden Boot. The former Arsenal forward has been one of the success stories in a most forgettable season for Lyon, with his 27 goals the second highest tally after Mbappe’s 28.
In Spain, speculation is rife one of La Liga’s highest goal grabbers of all time, Karim Benzema, is to move to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad after Sunday’s showdown between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. Los Blancos need victory to see off the challenge for second place from city rivals Atletico Madrid, who make a demanding trip to Villarreal. Champions Barcelona could give departing legends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba a kick about in their final Liga Santander game at Celta Vigo.
A relegation dogfight of the ages has gripped La Liga with six teams fighting the drop on the final match day. Espanyol and Elche are already planning for life in Segunda but they can play the role of king makers. Espanyol host Almeria, who sit just one point above Real Valladolid, the current occupants of the third relegation slot. Valladolid host Getafe fully aware that maximum points are their only window of survival. Elche’s results have improved since their drop to Segunda was confirmed, so they are a potential banana skin for Cadiz, who lie just two points above the drop zone.
LIGUE ONE
SATURDAY
Ajaccio v Olympique Marseille,
Auxerre v Racing Lens,
Monaco v Toulouse,
Troyes v Lille Metropole,
Lorient v Strasbourg,
Nantes v Angers,
Nice v Olympique Lyon,
Paris SG v Clermont Foot,
Brest v Rennes,
Reims v Montpellier
LA LIGA
SUNDAY
Osasuna v Girona,
Mallorca v Rayo Vallecano,
Real Madrid v Athletic Bilbao,
Real Sociedad v Sevilla,
Villarreal v Atletico Madrid,
Elche v Cadiz,
Espanyol v Almeria,
Celta Vigo v Barcelona,
Real Betis v Valencia,
Real Valladolid v Getafe
