Ligue 1 Final Day: OM Secures Europa League, OL Suffers Major Loss

The 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season concluded on Sunday, May 17, with a thrilling final day of the championship filled with goals and twists. Olympique de Marseille managed to clinch a spot in the Europa League, while Olympique Lyonnais lost its direct qualification for the Champions League. Meanwhile, Auxerre's Lassine Sinayoko helped his team avoid relegation at Nice's expense.

Marseille - Rennes: OM Saves Its Season
Marseille finished fifth in Ligue 1 after a 3-1 victory over Rennes, ensuring qualification for the Europa League next season. Following a series of defeats and crises, the Olympians surged after quickly taking the lead with a goal from captain Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg in the 2nd minute. By the 10th minute, Amine Gouiri exploited a blunder from Rennes' goalkeeper to double the score. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sealed the match in the second half with a goal in the 55th minute. Esteban Lepaul scored his 21st goal of the season for Rennes in the 84th minute, but it was not enough to prevent the Bretons from finishing sixth, which qualified them for the Europa Conference League.

Strasbourg - Monaco: An Insane Match, No Europe for Monégasques
AS Monaco concluded the season in seventh place after a staggering 5-4 defeat to Strasbourg. They hoped for a Lens victory in the Coupe de France to secure a spot in the Conference League but will remain disappointed. Despite leading 4-1 until the 57th minute, Monaco's defensive frailties allowed Strasbourg to come back and win the intense encounter. Even with a victory, the Monégasques would have finished seventh due to Marseille's success.

Lyon - Lens: OL Suffers Heavy Defeat
Facing Lens, who were already qualified for the Champions League and secured second place, Lyon fell apart and lost 4-0. The OL conceded four goals, including a brace from Wesley Saïd and a stunning lob by Florian Thauvin. This heavy defeat saw Lyon relinquish their third place, which they held until the 32nd week of the season, to Lille, who, despite losing to Auxerre, finished on the podium. Lyon, needing to compete in the playoffs for Champions League qualification, now faces critical financial concerns, as the club had been administratively relegated earlier in the season for severe financial mismanagement.

Auxerre Saved by Sinayoko
In a heated battle at the bottom of the table, Auxerre, Le Havre, and Nice were separated by just one point. Ultimately, Nice will face Saint-Étienne to save their season after managing only a 0-0 draw against the bottom-placed Metz. Auxerre secured a 2-0 victory over Lille thanks to a double from Lassine Sinayoko while Le Havre triumphed 2-0 at Lorient. Nice finished with 32 points, Auxerre with 34 points, and Le Havre with 35 points.