It’s been a week of contrasts for Ligue 1 teams in their respective European competitions. On one hand, PSG struggled against Aston Villa… but managed to secure their place in the Champions League semifinals for the second consecutive year. On the other hand, Olympique de Lyon experienced a rollercoaster of emotions at Old Trafford against Manchester United, who came from behind to win in extra time.

Ligue 1 will only have three guaranteed spots in the next Champions League

This situation means that Ligue 1 clubs are now fully aware, as they enter the final stretch of the season, that mathematically, they won’t have a fourth guaranteed spot to access the next edition of the Champions League. The Premier League and LaLiga have secured five spots each, while Serie A and the Bundesliga will each have four guaranteed spots.

There was a chance that if Olympique Lyon had kept advancing through the Europa League, Ligue 1 might have overtaken the Bundesliga and claimed that fourth spot… which could have even turned into five had they won the title. However, their heavy loss at Old Trafford directly hurt their own chances, as they currently sit fourth in Ligue 1, a position that only grants access to the Champions qualifying round.

Exciting Race in Ligue 1 for Champions League Spots

That would’ve been the most optimistic scenario for Ligue 1 teams… and the final outcome wouldn’t have been known until the end of the season in France. Either way, all the clubs involved in the race now know there’s no room for missteps if they want to secure one of the spots for the next Champions League… and the battle in these final matches promises to be intense.

As of today, there are still five matchdays left and 15 points up for grabs. That means up to nine teams still have a mathematical chance to qualify for the Champions League. Right now, Monaco (53 points) and Marseille (52) would earn direct qualification… and Lyon (51) would enter the preliminary round. Meanwhile, teams like Lille (50), Strasbourg (50), or Nice (48) are within one win of breaking into the top spots. Additionally, Nice (48), Brest (44), Lens (42), and even Auxerre (38) still have a shot at joining the race.