PSG vs Metz

Parc des Princes is the venue as record-time Ligue 1 champions PSG and hot relegation candidates Metz go head-to-head in the season finale.

After ending a run of three consecutive league draws with an overwhelming 4-0 win over Montpellier last weekend, newly-crowned Ligue 1 champions PSG will be looking to complete a successful domestic season with back-to-back victories. Standing in their way will be a Metz side they’ve outscored in their last 11 top-flight H2Hs, including a hard-fought 2-1 triumph in the reverse fixture. ‘Les Parisiens’ are odds-on favourites to go unbeaten across all 19 home matches for a second time in three fully-completed Ligue 1 campaigns, following a run of 15 wins from their 18 previous home league outings. Yet, Maurizio Pochettino’s star-studded side can ill-afford to rest on their laurels after drawing back-to-back home league games in the wake of a jaw-dropping 15-match winning Ligue 1 streak at the Parc des Princes.

On the other hand, visiting Metz have won their last two Ligue 1 fixtures by a single-goal margin, as many victories as in their 20 league games beforehand (D7, L11). Courtesy of their noticeable upturn in form, ‘Les Grenats’ head into proceedings in 18th, albeit they are level on points with 19th-placed Saint-Etienne. It means any potential failure in Paris, coupled with St Etienne’s positive result against Nantes, will result in straight relegation. There is no doubt that Metz will be desperate to avoid that scenario, but a run of seven winless away league outings (D3, L4) doesn’t sound optimistic from their point of view. Adding to this sentiment, they have lost their last seven Ligue 1 visits to the Parc des Princes, falling to multi-goal margins in six of them.