OM and Stade Rennais lost the lead in their group by losing last night, and will have to go through the play-offs, like Toulouse who won their ticket in Austria.
Three qualifications that leave a bitter taste. While Toulouse achieved a good second place behind Liverpool, theOM and Rennes could have hoped for better and let slip the lead of their group by losing yesterday. The three French clubs will play in the play-offs Europa Leaguelike RC Lens who returned from the Champions League after finishing third in their group.
OM cracks and will go to the play-off
Olympique de Marseille logically lost, at the end of the suspense on the Brighton pitch (1-0). United in the difficulty, the Phocaeans delayed the deadline for a long time: they had to obtain a draw to retain first place in the group and qualify directly for the round of 16, without going through a tricky play-off against a Champions League team. But De Zerbi’s men were too strong, dominating throughout the match and stifling with their pressing.
The English midfield enjoyed themselves, like Billy Gilmour and Pascal Gross, while the Marseille players failed to keep the ball or hinder opposing possessions. Condemned to defend the draw until the end of the match, they ended up breaking with a final combination concluded by Joao Pedro (88th). If Clauss (15th) and Harit (59th) hit the post, this defeat seemed inevitable as Gennaro Gattuso’s men suffered the law of Premier League residents. It is therefore a series of four consecutive victories which ends, and a delicate play-off round which awaits for the Olympians.
Rennes falls at Roazhon Park
Same disillusionment for the Rennais Stadium : while a draw was enough for them, the Bretons ceded the lead of group F to Villarreal by falling against the Spaniards at home (2-3). Guilty of not being able to control the match, they subjected their fragile defense to attacks that it was unable to channel. However, the Rennais had something to respond to: Assignon (37th) equalized just after Gerard Moreno’s opener (36th), and Ludovic Blas (79th) equalized a second time after Akhomach’s goal (63rd). But in the process, once again, the Rennes rearguard was pierced too easily on a combination in the axis concluded by the metronome Dani Parejo (80th).
And while they were pushing to come back to the score a third time, Julien Stéphan’s men thought they would achieve it at the end of added time on a rebound from Lorenz Assignon which shook the nets (90th + 11). But the liberating goal was canceled because Enzo Le Fée, who had hit the free kick, took the ball back immediately after it hit the bar and without anyone else having touched it in the meantime, this which is prohibited. Rennes will therefore compete in the play-offs, like OM…
Mission accomplished for Toulouse
For Toulouse, these play-offs were the objective and the best place achievable behind Liverpool, already assured of finishing at the top of the group and who lost in Belgium against Union Saint-Gilloise (2-1). Like the two other French clubs, Toulouse could be satisfied with a draw, but the Violets did better by winning in Austria against LASK Linz (1-2).
Thanks to Dallinga’s opener (54th) and Suazo’s winning goal (83rd), and despite Ljubicic’s temporary equalizer (61st), Toulouse continued their journey in the Europa League. In a balanced match, they will have been more effective and offered themselves a good barrage against a Champions League team, which they will try to overthrow to pave the way to the round of 16. AC Milan looks like the scarecrow of these roadblocks. THE RC Lens will not be able to face Toulouse, Rennes or Marseille in these play-offs.
RC Lens’ potential opponents in the Europa League play-off are:
- Friborg (2nd in Europa League Group A)
- Sparta Prague (2nd in Europa League Group C)
- Sporting Lisbon (2nd in Europa League Group D)
- AS Roma (2nd in Europa League Group G)
- Karabakh (2nd in Group H of the Europa League)
The potential opponents of OM, Rennes and Toulouse in the Europa League play-off are:
- Galatasaray (3rd in Group A of Champions League)
- Braga (3rd in Group C of the Champions League)
- Benfica (3rd in Group D of the Champions League)
- Feyenoord Rotterdam (3rd in Champions League Group E)
- AC Milan (3rd in Champions League Group F)
- Young Boys Bern (3rd in Group G of the Champions League)
- Shakhtior Donetsk (3rd group H of the Champions League)
The teams qualified for the round of 16 of the Europa League are:
- West Ham (1st in Europa League Group A)
- Brighton (1st in Europa League Group B)
- Rangers (1st in Europa League Group C)
- Atalanta (1st in Europa League group D)
- Liverpool (1st in Europa League Group E)
- Villarreal (1st in Europa League group F)
- Slavia Prague (1st in Europa League group G)
- Leverkusen (1st in Europa League group H)
The teams qualified for the Europa League play-off are:
- Galatasaray (3rd in Champions League Group A)
- RC Lens (3rd in Group B of the Champions League)
- Braga (3rd in Group C of the Champions League)
- Benfica (3rd in Group D of the Champions League)
- Feyenoord Rotterdam (3rd in Champions League Group E)
- AC Milan (3rd in Champions League Group F)
- Young Boys Bern (3rd in Group G of the Champions League)
- Shakhtior Donetsk (3rd group H of the Champions League)
- Friborg (2nd in Europa League Group A)
- Marseille (2nd in Europa League Group B)
- Sparta Prague (2nd in Europa League Group C)
- Sporting Lisbon (2nd in Europa League Group D)
- Toulouse (2nd in Europa League Group E)
- Rennes (2nd in Europa League group F)
- AS Roma (2nd in Europa League Group G)
- Karabakh (2nd in Group H of the Europa League)