Nice faces Saint-Étienne in Ligue 1 relegation playoff after dramatic finale
After the 34th and final matchday of Ligue 1 concluded on Sunday evening, Nice, unable to defeat Metz (0-0), finished 16th and will face Saint-Étienne in a relegation playoff on May 26 and 29. Meanwhile, Le Havre secured their top-flight status with a 2-0 victory at Lorient, joining Auxerre, who triumphed 2-0 at Lille.
While Nantes and Metz were confirmed as direct Ligue 2 dropouts, the fate of the 16th-place team—destined to a relegation playoff against Saint-Étienne—remained uncertain until the final whistle. Nice, holding the 16th spot before the last matchday, failed to escape their precarious position.
The Niçois battled valiantly but could not secure a home win against Metz (0-0), a match they could have lost without a heroic performance from goalkeeper Yéhvann Diouf. The frustration boiled over as supporters invaded the Allianz Riviera pitch. Now, Nice must fight for survival in a two-legged playoff against Saint-Étienne, beginning on May 26 at Geoffroy-Guichard. The return leg will take place on May 29 at the Allianz Riviera. The stakes are high, with the Coupe de France final against Lens looming just days earlier on May 22 at the Stade de France.
Auxerre and Le Havre shine in dramatic fashion
On Sunday morning, Nice sat in 16th place with 31 points, level with Auxerre (15th) and just one point ahead of Le Havre (14th). Their rivals for survival, however, played away and delivered. Auxerre stunned Lille with a 2-0 win, while Le Havre clinched a 2-0 victory at Lorient. The Ligue 1 landscape shifted dramatically in these final moments.
Sinayoko delivers the heroics for Auxerre
Christophe Pelissier’s men pulled off the improbable against Lille. Lassine Sinayoko, the hero of the day, scored twice (32’, 90’) to secure a 2-0 win, his 11th and 12th goals of the season in Ligue 1. Simultaneously, Didier Digard’s Le Havre side completed their mission in Lorient. Abdoulaye Faye’s own goal (33’) and Issa Soumaré’s strike (62’) sealed the victory, while Lorient’s Bamba Dieng missed a penalty (45’+5).
