Saint-Étienne Focused on Finishing Strong Despite Tight Champions League Race
As the Ligue 1 season enters its final stages, Saint-Étienne is still in contention for a Champions League spot, with Marseille, Monaco, and Les Verts battling for the third-place finish that grants entry to the play-offs. With Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon firmly holding the top two positions, the final spot remains up for grabs.
Saint-Étienne, who showcased an impressive 5-0 victory over Nice on Matchday 36, now faces Evian TG in Matchday 37. Despite the tight competition for third place, Moustapha Bayal Sall and his teammates are choosing to focus on their own performance and not get distracted by the results of Marseille and Monaco.
“The goal is to win the last two matches of the season. We’re not counting Marseille and Monaco,” said the Saint-Étienne central defender in an interview with Le Progrès.
Currently tied on points with Marseille (with a lower goal difference), Saint-Étienne sits two points behind Monaco, and with just two matches left, they will have to rely on a slip-up from their rivals to secure a top-three finish.
“If we win both matches and end up in the Champions League, we’ll be happy. If we finish fourth, we’ll be happy too.”
With both the Champions League and the Europa League on the line, Saint-Étienne’s focus remains firmly on winning their remaining fixtures and hoping for a favorable outcome. However, regardless of their position at the end of the season, it seems they’ll find contentment in their overall effort.
