Saint-Étienne Eyes Champions League Qualification with Final Push Against Ajaccio
Saint-Étienne — AS Saint-Étienne remains in the hunt for a third-place finish in Ligue 1, which would secure a spot in the Champions League preliminary round. Sitting fourth in the standings, just two points behind Lille, the Greens have a slim chance of overtaking their rivals, but it all hinges on their upcoming clash with Ajaccio this Saturday at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium.
To keep their hopes alive, Saint-Étienne will need to secure all three points against Ajaccio, while hoping that Lille drops points away at Lorient. The dream of European qualification is still within reach, and the entire club is starting to believe in the possibility of playing on the continent’s biggest stage next season.
Max-Alain Gradel, the Ivorian international forward, emphasized that Saint-Étienne must focus on their own performance and not rely on other results. “On Saturday, we have to finish the job against Ajaccio. The most important thing is to take the three points without looking at what happens in Lille’s match,” Gradel said in an interview with Access365.
He went on to praise Lille, acknowledging their strong season and excellent play, but reiterated Saint-Étienne’s determination to secure a European spot. “Lille has a very great team that plays very good football. They’ve shown that throughout the season. They’re going to go there and try to take the three points, and we’re going to try to do the same thing. I hope the best team qualifies for the preliminary round of the Champions League.”
Gradel also stressed that finishing the season without regrets is paramount. “We’ve fulfilled the club’s objectives, which were to qualify for Europe. Now, there’s a chance to do better, but we’re not going to stop. We’re going to give everything to try to do better. The most important thing is not to have any regrets at the end.”
As Saint-Étienne approaches the final match of their season, their focus remains on finishing strongly and securing a place in Europe, whatever the outcome of Lille’s final fixture.
