Monaco will still be in contention for the title of best team as they travel to the Stade Bollard-De Lillis to take on Lens on the final day of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season. Adi Hutter's side trail second-placed Marseille by a single point heading into Saturday's final, with their hosts finishing no higher than eighth.

Lens have been one of the most successful teams in French football over the past five years since their promotion to the French top flight in 2020, and have become accustomed to European football's match nights in recent times, but barring extraordinary circumstances, the Blood and Gold will not be playing in Europe next season. Lens have been unable to replicate the feats of the wily Frank Hayes - who could now be on the verge of leading Nice into the 2025-26 Champions League - and Will Steele has seen a truly mixed bag of results this season, with Lens' only consistency being their inconsistency.

Lens are confident that their place in the top half of Ligue 1 is secure, but to secure a place in the English and Welsh League on the final day they will need to do better than eighth-placed Brest, hope PSG beat them in the French Cup final and pray that Lyon are not banned by UEFA for their financial problems. However, the hosts have lost their last two Ligue 1 home games 6-0 on aggregate and 2-0 to Reims, and have not responded with a 4-0 loss to Auxerre - 50% of their top-flight games in front of their home fans this season have ended in defeat. While Lens laments the end of their European dream, Monaco can prepare for another round of Champions League football in advance, as Hutter's side have already secured a top-three finish, thus guaranteeing qualification for next year's league.

A five-match unbeaten run has helped Monaco leapfrog Nice, Lille and Strasbourg - all four points behind - with Marseille just one point ahead, so silverware is not out of the question for Hutter's side. Takumi Minamino and Denis Zakaria scored twice in six minutes to give Monaco a comfortable 2-0 win against Lyon last weekend, and they will look to surpass Marseille's result against Rennes to secure their fifth consecutive top-two finish. However, Monaco's podium finish was not due to their recent away form, having won just two of their last 11 Ligue 1 away games, although one of those wins came in their most recent outing against Saint-Etienne.

In addition, Hutter's side have scored in nine consecutive top-flight away games and a 1-1 draw at home to Lens earlier in the season extended their unbeaten run against PSG to four games, having lost 3-0 on the road just over two years ago.

Lens predicted starting lineup:

Ryan; Pouille, Bach, Gradit, Medina, Aguilar; Tomasson, Mendy, El Ainawy, Sotoka; Said

Monaco predicted starting lineup:

Cohen; Van der Sem, Singo, Keller, Enrique; Aclius, Magasa, Camara, Minamino; Byreth, Embolo