Lille on verge of Champions League as Marseille fans revolt

Paris (AFP) – Loic Remy scored for the third game running as Lille all but secured a place in next season’s Champions League group stage, while Marseille fans vented their anger towards players in a dismal 3-0 home defeat by Lyon.

Former France forward Remy smashed in a volley from a clever free-kick on 27 minutes to hand Lille a 1-0 win over Bordeaux and keep them six points clear of Lyon with two games to play.

Christophe Galtier’s team are virtually guaranteed second place owing to a far superior goal difference, a remarkable turnaround after the club narrowly avoided relegation last season.

Bordeaux’s turbulent end to the campaign will see them finish with their lowest points total since 2004-05 as they suffered a fifth successive defeat.

Lyon’s team bus was pelted with stones upon its arrival in Marseille, while home supporters displayed a series of banners lambasting the club’s failures this season as Rudi Garcia’s side were eliminated from European contention in abject fashion.

“You don’t have the shoulders or the balls to wear the shirt, get lost” read one banner at the Stade Velodrome, where Marseille fell behind to a Maxwel Cornet goal in the 25th minute. 

The mood soured further when Duje Caleta-Car was dismissed on 67 minutes after hauling back Martin Terrier as the Lyon forward skipped clear of the defence.

Moussa Dembele doubled Lyon’s lead on 84 minutes and Cornet added his second shortly after, prompting calls for Garcia and other club officials to resign as a section of home fans tried to invade the pitch.

Lyon pulled four points clear of bitter regional rivals Saint-Etienne in third, and could qualify directly for the Champions League if Chelsea win the Europa League final against Arsenal on May 29.

Earlier on Sunday, Guingamp’s six-year stint in the top flight came to an end after Marcus Thuram missed a stoppage-time penalty in a 1-1 draw at Rennes.